Haven’t paid rent in months!

@flea101 I agree- my 26 year old son has ADHD and is somewhat disorganised at times - he strangely manages to make sure his rent is covered every month and knows the state of what he has /or hasn't got in the bank - I think the OP is talking crap-she got away with it first month knowing landlord was in a state ( naturally) and then thought she would push it as that extra money was good- now realises she's in a mess.

I’m not saying they should do it but if the law says they must house the children and this is the cheapest way, you can see why the LA do this. I’m not suggesting this is the OP’s situation but repeated episodes of homelessness like this (e.g. at fault) would be flagged to children’s services.

Where does it stop? just keep 'forgetting' to pay rent and the LA will keep bailing you out?
It's easy to set reminders on your phone to check the bank, you don't risk your children's home.

There is a duty to ensure the children are housed, so it is more cost effective to use a DHP than arrange housing for children (and their parent).

I have schizophrenia, been in and out of hospital etc. I make sure I pay my bills to keep a roof over our heads. I would notice if the money had not gone out for our mortgage, when we rented I kept on top of the finances. I have had periods where I have overspent but I have responsibilities with my child and he deserves to have a secure home.

@keffie12 so you think there could be circumstances where someone could say
'Ooops spent £3k+ of my rent on 'stuff' instead, and the LA will say 'oh sure, don't worry, we'll double pay'?

I know people that have had the discretionary payment for housing, which if a payment is agreed by them, is paid directly to the landlord by the HSF. Yes, it can be for people who already had the rent money depending on the circumstances.

The circumstances of are taken into account. It is a one off. It's not done on a regular basis. Once it has been done once the rent is then directly paid to the landlord be it private or local authority/housing association.

The landlord will be told to apply for direct payment by the discretionary payments dept. Yes that can still be done on U.C too.

I work voluntary in this area so I know this to be true. Each case is taken on merit and it's not a given the H.D dept will pay it.

It is very much scrutinised, with evidence and usually they want to speak to a professional or service involved with the person/s.

I don't think anyone is justifying what has happened. I am not. You don't have to condone something to give practical advice. Every situation is different

Well we don’t know landlords situation. OP said he lost his son few years ago and this flat used to be his. Maybe father wanted to keep the flat as a memory of his son but now thinks it’s too difficult to deal with such tenants so he wants to sell it.

Yes and many people with severe MH issues can keep their finances in order and make sure they pay their bills so it is quite unfair that they will all be tarred with the same brush.
Luckily, my LL didn’t know that I had just come out of a psychiatric hospital when I took on this rental property. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been chosen otherwise but I am a great tenant despite my MH issues.

Oh, I am already there ahead of everyone else, as I said. Though of course people in employment can also have MH issues. A bit less likely though.

Well of course, especially when so many seem to have the view that it's evil and appalling to expect someone on benefits to actually pay rent!

Any LL reading this thread will be very unlikely now to take a chance on renting to someone with MH issues. Can’t blame them really when so many people are saying that the OP is justified in her behaviour and even vilifying her LL who has done nothing wrong.

I very much doubt OP will be eligible for the discretionary household payment issued by local councils!!
Certainly not, when she’s had her rent paid via benefits already, and failed to hand it over.
Why would anyone imagine they should pay twice?

OP is not saying she plans to live on benefits and not work in future.
she can't ben be bothered to check her bank so I don't imagine holding down a job will be easy, do you?
Security of a home isn't important for her as a mother, let's stop making excuses for the OP.

I wonder if he's at fault in the same way it's the serving staffs fault for dine and ditch...shops for shoplifters as they have stuff out on display...😆
Its absolutely bizarre how some on mn try and negate responsibility for everything!

I very much doubt OP will be eligible for the discretionary household payment issued by local councils!!
They will expect a breakdown of her incomings and outgoings.
It's not paid just because OP has spent her rent " accidentally"
It may be the LL is forced to sell as he can't meet his own mortgage payments!
There is no magic money tree

This entirely

The landlord is in no way at fault here. The onus is the OP to pay the rent which she didn’t for 6 months

I presume landlord hadn’t noticed there were arrears because he wasn’t the original landlord (his son was). Maybe probate has now been completed so the (new, ie father) landlord is now aware of the situation. In many ways, he’s also complicit for the arrears, for not noticing them earlier, but this maybe due to grieving over the loss of his son, or not having the full picture until now.

I hope that you can all come to mutually beneficial arrangements for the payments. (Also, it heeds a warning to guarantors, that a simple situation of a landlords death, could lead to rent arrears, which they may have to pay).

@Uppoopcreek You can apply to the council for HSF, which is discretionary help to pay back rent as well as other things. It grant payments

Explain to him what has happened, what you will be doing to rectify it.

If he still goes ahead with eviction proceedings then you need to talk to housing options at the council.

With your circumstances and because of your mental health under the disabled act they will beable to help you with housing

If you get help towards your rent through U.C or direct housing ask your landlord to apply directly to the dept paying the benefit for direct payments so this doesn't happen again

Unless I’ve missed a post, OP is not saying she plans to live on benefits and not work in future.

Perhaps the LL and the OP have come to an arrangement where he will 'No Fault' evict her and her children because he's 'planning' to sell the house and then she can claim homelessness and attempt to get a Council House?

The LL cuts his losses and doesn't have to deal the legal fees, big delays, threat of vandalism, etc.

The OP walks away scot-free.

If that's the case, it's a pretty shitty outcome for the LL and the taxpayer. The taxpayer has had 6 months of rent money stolen by the OP and the LL hasn't been paid for the service he's provided. The taxpayer will still be legally obliged to support the OP and her children.

And people wonder why so many private landlords want nothing to do with benefit claimants. 🙄

Too many pps saying oh poor OP, no rent received for 6months??
I assume he wasn't relying on this income or OP would have been out on her ear long ago.
Never checking your bank as a parent with children reliant on you is irresponsible.
Kids are affected for the rest of their life by chaotic/neglective upbringings.

This. Yes its sad the op is struggling mentally. But how many people if in the land lords position would say hey no problem. I'm financially ruined and have to sell but my tenant has some mh issues she is struggling with so it's OK. It's easy to say poor op not her fault, but how many would take that financial hit? At the end of the day this is a business relationship. Unfortunately the world does not stop for us when we struggle and I say that as someone who definitely has struggled mentally in the past.

The landlord hasn’t received rent money for 6 months and you think that’s acceptable?