to be a little bit hesitant about renting to DSS?

[traininglady]

Don't get me worng, I'm not flaming everyone who claims housing benefit, but I've had some terrible experiences recently and am wondering if I'm being over cautious?

We rent out a flat that we used to live in before we had dd and moved somewhere else. The first tenant we had was on housing benefit and always paid late, asked if she could decorate, I agreed in neutral colours only to find she painted BRIGHT RED!! She then proceeded to hand in her notice and move a month later.

Next tenant, again on HB, didn't even pay her rent when HB was being paid to her, we couldn't do anything until she was 8 weeks in arrears then the council paid it to us directly, they said we'd need to claim money back from her through court.

She proceeded to move in 2 dogs without even asking us, made a hughe mess of the place then handed her notice in promising to get up to date with rent and sort out flat.

When she came to move out and I mentioned that

1. The carpets were filthy
2. The house stank of dog wee
3. There were holes in cupboard doors and bannisters broken.
4. Still in arrears.

she basically said what did I expect her to do as she was on benefit and it was my problem.

AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!

It has taken my husband and I 2 weeks of scrubbing and redecorating (still not finished) so far to get the property in a decent state to let again, it just pisses me off so much that someone could have so little respect for something belonging to someone else that they work incredibly hard for.

Hi, My husband rents out property and he takes a lot of Housing benefit tenants and isn't having any problems. Some tips to help it all go smoother ...

1. Make sure a clause is written in to the tenancy (or a separate form completed) stating that the Landlord has permision to discuss the claim
2. Make it a condition that the rent is paid direct. The council will accept this now if you email the council before the agreement is signed saying that the property is not available to them unless rent is paid direct AND that you agree to start the rent at the current LHA rate.
3. If rent is not being paid direct and goes into arrears make sure you invoke the 8 week rule at the earliest opportunity which is actually 1month and 1 day(32 days) assuming the rent is due monthly. This means they have to pay direct to you.
4. Use common sense when taking HB tenants just like you would when you accept any tenant. Why are they not working? HB tenants who are border line HB, or those that have varying income can be difficult because they're HB is stopped on week, started the next week, overpaid and claimed back etc. and gets very complicated. Tenants with clearer finances are better i.e a single mum who has zero income or the same very low income every week.
5. Jobseekers (JSA) are more difficult because their HB can be stopped for a number of reasons ie if they chose not to take a job or failed to attend an interview. Tenants who aren't required to sign on are easier - they may well be on ESA or disability.
6. Remember the rates are published every month on your local authorities website. Search for Local Housing Allowance LHA rates to see what they are.

Thats all I can think of at the mo - I hope it helps.

Hi, me again, akaemmafrost makes a very good point. There area lot of genuine people out there who are down on their luck(for want of a better phrase) and this society needs to help them. Landlords must not discriminate against them for any reason such as disability or anything else. BUT they do because of all the HB tenants who cause problems and then tar all HB tenants with the same brush.

So I think there are good opportunities for Landlords who don't apply the standard policy of no HB but instead consider each case on its merits and find genuine and good tenants such as akaemmafrost.

I have had HB tenants who have paid on time and left the property in excellent condition. I have also had so called 'professional 'tenants who are still owing me money. Go figure..

The attitude of some posters on this thread has sent chills down my spine. I have cancer and it's a very real possibility that I might lose my job as I'm unable to work. That means I'll be on benefits, having no other choice and having a family to support. If that happens and I have to move house (we rent privately), we're basically fucked aren't we?

Totally agree with you Bubble..... Nobody knows the future. Anyone of us, could find ourselves in your situation.

bubble if that is the case explain to the estate agents when you start looking and get them to persnally talk to the landlords about your case, some LLs say no Dss as standard but will accept people in difficult circumstances when approached.

