No DSS orBenefits renting if on Pension Credit

Oldernotwiser

Scarlett1 wrote: »

As long as someone paid their rent what business would it be to you whether they were on the breadline or not , I think you will find that often once working couples paid out their overheads they aren't much over the breadline either, glad you aren't a landlord as you don't seem to have a clue

Unfortunately when someone's on the breadline then sometimes the rent doesn't get paid, although I do think that people on low wages also have difficulties in finding somewhere suitable to rent. Many people don't know just how much money some people on benefits do receive; I know that some of the things I've learnt since being a member here have come as a shock to me!

I don't think that you can blame landlords for wanting to minimise their risks, surely we all have to safeguard our incomes when we can.

MissHobit

What happens then if you rent a house for a few years then become unemployed and have to claim all the benefits, how would you stand? Would you have to even inform the agency of this?

I know of working couples who are worse off then couples on some benefits (you wouldn't believe it would you) and struggling to pay their rent. Also I've heard of agents taking people on benefits but they need a guarantor.

mitchaa

Scarlett1 wrote: »

As long as someone paid their rent what business would it be to you whether they were on the breadline or not , I think you will find that often once working couples paid out their overheads they aren't much over the breadline either, glad you aren't a landlord as you don't seem to have a clue

What business would it be to me, the landlord??

Plenty, seeing its my house:rolleyes:

Young professional working couples only and they would be properly vetted through estate agent.

I'll probably get flamed for this but i dont care, in work couples vs benefit couple. The in work couple gains far much more respect than the benefit claimant couple. We should all work, not choose to work like many benefit claimants.

Hence why if i were a landlord, the inwork couple would win 110% of the time.

With LHA now in force benefit claimants actually receive the money before the landlord. As a landlord that would scare the sh*t out of me.

Do you watch eastenders? Bianca and her kids recently getting chucked out on the street after she spent her rent money?? Yes only a fictional tv programme but i bet there are many hundreds and thousands of people all up and down the UK that would do the same thing.

Its obviously not my singular view as the ''no DSS'' criteria is very common and spread out throughout the UK. (I didn't do it)

Lil me....£2000+ non working parents, + rent and CT paid. I cant see how, but perhaps you can list a break down of this £2000+ worth in benefits every month.

Also, what happens when the children reach adulthood, that £2000+ income dissapears instantly. What are they going to do then?

lil_me wrote: »

As for the references, like I said people are already obtaining false information for the landlords from friends, family with their own business etc. Unfortunately where restrictions exist many feel forced to be dishonest.

Bank statements showing income coming in, it will be fairly obvious if they are employer paid or DWP paid.

Oldernotwiser makes a very good point. Minimise the risks, dont take chances.

lil_me

Can't remember the precise breakdown but went something like this

£740 very 4 weeks DLA (higher rate care and mobility for the twins who were left severely disabled after being born very early)
£400 weekly income support and CTC which includes incapacity for the Dad, Carer premiums, premiums for the children with disabilities from CTC etc
I think the child benefit is £150 a month

£2490 per month (I am sure it was just over £2500 but I can't remember the exact figures)

I am sure they would swap all the additional benefits they get for the little ones to be well again, their Mam was a teacher, assistant head, lovely person and a great teacher but such an awful situation to be in. I have no doubt when she is ready she will return to the same line of employment. They have recently said twin 1 (twin 2s outlook isn't much better) they will be suprised if she lives to be 10 years old, hence I believe they want to spend as much time with them as possible. The Dad was diagnosed with MS while the children were in hospital hence the IB, to be honest he could probably put in for DLA if his needs weren't so different each day.

tiamai_d

Sooo.... what happens when the 'young professional working couple' go and have some kids? Do you tell them to leave as they are now getting certain benefits?

lil_me

tiamai_d wrote: »

Sooo.... what happens when the 'young professional working couple' go and have some kids? Do you tell them to leave as they are now getting certain benefits?

Really good point, same as what happens if the proffesional ends up in the same situation as the lady I have been helping, they were proffesionals when they started renting their current home, now are on benefits, their landlord was ok about it thankfully (unfortunately landlord died and his son wants the house to sell hence they are looking again)

tiamai_d

lil_me wrote: »

Really good point, same as what happens if the proffesional ends up in the same situation as the lady I have been helping, they were proffesionals when they started renting their current home, now are on benefits, their landlord was ok about it thankfully (unfortunately landlord died and his son wants the house to sell hence they are looking again)

Or... two young professional people are under a lot of stress at work and one hits the bottle big time, vomits over the bosses shoes and is out of a job then goes and shags some random stranger and the other leaves them for a better life.

Single no longer a professional is now due to be kicked out by the landlord who does not take no DSS so wrecks the flat in a fit of rage! rawr!

Feel the power of life not being so straight forward!

realitybet

I'm in this tricky situation...

..been letting for 3 years was working up until christmas but due to ill health had to claim benefits...still paid my rent on time/all the time not a problem...now landlord is selling up got to find a new place..with no working reference it's a huge problem. have to admit considering dishonest, extreme means of obtaining an employers reference.

Even considering blackmailing the letting agent to evict me via the courts if they do not let me rent another one of their properties. doubt they'll go for that anyway. 'see you in court' will probably be their response.

I can understand the no "DSS" (why do they call it that it finished years ago!)policy to an extent...but the genuine, respectable types get stereo-typed with the others.

Going to end up in a B&B or ghetto somewhere probably.

Lots of property's available that have been advertising for many weeks as well, within my LHA range.

The policy needs looking at.

Oldernotwiser

lil_me wrote: »

Really good point, same as what happens if the proffesional ends up in the same situation as the lady I have been helping, they were proffesionals when they started renting their current home, now are on benefits, their landlord was ok about it thankfully (unfortunately landlord died and his son wants the house to sell hence they are looking again)

Presumably if you've been renting a place for some time and are reliable then the LL may give you the benefit of the doubt if your circumstances change. Obviously anyone can lose a job or separate and both tenants and LLs have to deal with this as well as they can. That's a completely different scenario from going looking for trouble right from the start.

mitchaa

tiamai_d wrote: »

Sooo.... what happens when the 'young professional working couple' go and have some kids? Do you tell them to leave as they are now getting certain benefits?

You mean child benefit and perhaps some CTC and a remaining 1 person still in full time employment + maternity pay.

That's totally different to someone who doesn't work at all and is in receipt of full HB/CTB, JSA or IB.

Yes there are some good HB recipients, but then on the other hand, there are unreliable HB recipients.

(Heroin addicts, alcoholics and down and outs all receive HB)

The question is, how do you vet the good from the bad? I think, well its pretty obvious from the ''No DSS'' signs that they dont bother with individual vetting. They treat ALL benefit recipients the same.

Sad, yes as there are a lot of respectable reliable claimants.