To think it's disgusting the amount of landlords who won't accept DSS?

[7hup]

My friend is 36 and just been kicked out by her boyfriend because she had a mental breakdown and multiple suicide attempts .

She's just been released from hospital and has been given a B&B room as temporary accommodation.

She has to claim universal credit as she is in no fit state to work.

Council said if she can find private housing they will cover her first month's rent/deposit/fees.

No where takes housing benefit.

It's unfair.

There's no council accommodation and no private landlords will accept it.

She's 36. No children. No pets. Doesn't drink. Doesn't smoke. Is quiet and polite. Keeps to herself. Clean and tidy. She just needs a home :(

Its working people too. My Dsis has a kid and can't move out of my mums because she works only 16 hours because of her son so would receive housing benefit. So she can't move either.

Even on Spareroom. Co. UK in our area there are 674 rooms.

ONE takes DSS. And is dou le the price of similar rooms

It's so unfair :(

@OftenHangry I know. Hence the comment about only couples being able to rent the property.
Just surprised me because we were looking at 3 bed houses and they were getting snapped up quickly even with all those rules.

yes new laws are making landlording non-profitable which means that landlords will have to sell at a reduced price so that more people who want to can become owner occupiers

this is a good thing, the new laws are a good thing

The invasion of amateur buy-to-let landlords licking their lips at the fat profits to be made, finally the the advancing hordes are being driven back by legislation

It used to be better - housing benefit could be paid directly to the landlord which a lot of tenants preferred and as landlords was a good system too. We would often select housing benefit tenants over and above private renters because it was secure and pretty straightforward. They changed the system to prevent direct payments (even if the tenants wanted them to continue) and it caused huge issues - especially with tenants who had never dealt with their own rental payments before. As a result we saw defaults and debts in tenants who had never had any problems. The fact that the housing benefit is paid in arrears as opposed to in advance means these DSS tenants are now less attractive propositions

I found this thread interesting as I'm a landlord who takes DSS and have 2 tenants with MH issues. One of them - middle aged guy threatened to burn the building down in an argument with a young female tenant.
The other owes me 4K in rent arrears. I have some sympathy for her given her condition and have tried to work with her but she will say often say one thing and do another and has exhibited some quite frightening behaviour. I tried to get her a place in supported housing but they won't take anyone on with rent arrears! In both cases family don't want to know.

Wordthe
Sorry to disappoint but it will not become non profitable for me, none of the changes make much difference - just a couple of grand in tax that's all.

I could just leave mine empty if I wanted and pay the tiny mortgage and council tax myself. It rents for £900, mortgage, insurance and council tax is under £300. I'd pay no tax on it if empty so would't make much difference overall to my income situation.

It is my former home not a business - it will never be sold whilst I am alive!

@godowneasy, yes we need more social housing. As an ex housing worker, I and many colleagues thought RTB would be withdrawn after Labour came into power in 1997. But no. Scotland and Wales have stopped it, why not England?

20 years ago in some parts of the UK streets of social housing were being demolished because there were too many. The problems then were mainly in the south east, but demand has ballooned everywhere.

Finally, I wonder how many of the people complaining they can't get a council house have parents or grandparents who took advantage of RTB. That was luck of the draw, those in good houses in desirable areas hit the jackpot! Now their offspring are struggling to find housing. I actually knew one, yes just one, tenant who could have afforded to buy, but it was against his principles. I'll leave it there.

Forgot to say OP if you Google supported housing associations in your area it may be helpful. Also if you stand as guarantor for your friend this may help you make headway with private renting. Good luck.

All these 'dhss' who are so angry and dysfunctional I wonder why that is
perhaps it's the huge gap between rich and poor in our society, those at the bottom kept jn poverty and insecurity
no wonder they lash out at thier wealthy overlords
Anger is rising, pitchforks are coming

I won’t accept tenants who are on housing benefit as my insurance won’t cover me

And there is no way I would be foolish enough to not have insurance cover

That just the way it’s crap. I have been stuck in a property myself because I didn’t earn enough money for them to consider me a suitable tenant

yes new laws are making landlording non-profitable which means that landlords will have to sell at a reduced price
They were saying this a couple of years ago and it hadn't really driven the prices down yet at least not in the South.

@Plabom That's disgusting. What about Disabled people?

I don't often say this but the system in the US sounds much better

I am a LL. I take DSS provided it covers the whole rent (not them having to top up). I judge it case by case, references etc. I agree that people can lose their jobs, people on DSS can be great, working tenants can be a nightmare and all in between. I do think its unfair sometimes.

@Nomorepies What if someone like me approached you? I'm disabled with 17 years of perfect references from Letting Agents and in receipt of the LCWRA component of UC (long term incapable of work - in other words, income will not change and disability benefits awarded for 5 year periods). I also have a 4yr old. I have a 100% perfect payment history with no complaints. My income is 25.5k from high rate long term disability. Yet despite my perfect references & payment history, I'm STILL classed as 'DSS' so no Landlord will touch me.

Someone employed could lose their job any moment yet my income is secure for 5 years at a time. I haven't missed a payment in the entire 17 years I've been private renting but they just won't entertain me. I desperately need a bungalow due to my MS :(

My brother has been letting out my grandmas old house, he accepted DDS, this money gets paid now to the recipient of the benefits not the landlord, he tenants kept the money for three months then vacated

@RebelWitchFace Not all UC gets cancelled, I'm disabled therefore that doesn't apply. I really wish UC was more clear like that. Us disabled people are being put in the same category as scum by Universal Credit 😡

landlords will have to sell at a reduced price so that more people who want to can become owner occupiers

It's true that more houses for sale will drive prices down or at the very least stagnate.

But the big "but" is who the Banks will lend to. Not everyone can get a mortgage. In times of economic stress or uncertainty, Banks will tighten their lending criteria - they want those that are in employment, clean credit history etc with larger deposits. Lenders who do give mortgages to more risky people will have higher interest rates (and thus the mortgage may not be affordable). So a glut of houses for sale does not always equal more houses being purchased by owner-occupiers.

@Mummylife2018, I would rent to you, although you prpbau wouldn't want my property anyway.

That is the other thing to consider. There a difference between letting a property which rental value is closed to the LA entitlement and one that is double and where anyone could wonder how anyone on benefits could afford above HB.

yes the cost and availability of credit is a big factor when it comes to house prices and the housing market
I do acknowledge that @Holly and it was remiss of me to not mention it!

The system is very unfair
the people with the power to change the system are the wealthy people who are benefiting from the unfair system
We all know that lots of MPs are landlords and multiple property owners

Ultimately everyone loses, a dysfunctional housing market will lead to a dysfunctional society as increasing numbers of people are denied thier basic need for a secure and affordable home

Without a place to call home it is very difficult to have a settled stable life, very difficult to fulfill your potential as a human being

There is no 'system'. There are landlords with properties to let and people who need properties to rent, end off.

I'm not part of a social, not even economical system. As long as letting suits me long term , I will do so. When it doesn't, I'll sell regardless of the social or economical situation.

Can someone please explain why the change of policy regarding dhss paying rent straight to the landlord ? It doesn't apply to everyone, of course, but there must be a fair few people who do not prioritise rent and these give honest renters a bad name.

@gamerwidow you have a point - my post had got do long that I didn't embark on clarifying that I acknowledge that there have been years of Labour government where these kinds of policies weren't reversed. However that "New" variety of Labour that was barely a hairsbreadth from toryism. its been a long long time since we had actual socialists in government.