I'm sorry to hear you are so ill, i hope things look up for you with treatment x

You need to check your mortgage and insurance terms and conditions because you may be breaking them by having DSS tenants. There are of course some perfectly reasonable DSS tenants and some despicable private tenants, but unfortunately the chances of DSS being bad tenants are higher, hence the mortgage/insurance terms. They don't stick that in there because they're biggots, it's because there's a measurable increase in risk for them.

If your mortgage and insurance are ok with DSS then there's no reason why you shouldn't let to them but whoever you get as a tenant FGS check the references and run credit checks. We use an agency to do all that for us.

BubbleBobble I really hope it doesn't come to that for you and FWIW as a landlord, if I knew the circumstances, I wouldn't turn you down so long as I wasn't breaching terms of mortgage/insurance as mentioned above.

I left this thread because I was struggling with the depersonalisation of the terms and attitudes used here, but I just wanted to send my best wishes to you, bubble

and I do believe the worst examples demonstrated here are very much in the minority

They aren't unfortunately. Until you are a LL you have no idea quite how vile people (private or not) can be. Everyday a new and horrid surprise.

And it's because people have really weird ideas about renting. The amount of times I read stuff like "immoral" about so-called making a living out of other people's housing needs. Well get this, running a rental business is a job, like any other job. It's how people earn a living, and most not a very good one. If you have a job and your employer goes Oh yeah well whatevver can't pay won't pay, would you think that was fine? When you have a mortgage to pay, or rent of your own? No.

Most landlords have a few rental properties on narrow margins and treat their tenants well.

That last one wasn't specifically to you, af.

Just all makes me gnash my teeth.

that is ok, hully

FWIW, I have no "weird ideas" about people who rent out their property either

my SIL and BIL did it and had 2x horrendous experiences at the hands of private renters

some time ago, when the the opportunity to do it came up for us, the decision not to was quite easy

people can be twats, that is for sure, from all walks of life

It's the money section of my beloved Grauniad that makes me gnash. Every week they go on and on about what scum LLs are. Barstards. Anyway, as you were.

Think you've been unlucky. I'm on HB and my house looks far better now than when I moved in - over 2 years ago - and I always pay on time. People with jobs do shit DIY and can be messy too! I would check references but not necessarily rule DSS out altogether, we're not all bad!

I assumed by your title you were renting a property to a stepson

Sorry you've had such bad tenants. I'm not surprised it's put you off, but it's a shame, as we aren't all like that. Our LLs really like us and are pleased we are long term (into our 4th year). Admittedly we are not the tidiest of people but we have respected their property and always asked before changing anything, and we've never been late on rent even when DH's sick pay stopped without warning.

Being on benefits doesn't make you a horrible person with no respect. People with that attitude will be like that regardless of their financial status.

Hopefully you'll find some lovely tenants soon :)

YANBU to be hesitant but please don't assume all people receiving housing benefit are bad tenants.

I'm on benefits after splitting from xh and really really struggled to find anywhere that would rent to me. My landlord said no dss but the agent persuaded him to give me a chance after seeing me in there week in week out looking for somewhere.

HB doesn't cover my full rent, I top up. HB is paid to me and I pay my rent by SO
I had my own deposit and first months rent (no arrears)
I had a guarantor-the agent met them in person and saw proof of their financial situation etc.

And I'm a good tenant, I keep it clean and tidy, do basic maintenance/repairs without bothering my landlord. It really depends on the tenant not their situation.

Yes YABU.

1. DSS does not exist and hasn't for at least 5 years.
2. People on HB do not automatically trash properties any more than those not claiming are automatically good tenants. I have private rented in and out of work and claiming HB and never been in arrears and even won garden competitions. Private landlord otoh was a cheapskate who would never repair anything. Private rents are v expensive in this city and there is a 6000 waiting list for social housing.

I rented a house privately, using housing benefit.
I paid rent on time each and every month (that dss gave to my account).
I left the house in a good state and got a good reference.

It's a real shame when decent people face discrimination when trying to find a nice house to live in.

There are women actually having to bring new born babies home to shared hostels, because all the houses to rent are 'no dss'.
It's awful.