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Original poster

Private renting whilst receiving UC

125 replies

PinkBird76 · 17/02/2024 14:14

I posted this on the Property/DIY board yesterday and only received one response. Hoping I’ll receive a few more comments on the Chat board.

Name changed for this post.

Bit of a backstory, I was homeless in 2020 whilst pregnant and instead of staying in temporary accommodation long term, the council helped house me in a private property. They paid the deposit and in return, the LL was happy to accept someone who was on UC. I moved into the property in 2021.

Fast forward to now and due to issues with the LL and a persistent rodent problem, we have to move house soon. I now have 2 children (1&2 year old) and they both have a disability/additional needs. Despite being a carer, I just about manage to work 2 days a week and receive UC too. We receive an additional bedroom allowance because of DS’ disability which means that the LHA is covered by UC. I don’t need to top it up at all.

It is practically impossible to find a suitable property that will accept someone on UC. I have a strong reference from the current EA which highlights the fact that I’ve never been late with a rent payment and have always paid the full amount. I’ve never been in arrears. I have a bloody guarantor and that’s still not enough.

My monthly wage is about £700.
UC is around £3100.
DLA is just under £600.
Child Benefit is £160.
Their dad gives me £400 a month too.
That’s £4960 a month.

I can understand that LL’s don’t want to rely on DLA/CB/Maintenance but I don’t understand what else I need to do to show that I can pay the rent. UC will cover the whole rent and it’s still an issue.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do/say to show that I’m a reliable tenant. Just because I’m on UC does not mean that I’m going to be an awful tenant that messes up their house. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to provide 6 months rent upfront as that would be about £10k. I’d really appreciate hearing from other single mums/parents that have rented whilst receiving UC. Thanks

OP posts:
DorotheaDiamond · 17/02/2024 16:01

Most btl mortgages will not allow tenants on benefits - it’s not up to the landlord.

One option that might help private landlords accept you (I know it’s potentially demeaning sorry) is to offer to have them collect the rent directly from UC - I had to do it for my tenant and all I had to do was fill in a form and it was approved 12 hours later…

Universalsnail · 17/02/2024 16:10

If for example after your rent and childcare costs you lived on what I have to live on every month (which I appreciate is shit) you could have the full 10k for 6 months upfront in 10 months. In the mean time you could keep your eye on the council list and hope a suitable property turns up and you don't have to private rent, in which case you'll have yourself some savings.

I know it's shit but I think with the current market as it is that might be your best bet.

vodka4mum · 17/02/2024 16:13

Mamaraisedadoughut · 17/02/2024 15:55

OK, so I think you skirted over the moving problem.
Have you been told to leave, or have you decided to leave?
Landlords very, very, very rarely accept social tenants, despite your income being very high.

What I'd do, in your position, is if the landlord hasn't expressed a want for you to leave, it try and tackle the rodent issue myself, to keep a roof over the families head.
Then I would set about saving and seeing if there was anywhere near that did shared ownership properties and see if I could get one of those.

Your rent portion will be covered, you'll have a stable tenancy for tge rest of your life and rent can only increase about 2% per year.

You will be liable for most repairs, but on your income you should be OK. I think there is now some sort of help towards repairs in the first 5 years, upto £400 per year or something, but I wouldn't be concerned about that, more the stability that it can offer.

My HA rent has gone up 9% this year, 7% last year .... When I moved there 7 years ago it was £164 a week, in April it will be £211

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
Beezknees · 17/02/2024 16:17

Universalsnail · 17/02/2024 16:10

If for example after your rent and childcare costs you lived on what I have to live on every month (which I appreciate is shit) you could have the full 10k for 6 months upfront in 10 months. In the mean time you could keep your eye on the council list and hope a suitable property turns up and you don't have to private rent, in which case you'll have yourself some savings.

I know it's shit but I think with the current market as it is that might be your best bet.

Edited

The issue with that is, they will start reducing her UC when she gets £6k in savings, that's what happens. So she will then have to use the savings to live.

