To think that landlords shouldn't be discriminating against people on benefits?

[Asha0med]

I'm a lone parent with a disabled child who requires me to care for him full time, for this reason I'm unable to work.

It's not that I don't want to have a job, I've worked full time since leaving school but when my child came along my circumstances changed beyond my control.

I'm trying to move as our current home is no longer suitable and keep coming up against the blanket "no DSS" policy when reaching out to letting agents.

I feel ashamed and embarrassed when I'm repeatedly turned away on the basis I receive housing benefit, despite the fact I can provide a glowing reference from my landlord of the past five years. It's humiliating.

Without wanting to sound dramatic I feel discriminated against. It's as though people on benefits are automatically though of as lazy scroungers who just sit on their arse all day or withhold the rent / damage the property. Unwanted tenants. A liability.

I'm a good tenant and a good person. Is it right that I be refused housing on the basis I receive financial support form the government?

An article which echoes exactly what I'm going through.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53391516

Threads like this need to be linked whenever someone berates a woman for staying with a violent man. DV isn't safe but neither is homelessness. Refuges are temporary accommodation only.
The problem is recent. Disabled people used to have access to the pretty basic human need of housing. Until the late 90s massive buy to let push, it wasn't too hard to find (non slum) landlords letting to dss.
I said in my a similar thread how it would be kinder to allow disabled people the option of a dignitas way out rather than letting them live in fear forever facing or experiencing homelessness.

I've been unsuccessful with requesting a council property. I haven't been in the borough for 5 years yet and even then the waiting lists are so long where I live I would be waiting 5-10 years, no exaggeration.

Something else that I keep coming up against is "part DSS accepted" so while that's great for people who are able to work and receive a supplementary amount from UC, it's useless for those of us who are carers and aren't able to take a 'normal' job due to the commitments at home.

It really gets me down. I don't want to be at home, i'd sooner my child didn't have to live with a disability and that I'd be able to continue to pay my taxes like I have done for years beforehand.

Big problem started when they stopped paying landlords housing benefit direct and paid it to the tenants instead. Made dss renter's more of a risk

I'm not a landlord anymore, but when I was my insurance didn't permit me to, having grown up in social housing on a council estate though I happily would have, because I don't believe the media's version of people on benefits; but rather the real one, that like anyone else people are all different and not defined by their income. I would say at the moment someone on benefits has a more secure income than some at the moment with redundancies etc looking. Until the legislation changes though and insurers need to be covered, there will be landlords that dont that otherwise would.

I wouldn't rent to Someone on benefits. At the end of the day it's a massive purchase that I'm responsible for and I want to make sure my property is looked after. I do feel for you as you are effectively being tarred with the same brush as others but ultimately it's my property which costs a lot of money and I'm not prepared to take the risk when there are so many other people in the market where the risk to me is less. It's a commercial transaction not an emotional one

Ask the letting agents. I have properties on to rent and I would happily rent to you. In fact I'd be keen as I think you'd stay for a long time. Mine are mortgage free though and the insurers are ok with it.

The letting agent tries to discourage me from people on benefits for no apparent reason.

If any of you kind and non judgmental landlords have any two bedroom properties anywhere in South East London then please do send me a PM only half joking

That's true @whereorwhere, and I genuinely do believe that as a landlord you have the right to choose who you want to live in your home. But out of interest, why do you feel that those on benefits wouldn't look after your home?

As a current tenant who's on benefits I can assure all reading that my home is very clean and tidy. I've caused no damage to the property infact I've had two of the rooms professionally decorated at my own expense (with permission from landlord)

I have home owner friends messier than me. The mind boggles.

I'm sorry @Asha0med It sounds like you live in a similar area to me. The Localism Act added massively to problems faced by disabled people needing safe housing. My area too wants 5 years residency before you can go on the list, but I've been gone too long from the old area so can't go on the list there either. Obviously private renting, especially on low incomes, means we can't always stay in the same council area.
It's so wrong. Someone in your position with a disabled child should have the security of long-term safe affordable housing. Until the 1988 Housing Act that was possible in private renting as well as social housing. Well within living memory for so many people. The difficulties disabled people suffer in accessing housing is a recent issue.

