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Clarification on 'no DSS'

2

Comments

  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
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    parking_question_chap wrote: »
    Shouldnt mean a landlord is forced to rent to them.

    If there was a choice between employed person with no kids, and a DSS person with kids its a no brainer for me.

    And what pray tell is a "DSS person?" How are you defining a "DSS person?" You do realise that someone in employment with no children can still be in receipt of benefits.
  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
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    Cakeguts wrote: »
    I think you could read this as someone who can't pay all of the rent and everything else on their wages and tax credits but needs extra money from somewhere else. If you can afford to pay all the rent by using your pay and tax credits then I can't see why there would be a problem. The problem will only arise if you don't earn enough with your pay and tax credits to pay the rent and all your other costs without claiming anything else. No DSS is often shorthand for people needing some sort of benefit to allow them to afford the rent.

    What are tax credits if not a benefit?
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239 Forumite
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    parking_question_chap wrote: »
    If there was a choice between employed person with no kids, and a DSS person with kids its a no brainer for me.

    If you take the 'kids' out of the equation then the choice isn't so simple.

    The 'employed person' you've given preference to today could be a 'DSS person' next week, there is no such thing as job security for most people these days.

    The 'employed person' could also have been living a life of luxury on credit supported by their income, and when the income stops they will be in a very different position to the 'DSS person' who is used to living on a budget and managing within their means.

    The 'no brainer' might not look such a great decision with hindsight.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • Tigsteroonie
    Tigsteroonie Posts: 24,954 Forumite
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    EachPenny wrote: »
    The 'employed person' you've given preference to today could be a 'DSS person' next week, there is no such thing as job security for most people these days.

    Indeed, that was our personal experience - rented a house advertisied as "no DSS" when we had two wages and claimed no benefits; subsequently both non-working, so claiming all benefits including HB for a while; finished the tenancy with a mix of one salary and some benefits (CTC). We did't tell our LL of the change in circumstances at any time - there was nothing in the Tenancy Agreement to say that we had to let him know.
    :heartpuls Mrs Marleyboy :heartpuls

    MSE: many of the benefits of a helpful family, without disadvantages like having to compete for the tv remote

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  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239 Forumite
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    Epeck wrote: »
    I currently private rent (deposit paid and full rent payments are made on time monthly) I'm assuming this will help with the decision of the agent/landlord.

    Sorry to say, but this may not make any difference at all - whether firstly the agent, and secondly the landlord - are willing to consider someone on 'benefits' is an irrational choice based on their personal opinions. If they have convinced themselves the first thing you'll do is move in with a pack of Pit Bulls and smother the outside walls with satellite dishes then you'll have no hope, even if you have an excellent renting history and can pay large amounts of money up front.

    The main thing to do is not to take any rejection to heart - it is not personal, it is likely to just be their prejudice, or a genuine fear of what might happen if they get 'bad tenants'.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
    G_M wrote: »
    'No DSS' means exactly what the person who writes in their advert believes it to mean.

    All you can do is ask (either what they meant, or whether they'll grant you a tenancy).

    I'd certainly ask for clarification of their personal meaning too in your position.

    Personally - I'd take "no DSS" as meaning = no unemployed person. But tax credits is income that is dependant on the whim of government policy - so they may just include that.

    After all - there are people out there that will call pensions "benefits" and that includes the government:eek:. Whereas that's certainly not how most of us regard them - more "deferred salary":) - and I certainly wouldnt hesitate to take on someone on a pension as a tenant if I were a landlady.
  • Kim_kim
    Kim_kim Posts: 3,726 Forumite
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    theartfullodger wrote: »
    Bonkers:. MOST - more than 50% - of UK adults are on one sort of benefit or other.

    The ignorance & stupidity of some landlords, agents & others is breathtaking.

    Best regards

    Really? More than 50%
    Do you have a source for that?
    I guess that must include pensions?
  • mysterymurdoch
    mysterymurdoch Posts: 139 Forumite
    Well considering almost all families I know claim their £20/week child benefit...
  • silverwhistle
    silverwhistle Posts: 3,791 Forumite
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    EachPenny wrote: »
    The main thing to do is not to take any rejection to heart - it is not personal, it is likely to just be their prejudice, or a genuine fear of what might happen if they get 'bad tenants'.

    Or their experience! So I'd say 'no housing associations' or 'no pot smokers' from when I rented out my home for a period..
  • Murphybear
    Murphybear Posts: 7,270 Forumite
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    Pixie5740 wrote: »
    And what pray tell is a "DSS person?" How are you defining a "DSS person?" You do realise that someone in employment with no children can still be in receipt of benefits.

    Have a look at the Institute for Fiscal Studies "a survey of the UK benefit system". It runs to 94 pages:rotfl:

    I think what most of the agencies/Landlords mean is no Housing benefit/LHA. As others have said, so many people are on one type of benefit or another it would be realistic to exclude them all.
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