MichaelAndEagle · 17/02/2024 16:23

GingerFinger · 17/02/2024 15:42

75k and no real pension, no opportunity to own her own home as not earning enough and won’t get UC if she owns, plus two children with disabilities… a bulk of this may stop or will go to the children when they come of age, and what will OP do then? It’s shortsighted to think she’s living her best life especially when she is living one step away from homelessness right now, and even closer in later life. And despite all of this I think it’s commendable she still manages to hold a part time job.

Show quote history

Agree 100%

OP have you spoken directly to any lettings agents?

Quitelikeit · 17/02/2024 16:27

That’s take home pay for a salary of 100k a year!

I think it’s ridiculous that no one will offer you a tenancy tbh!

Can you not ask your LL to evict you so that the council has to re house you?

Universalsnail · 17/02/2024 16:27

Beezknees · 17/02/2024 16:17

The issue with that is, they will start reducing her UC when she gets £6k in savings, that's what happens. So she will then have to use the savings to live.

Show quote history

They reduce it proportionally up to 16k savings not stop it altogether so the UC income would reduce after 6k saved so the amount she could save each month would drop so yes it would probably take 12 or 13 months to save a full 10k maybe but as I said I managed to secure a property with 3 months upfront so she may be able to secure a property with an amount up front less then the 10k she's quoting for 6 months up front. Then as soon as the rent payment was made she'd go back to having the full benefit.

Universalsnail · 17/02/2024 16:30

It doesn't reduce by a huge amount up to the 16k

Private renting whilst receiving UC
SearchingForSolitude · 17/02/2024 16:35

HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 15:24

You are band B .... why are you not accepting the flats offered to you?

If you had 2 disabled DC, childcare costs and high rent you too would be eligible for benefits.

SearchingForSolitude · 17/02/2024 16:36

SearchingForSolitude · 17/02/2024 16:35

If you had 2 disabled DC, childcare costs and high rent you too would be eligible for benefits.

Show quote history

Sorry @HelloMiss, I quoted the wrong post. It was intended for @whosaidtha.

Original poster
PinkBird76 · 17/02/2024 16:36

@Thistooshallpsss as I was originally homeless, the council’s private renting team is what housed me here. Unfortunately, they will only help house you privately if you’re currently in temporary accommodation. You’d need to give evicted first before they could offer any help but I really appreciate the suggestion. I only ever seem to come across EA’s and NOT LL’s who manage their own property, I may have better luck in that regard.

@HelloMiss I think you’ve misunderstood. No properties have been offered to me otherwise I would have taken it. It’s a bidding system where you bid each week in hope to get a property. We currently come anywhere between 400-700 and you need to be in the top 5 to even be considered. As I said, we have priority on certain flats due to my son’s disability but we’re usually in the top 30 so nowhere near where we need to be to get shortlisted.

@Justasking49 I have said UC will cover my rent. Both in my opening post and to the EA’s directly. The rodent problem is a LONG story which has been going on for 2 years. I’ve already paid £350 to have the kitchen mouse proofed by a reputable pest control company. I’ve contacted the council’s environmental health and nothing was done. I’ve posted on here about 10 times about my awful LL, trust me, the situation has been exasperated.

Thank you @GingerFinger, I really appreciate your kind words!

@Mamaraisedadoughut cut a long story short, after two years my rent was increased by £270. The EA’s have informed me that the LL wants to increase the rent again this year. If I’m unable to pay the increase then I’ll be evicted so that he can get a new tenant into the property. I just about avoided eviction last summer so it’s better for me to save for a deposit and first month’s rent instead of being evicted and the kids and I being placed in emergency accommodation. Due to my both kids, we need to stay in the borough and can’t risk being placed anywhere. 1) because my son has most of his appointments at home and 2) because I’m currently in the EHCP process for my daughter. Shared ownership is not an option at all unfortunately.

