Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for some advice on being behind on rent

42 replies

farnywarny · 03/08/2011 12:02

I am short on my rent again. We just can't seem to make ends meet. DP isn't working (looking though) and council say we are not eligible for any benefits apart from he gets £15 per week jsa.

I have a private landlord, and we are behind on last months rent by £100 and are going to be short by £300 this month. Can he evict us?

OP posts:
LadyThumb · 03/08/2011 12:33

Something very wrong. My son works full-time on min wage and he is entitled to over half his rent in HB and he is single.

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 03/08/2011 12:34

Of course you can. You should go to them with a printout of what entitledto says you are, well, entitled to Grin and ask them to explain why they have decided that you are not.

EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions · 03/08/2011 12:40

WRT Local Housing allowance -
They disregard Child Benefit
They disregard any childcare costs you have, if you are both working 16hrs or more, if you provide receipts (doesn't apply to you)
They disregard 50% of your pension contributions
They access info on your tax credit award directly from TCs, so check they have it right
They also access info on benefits direct from the jobcentre so check they have that right
Ask for a breakdown of their calculations if you don't have one already to check their figures are correct.

Is your DH claiming income-based or contribution-based JSA? If he has worked solidly for two years and paid NI he should be entitled to claim contribution based which is £65 per week.

Original poster
farnywarny · 03/08/2011 12:43

Thanks for your replies. I have emailed them requesting a review and will go from there. I have also emailed my landlord to let him know I am doing all I can to get the rest of the rent together (inc another car boot sale this weekend)

OP posts:
starfishmummy · 03/08/2011 12:47

Eric, the OPs husband must be claiming contributory based JSA as she is working full time which rules out the income based type.

For this to be reduced in any way he must have other income (partners wages dont count)

starfishmummy · 03/08/2011 12:47

Eric, the OPs husband must be claiming contributory based JSA as she is working full time which rules out the income based type.

For this to be reduced in any way he must have other income (partners wages dont count)

emmanumber3 · 03/08/2011 12:48

I have a good friend who works P/T term-time only and her DH works full-time but with a low income. Even though they both work they are still entitled to some HB. I know they don't receive much but it they do receive it. I also think your Council must have it wrong.

Apart from this though, you must communicate with your Landlord. As others have said, your Landlord can only help you if you keep him or her informed of what is going on & what you are doing about it. Otherwise, they may start sending legal letters and/or eviction proceedings. You cannot legally be evicted without proper notice however - no matter how dodgy/unhelpful the Landlord.

DooinMeCleanin · 03/08/2011 12:49

I have had to appeal HB decsions before and have always been advised to get help from CAB when writing the appeal letter.

I'd send DH down there asap.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 03/08/2011 12:50

Some councils have an appalling record in relation to HB claims, inaccuracies, delays etc. I did some voluntary work with people facing eviction for rent arrears and a couple of years ago it had reached the point in some parts of London where judges were refusing to evict council tenants for substantial rent arrears where the arrears largely comprised unpaid HB from the same council.

Get some advice from the CAB and push the council on the HB issue its quite probable that they are wrong.

EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions · 03/08/2011 12:50

Yes I see.

itisnearlysummer · 03/08/2011 17:00

Speaking as someone with 'insider knowledge' of processing HB claims, a computer makes the calculation but a person inputs the info.

If a person inputs the info incorrectly, doesn't apply a certain rule or whatever, it can have major ramifications.

How can I put this politely, not everyone who works for the city council processing benefit claims in this capacity is hard working, intelligent, diligent and careful. And those who are don't do it for long.

Appeal.

AuntieMonica · 04/08/2011 12:06

hi OP

just wondered if you'd had a reply yet?

Original poster
farnywarny · 04/08/2011 12:32

No reply yet AuntieMonica, theur automated response said 48 hours

OP posts:
vickibee · 04/08/2011 12:38

JSA is about £65 per week isn't it? providing he has paid enough contributions

smalltownshame · 04/08/2011 12:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

juicychops · 04/08/2011 13:14

i agree with what smalltown said. Explain to your landlord your situation, you never know, he might be good about it and sympathise with your situation.

a few years ago i couldn't afford the rent and i wrote a letter to my landlady explaining my desperate situation and what i was trying to do to put it right. She told me not to worry and pay what i can when i can for the following couple of months which i did until i was in a position to pay the full amount.

You may not be as lucky as i was, but you have nothing to loose by letting your landlord know that your struggling

Original poster
farnywarny · 04/08/2011 14:20

juicychops she sounds like a lovely landlady.

I have had a reply from my landlord saying he will call me tomorrow to discuss.

I have transferred £300 to him today which is 1/2 of my rent, leaving me behind by 1/2 a month i guess..

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread