Benefits Tenants

[CrazyTypeOfIndifference]

SoI caught a bit of this on C4 +1. It's mainly about the state some of the houses are in when the tenants are evicted.

So far I've seen the lady who owed £5k and part of the kitchen ceiling had fallen in due to a leak, and the couple where the mum is disabled and they're talking about getting a skip in to clear the house.

Is it just me thinking that the state of the houses isn't that bad? Especially the lady with the fallen-in ceiling.

I mean, yes, they're a grubby. But in the fallen-in-ceiling womans house, there was no junk or clutter, all the surfaces in the kitchen looked clean enough, but the landlord was wringing his hands in despair and the camera was doing close ups of mud on the floor and dust on the windowsills. Not like there's shit everywhere or anything. A couple of hours with some flash and a hoover would have put it right from what I saw (to a basic standard anyway)

The second house was full of 'stuff' and the kitchen did look pretty rank...but again, take a bit of flash to it, box up the junk and scrub the floors, you could probably have it looking decentish in an hour or two.

So AIBU to think they're making a bit of a meal out of the state of a couple of the houses?

bit naive to think its the programmes that cause the problem....landlords all have stories about terrible tenants and many won't rent to HB etc.

grockle

not naïve when the LL said directly to me that at least part of her decision was that she had 'seen the programmes'.

She also broke a legal contract so who is the one behaving 'decently' here?

Then why not call the programme Nightmare tenants or something then Grocklebox?

Why focus on the benefits?

Oh wait, it's 'in' at the minute to point and laugh at the poor.

I haven't seen the episode you are talking about, but with regard to leaks and ceilings, I have had three lots of tenants (all foreign which I think may be a factor actually) manage to flood their bathrooms and have water leaking into the rooms below. They say there was a 'leak' but when my plumber went to investigate, in each case he could find no evidence of any 'leak' no breach in silcone seals, no pipework issues, merely evidence of surface water being allowed to pool and collect on the floor with no effort to use bathmats etc, and of people allowing the showers to continually spray outside of the screen/cubicle etc. I think they've been merrily using the bathrooms like a continental wet-room and then look all bemused when the water comes through the ceiling below.

I have three houses that I have bought in immaculate condition from the owners, with no signs of any water damage or problems in the bathroom, and in all three houses, within a few months of having tenants in, I get reports of 'leaks' left right and centre, and huge wet patches on the ceilings below.

So far, I have an issue with a particular nationality of tenant. If it happens again I will reluctantly have to refuse any more tenants of that nationality. Not because I am racist, but because I have to accept that they live in a way that is not conducive to how I want my houses kept.

Because in that area over 90%of the tenants are on HB and it was specifically about a type of tenant.

"POint and laugh at the poor"....thats a very victimy sort of stance. Why not mention the likes of the woman agent who goes all out to help tenants that nobody else would? Or the specialist agency set up to deal with problem tenants etc? There was a lot of balance to the programme,why aren't you mentioning that?

I think in general tenants may not look after another persons house they way they would their own / if they had to pay for the damage.
This is a separate issue to being 'on benefits' though and to TV 'entertainment' programmes being made about it.

I am in my mid 40's and currently own a (mortgaged) 4 bed house.
I am separating from my H and cannot remain in my house due to mobility issues. So the house will go up for sale. I cannot pay a carer because I have 2 young children and their needs come first.

I am used to treating my living environment with respect.
I don't smoke/drink/have parties/'friends' staying /pets/ anything else
I have two children to consider so I have an extremely clean, tidy, stable life.
I would be a very good tenant (who happens to currently and temporarily be 'on benefits') and I object to being objectified!

I think the problem with benefits dependent tenants is that:

they are notoriously difficult to eject when they cause problems (they are told by the council to not budge otherwise they are 'intentionally homeless' and will not be a priority for re-housing.

They often have not contributed much (or any) of their own money in deposit so they are less careful with the property than they might be if it was their own money they stood to lose.

They are often nuts- a nightmare-- troubled and vulnerable.

Not all, by any means, some are great, but it is a lottery that many landlords are not prepared to enter.

Because I don't watch shitty C4 programmes that seek to confirm the Daily Mail views of thickos who believe all they see in the media.

heres another one to get the frothers frothing

I don't care how it makes me look. If you knew that people from Plant Zogg liked to light fires in the middle of the carpet and eat their dinner directly off the mattresses, and you gave them a couple of chances only to find that you ended up with burnt carpets and foody mattresses the costs of which were not sufficently covered by your deposit, what would you do?

And not only have I left instructions I have even left the bloody bathmats! they don't use them, they put them on the carpet on the landing instead. I know. I have seen it.

Why is HB paid to the tennants and not the LL?

for GOODNESS SAKE:

"They are often nuts -- a nightmare troubled and vunerable"

I think I will step away now

Also they refuse point blank to stick to the rules (which have been explained to them) about recycling so the council will often refuse to take their bins and there has been a real issue with overflowing food etc.

I think those who didnt watch the programme should probably stop telling others what it was about. Since it makes them look really very foolish and they don't know what they are talking about.

Throwing around your buzzwords of DailyMail thicko frothers doesnt help. Wh really is the "thicko" if not the one whining about a programme they haven;t seen?

Why would anyone watch a programme called Benefit tenants?

The only reason people like you Grockle watch them is so you can nod along and shake your head at the 'scroungers'

Just to redress the balance a bit. We let a property to people who claim HB, they are immigrants from a troubled part of the world, the DH works but doesn't earn enough to cover the rent on a family property in London.

The place is spotless, I think they are more house proud than I am. I suspect if they looked around our house they would think that we could be a bit tidier.

The tenants who set fire to things in my old landlord's other property were respectable local business owners.

So you may get them next, DontDrink, what with your careful avoidance of anyone on HB or Furriners.

No, actually it was because I couldnt find the remote, and this particularly lazy benefit tenant is far too lazy to look for it.

I see as complaining about a programme you haven't seen, you're also responding to posts you haven't read. And assuming a very huge amount, wrongly.

I'll vacate this thread now, you'll need the room for trademarked "All those are benefits are misunderstood angels attacked by the nasty meedja".
Please don't think you're speaking for all of us though.

few missing words there. But I can't be arsed.

Why is HB paid to the tennants and not the LL?

mine was because I had to make up shortfall of £200 so it was easier to go into estate agents to pay it all together, plus my HB was paid in arrears whereas my rent had to be paid in advance but you do have option of having it paid direct to LL.

I've rented privately many houses/flats always left it immaculate and I've also seen some real shitholes that LL have for rent.