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Do I accept DSS??
fenwick458
Posts: 1,522 Forumite
I rent out houses, constantly get bombarded with this question, despite saying in the adverts that everybody is free to apply, there are no exclusions, pets are considered etcc
I've had a few tennants in the past that have declared to me that they are "DSS"
and they pay the rent directly to me every month, it comes from their bank. so if they hadn't have told me that they were "DSS" then how would I know?
what I generally do is advertise a property, everybody who expreses interest gets a viewing, at the viewing if they still are sure they want it they fill in an application form. I then pick the best one, which is generally the couple with the least amount of kids and pets, as long as their character references check out ok!
had an applicant asking if they would be accepted as they are on universal credit, I don't know what that means....
I did ask but never got a reply
I've had a few tennants in the past that have declared to me that they are "DSS"
and they pay the rent directly to me every month, it comes from their bank. so if they hadn't have told me that they were "DSS" then how would I know?
what I generally do is advertise a property, everybody who expreses interest gets a viewing, at the viewing if they still are sure they want it they fill in an application form. I then pick the best one, which is generally the couple with the least amount of kids and pets, as long as their character references check out ok!
had an applicant asking if they would be accepted as they are on universal credit, I don't know what that means....
I did ask but never got a reply
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Comments
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DSS has not existed since 2001!0
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Try using google. Universal credit means they are in receipt of benefits.., or what would have been called DSS decades ago. As you say, their housing allowance, along with any other money they have been awarded, would be paid into their bank account, so you wouldn't necessarily know they are in receipt of benefits if they are working but on a low wage. Presumably you do enough checks to know if a tenant is working or not.
To be honest, if I was renting a property out, I'd make sure I understood these terms. Googling takes seconds lol.0 -
fenwick458 wrote: »had an applicant asking if they would be accepted as they are on universal credit, I don't know what that means....
Where have you been for the past few years. It's a controversial benefit that's being rolled out to replace a number of other benefits, including housing benefits.
Essentially, it means the housing costs will be met (possibly only partially) by the state."Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius0 -
what I generally do is advertise a property, everybody who expreses interest gets a viewing, at the viewing if they still are sure they want it they fill in an application form. I then pick the best one, which is generally the couple with the least amount of kids and pets, as long as their character references check out ok!
No discrimation there then:rotfl:
Why waste their time and not advertise for what you are actually looking for.0 -
I did wonder at this myself but the OP also seems to state he has rented to people in receipt of LHA in his first post.0
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HampshireH wrote: »No discrimation there then:rotfl:
Why waste their time and not advertise for what you are actually looking for.
I don't see how thats discrimination. Is it not my choice who i want to rent out my house to?
what i'm getting at is I'm not bothered where the rent money comes from, as long as i get paid.
actulally just found just what i was looking for online:
https://help.openrent.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360002537611-What-is-DSS-
looks like i need to add a few things on the application form. It's not just me that seems to be confused about this, why are all these prospective tennants badging themselves as "DSS"!0 -
tenants whose housing benefit is paid directly to the landlord vs. tenants who pass on their benefit to the landlord
how are these decided? is just a difference in how the local authority works, or is a tennant who has their housing benefit paid straight to the landlord not capable of passing it on themselves without spending it!0 -
It's a shame when unscrupulous landlords sponge taxpayer's money via universal credit/housing benefit to pay their rents then provide a discriminatory checklist of demands e,g no kids, no pets, no visitors etc. This shows that more social and genuinely affordable housing needs to be built, instead of ruthless landlords hoarding up properties, pushing up rents for everyone, then expecting Mr Taxpayer to subsidise their portfolios.0
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You really really do need to do some research. Housing Benefit doesn't exist anymore. There is only HLA. HLA is paid directly to the tenant unless the tenant is in arrears and then the LL can apply to the council to have the rent paid to them. Sometimes people refer to it as housing benefit, but it is actually HLA that is paid.0
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do you need help on how to use google?fenwick458 wrote: »tenants whose housing benefit is paid directly to the landlord vs. tenants who pass on their benefit to the landlord
how are these decided? is just a difference in how the local authority works, or is a tennant who has their housing benefit paid straight to the landlord not capable of passing it on themselves without spending it!
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=housing+benefit&s=d&t=w0
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