@Universalsnail I wouldn’t save 10K and risk my UC getting cut off. That’s not in the best interests of myself and my children at all. I’ve been bidding for 3 years, there are barely any properties available

OP posts:
Universalsnail · 17/02/2024 16:41

Your UC wouldn't get cut off at all. It gets reduced by £4.35 for every £250 you go over 6k as long as you don't get over 16k, and as soon as you paid the upfront rent payment your full UC would be reinstated.

I appreciate it's a stress, I'm just sharing as it was only the upfront rent amount that eventually got me a rental on UC unfortunately. If no council properties are coming up at all, saving up an upfront amount might be your only path into a private rental based on my experience. It's really shit I know. I managed it with 3 months upfront so you may find a landlord willing to do less then 6 months.

Original poster
PinkBird76 · 17/02/2024 16:45

@MichaelAndEagle I have yes. EA’s are the one who have been declining me as soon as I mention UC. My guarantor earns what they ask for but it’s still a no.

@Quitelikeit this is something that I’ve seriously considered. As I have to be evicted and wait for the baliffs to turn up before I can turn up at the council’s office, they’ll immediately place us in emergency accommodation. This can be anywhere in London. There’s no time limit on how long we can be here before moved to temporary accommodation. The option would then be to stay in temporary or go through private renting again. It doesn’t end up with us housed in a council property. Unfortunately, I know the homeless process through and through and when I spoke to the council last summer, they confirmed that this is still the process.

I just want us to have somewhere to live whilst still bidding for a council property

OP posts:
HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:02

@SearchingForSolitude what's your comment there got to do with not accepting flats??

HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:02

HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:02

@SearchingForSolitude what's your comment there got to do with not accepting flats??

Ha just read on! Sorry!

Original poster
PinkBird76 · 17/02/2024 17:04

@Universalsnail I really appreciate you sharing your first hand experience, I really do. My tenancy ends in July and saving 10K is really not doable for me (for various reasons that I won’t into). I’ll see what I can do savings wise. I don’t see me being able to save and pay a deposit and 3 months rent upfront for a new flat.

The reason why I’ve started looking from now is because I had a feeling I may have this issue with LL’s not accepting people on UC. I’ll keep on looking

OP posts:
HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:05

I asked earlier

Is it because if a landlords mortgage not allowed to accept benefits?

Or is that a myth?

Original poster
PinkBird76 · 17/02/2024 17:07

@HelloMiss I don’t know anything about mortgages so I couldn’t tell you. People on this thread have mentioned something along those lines so I guess it applies for some LL’s

OP posts:
lizzowhiz · 17/02/2024 17:13

I think it's often the case that LL can't rent to people on benefits even if they wanted to. It's very common that there are restrictions on the mortgage.

I know it sounds like the OP is on a lot of money because it's the equivalent to someone's take home pay if they were in a very high earning (and probably stressful) long hours job. But there's no long term security or progression, no build up of pension, and the reality is that once the benefits attached to the children's needs is no longer relevant, there'll be a massive drop.

It's a shit situation OP

ChowChowuaua · 17/02/2024 17:14

whosaidtha · 17/02/2024 15:18

I'm not begrudging benefits to people who need them. It sounds like you do. But it does irk me that you have more than me and my partner combined and we work and have 3 kids.

Ok , but you chose to have 3 kids, so why would anyone pay you for that

FiresideDreamer · 17/02/2024 17:27

It costs time & money each time you move

Ref the rodent problem
Has the LL had a professional pest control company round to investigate & lay traps ?
If not, this should be done, ask your LL, it is their responsibility

What other problems do you have ?

HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:28

Why did you not accept the flats?

scaredofff · 17/02/2024 17:29

I haven't ever understood why LLs have such a problem with taking UC tenants

HelloMiss · 17/02/2024 17:30

Because their mortgage won't allow it

ohnoohnoohnoohno · 17/02/2024 17:37

I rented as a single parent with 2 children working with UC top up but my Dad had to act as a guarantor for me. It wasn't a big problem. But the LHA was much lower than rent so I had to pay the difference.

Another thought. Could you look at a shared ownership property? UC will pay the rent/service charge for you with no cap and some mortgage lenders accept UC as income. I got mine with Skipton.