To think you should not be rewarded with Asda vouchers for paying your council rent on time?

[missknows]

Just that really. I can't believe they are rewarding people for paying rent in time!!

Would you want to swap places with this relative of yours?

I think that's a good idea. It costs when people get into arrears, particularly factoring in court costs. Often people are late paying if hb have fucked up, and they have to pay extra for an interim. If the vouchers mean people pay its cost effective, and means families don't go hungry if it's a tough month.

If they evict them they end up with another homeless family to house.

I've just looked at Alliance Homes who do a scheme like this called pro points. The tenants get 1000 points for each month that they have a clear rent account, no anti-social behaviour and must allow the annual gas safety check to be carried out. 1000 points is worth £5 so that's £60 a year back for being a good tenant.

I work in social housing and you'd be shocked at the amount of rent that gets written off because we are unable to collect it, plus it's a legal obligation for a gas check to be done once a year and the cost of missed appointments will be reduced by this incentive so it seems like a good idea to me.

This reminds me of the horror a DM columnist felt when she heard that heroin addicts were getting £10 shopping vouchers for clean piss tests. Where, she asked, were the presents for people like her who were good upstanding citizens with no heroin addiction? Weren't the junkies just getting prizes for being bad people?

Leaving aside the question of whether someone who writes for the Daily Mail actually qualifies as a good person, what the fuck is this? These are people who are having to piss in a tube on a regular basis as part of the treatment/punishment for crimes they have committed to feed their addiction, and they're getting £10 for behaving well. Does she want her piss monitored in front of people every week for £10? Does that prize sound somewhat rewarding for someone who's probably on £200k per year? Would she like to never touch anything from Peruvian marching powder to a teeny glass of Prosecco again on pain of losing her £10 shopping voucher? How is the way people on that scheme live even vaguely like her lifestyle?

This is similar. I don't want Asda vouchers for paying my rent on time because I DON'T STRUGGLE TO PAY MY RENT. I don't need a special prize for paying rent because I can do it and not worry about it. If an incentive is needed for people who struggle, then, bring on the incentive and help them out. The argument seems to me to be the same as saying that everyone should get JSA even if they're in a well-paying job. IOW, utterly mental.

Yanbu. I also think it's wrong high street vouchers are given for successfully breastfeeding for six months. I also think it's wrong to hand out vouchers for formula milk.

why did the way rents were paid change. it was much better when the dss gave the money direct to councils.

I don't agree with it. pay it on time like everyone else has to.

Shouldn't be needed. Either pay your rent on time or get evicted. There are not exactly a shortage of people on council waiting lists.

Exactly, Tuscongirl, there is however a shortage of affordable housing. So where will all these evicted people go? I imagine you don't care very much.

Also, OP, maybe verify this story somehow, have a quick google, or even ask your relative, before having a little Mail-esque rant on teh innternets? Just a thought.

It sounds like an excellent idea to me! For many of the reasons mentioned above but mainly because it could save Councils an absolute fortune by not having to chase the same level of arrears.

And, obviously, anything that lessens the need for people to be choosing between paying rent & feeding the DCs has to be positive surely?

Well I googled it. Couldn't find anything about giving tenants money for paying rent on time.

I did find that some councils with give Asda vouchers to families who are waiting for delayed benefit payments and need food. Not everyone is entitled and they have to prove they can't be helped by other outside agencies.

Yes, such an envious position to be in

Op probably resents those scroungers at the food banks, too. Why should they get free food when she has to pay for it??! Oh yeah, its because they are literally starving.

keepyourchinupdear you think it's wrong that the poor get help with feeding their babies? Are you joking?

Asda vouchers are used across all services, SS, Rehabilitation services, MH services, in fact all social care providers. They have for many years.

This includes Social Housing Providers.

People struggle to top up their rent, now the changes have come in, or if a child leaves home etc, on another thread about a Mother using a Breakfast Club, it was said that "food should be a priority", well if that's the case, then you can't pay your rent.

People can't win, if they go into crisis they are asked "why didn't you use the services provided?", but if they use those services, they are condemned.

These are all much needed anti-poverty schemes, because the EU recognises that money doesn't grow on trees and people need help.

Most of the initiatives are EU led, or directed.

I live in a "hard to let area", my LL (HA), is having to sell of three bed houses, with gardens (£81 per week), for around 47 k, some areas struggle to hang on to their tenants.

Some of you are now making assumptions. Of course people who need food banks should use them. To suggest I think otherwise based on my post is madness. I can assure you these people are no less well off than myself. They are not struggling for money. Therefore to me it seems unfair they are being financially rewarded for paying their rent. If they lived in private rental accommodation they would not be rewarded for paying on time. Council money should be used for those in need.

Hadn't considered the cost of people not paying on time and it being chased up like some of you had mentioned but in principle I still don't think it is right.

Thatsyouthatis.

Ive been in my HA flat for 20 years and ive always more than put myself out for the annual gas safety check.
The HA and the ppl they contract it out too.....hmmm not so much.
We have had 4 no shows (one of which time was because he was shagging a tenant opposite) and 2 almost no shows which only turned up when I phoned the HA at 5 pm asking where the hell they were. One safety check engineer actually told me that they were short staffed so if he got behind he just wouldn't have turned up.
Last year was another no show from them on the first appointment. (and this was a different contractor they were using) On the second appointment it started to run late again, I phoned YET AGAIN asking where they were and they said they wernt coming out. Then they turned up at 8pm when I was cooking dinner and I had to stop because the boiler is next to the cooker.

Seems OK for the tenant to get fucked around though

Oh and the 8pm visit had to be filed as an emergency for them to visit at that time apparently.

The fact that checks aren't carried out hey must be the fault of the tenant if they are below a certain income eh

YY Birds they cant win.

Its gaslighting on a MAJOR scale.

Are you really that clueless woohoo , many council tenants do not claim housing benefit.

I see missknows you heard it from your relative, so your jealous then?
Yabu.

How does it make you jealous to think the council should spend their money in better ways than rewarding people who are not struggling financially for paying rent?

yeah, they should just pay their darn rent or get evicted, if they're struggling, it's their own fucking fault for being poor, right?

no point in mentioning the fact that their children would also suffer because anyone with the above attitude probably wouldn't give a shit.

Have you even read what I've written? They are not poor. 2 comfortable patents with a toddler who happen to live in a council property!

no, I haven't read anything you've written miss, as a matter of fact, why?

If you are going to have an opinion at least know what you are arguing for/against