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Original poster

Housing benefit & private renting

111 replies

ivykaty44 · 29/08/2018 07:17

www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/29/low-income-tenants-face-heat-eat-or-pay-rent-choices-study

The combination of private LandLords and housing benefits not keeping up with sky high rents is going to put more and more people on the streets

In my area a council property 3 bedroom is £130 per week rental or s two bed house £87 per week

Private rents are rarely under £700 per week for s two bed house

There just aren’t enough social houses to rent and private ll charge massive rents, you can rarely rent unless two of you or earnings over £25k

What are people to do?

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 07/09/2018 15:07

buttonmoon Shelter need to stop being so disingenuous and include housing associations in the test cases they are trying to bring................................

Path
‏ @PathDevon

Had a client turned down for social #housing because he's just started a zero hours job, so can't prove what he will earn every month.

So their affordability check has denied him the cheapest housing he could get, so he remains #homeless.

Becca19962014 · 07/09/2018 17:47

helena it's the same for HAs here, they all require proof of income and guarantors as well if on benefit and it's something like earning 10x the rent to be accepted. I've no one so can't rent from them.

HelenaDove · 07/09/2018 19:36

And thats why Shelters campaign is so disingenuous More here............

speyejoe2.wordpress.com/2018/08/23/dear-polly/

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
MrsICantSayMyName · 07/09/2018 19:41

Wow that is extremely cheap some of your rents ours is ha 950 pcm for a one bed flat no garden, living and kitchen combined it is a night mare! Some of us can only wish a two bed for less than 600 pcm ShockHmm

Becca19962014 · 07/09/2018 19:52

I think they just don't really get what goes on with HAs helena until I experienced he issues I did I'd no idea either. It also varies wildly from area to area and they don't seem to accept that. I've said before (apologies if it's on this thread!) I'm shocked at how differently HAs operate from area to area, not only that but the local ones vary hugely too. The people running them are running them like a business - yet they're registered as charities. I know at least one of ours does private rentals as well.

HelenaDove · 07/09/2018 20:03

YY Becca And Shelter KNOW this They have been told enough times. They just dont want to acknowledge it.

And there have also been cases where Environmental Health have refused to assist a tenant if it involves a housing association.

Becca19962014 · 07/09/2018 20:08

So much for that theory then!

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 07/09/2018 21:49

Helenadove
Is it the housing association affordability policy or his zero hours contract that has effected his chances of obtaining a tenancy?

OP posts:
Becca19962014 · 07/09/2018 22:40

I'm guessing he can't prove income so can't have a contract. Here it might only be possible if he had a guarantor, but even then they'd need some kind of concrete income.

Here it's because they're trying to prepare people for long term private rentals by working the same way e.g. Short term contracts.

Yes I'm well aware of the flaw in that statement!!

Nelumbo · 09/09/2018 10:56

I'm privately renting a property in outer London at £1200pcm (which is actually cheap for the area), I'm on the max HB based on my income, the landlord now wants to put it up again. Last time he did HB said they would not pay and more but luckily they did, but I doubt this time round they will.

I tried moving to an area with cheaper rents but it was not possible. No landlord would take a tenant on HB and the one that was willing to give me a chance wanted a guarantor who earned 3x the rent. I could not move based on my single part time income either.
I'm desperate to get out but its just impossible, I'm a single parent working part time with no financial support from their father.

My rent is just going to gradually creep up and eventually I won't be able to afford it, and other rents around the area are just as unaffordable so its becoming a bit of a worry as to what will happen to me and my kids. I've lived here for over 12yrs, my kids have grown up here and have their schooling here and at the moment are in vital years within their schooling.
I really think there should be a cap on how much landlords can charge. I do understand the reasonings behind landlords not wanting to accept HB but if the rents were not so extortionate people wouldn't need to rely on it

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