It's a very frightening thing to go through an eviction but in the worst case you will be housed by the council. They won't leave a child homeless, and hopefully as your child is disabled that's an argument against b&b type temp accommodation. I know it's not much comfort but I hope it reassures you a bit.

I don't know how enforceable the no dss insurance rule can be. Lots of people become ill or get made redundant and start claiming mid tenancy. Legally landlords aren't allowed to evict (during the tenancy period) just because their tenant's circumstances have changed. As long as the tenant still pays full rent. Obviously after the tenancy period ends the landlord could evict but until then the law overrides insurer clauses I assume?

Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) I'm not at risk of losing my current home.

I've a great relationship with my landlord, no arrears, and he very much wants me to be a long term tenant.

The problem I have is that it's just too small. The older DS gets the more difficult it is to manage him in such a small place.

My living room and kitchen are one room and as I can no longer confine him to a travel cot or safe space there is alot of opportunity for accidents on a daily basis.

18 months ago there was an accident whereby he burned all ten of his finger tips on the oven resulting in nasty blisters. He did this in the time it took me to remove an oven tray and set it down on the counter top.

As a single parent it's impossible for me to prepare/cook and watch him/redirect him in time when he lunges for the oven or hobs as he regularly does. I'm constantly on edge about using the kitchen.

I have explained all of this to the council but the best they can offer me is to fund the rent in advance and deposit for another private property which I would have to source myself.

I'm trying very hard to find something but nobody is prepared to give me a chance.

I need to remain locally as all of his support is here, as are my family and friends.

Have you tried Open Rent? You’ll be able to speak to landlords directly

Try gumtree for private landlords rather than with an agency.

I don't think I've tried open rent yet so I'll look there now.

I have looked extensively on gumtree and everything I've seen in this area is under an agency albeit different ones.

A recent case ruled this to be unlawful discrimination. Which frankly has been blatant for years.

No doubt there'll be many more landlords coming along trying to justify their discriminatory and prejudiced attitudes, or else claiming it's not their fault. We already had a big thread with several landlords openly stating they will carry on illegally discriminating.

If your child has a disability do they have a social worker from the disability team or occupational therapist/ physio/ paediatrician- basically any professional who can support your council house claim?

but this policy really isn’t our fault

You agreed to those mortgage and insurance terms in the pursuit of your own profits. So yes, you do have responsibility for this.

Whereabouts in SE London?

Sorry, pressed post instead of enter!
www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/resources-for-practitioners/prs-database/
Try here to see if there are any schemes that may help, some have direct contacts with landlords

@safariboot

A recent case ruled this to be unlawful discrimination. Which frankly has been blatant for years.

No doubt there'll be many more landlords coming along trying to justify their discriminatory and prejudiced attitudes, or else claiming it's not their fault. We already had a big thread with several landlords openly stating they will carry on illegally discriminating.

It's far better they're honest. It's been really hard for me when support services play dumb and pretend there's no difficulty in finding housing on dss. The landlords who don't want DSS will continue to turn away DSS but there's might now be less transparency. Which makes it easier for the situation to continue. If there's to be any hope of things improving for disabled and other vulnerable people (whether more social housing or reverting to benefits covering full rent and paid direct to landlord) the problem first has to actually be acknowledged as existing.

South East London, I'm in Lewisham.

DS has a paediatrican yes, he's also attends a SN school for children with additional needs. I could get a supporting letter from a health visitor though we haven't had any contact with her for quite some time.

I have explained my situation to the council to no avail so I'm not sure whether they would be able to make any difference but I could always try again for the third time and hope for the best. It's a good idea

I will check out the crisis link now thank you for that.

I registered to open rent after it was suggested here a few minutes ago and all the local listings say no DSS.

I've sent a message to one landlord explaining my circumstances and asking whether he'd be prepared to consider giving me a viewing on a case by case basis. I've said I can provide references etc. It'll probably be another knock back but I'm trying not to let it beat me.

Needs must and all that!

I've just spotted one on trovit that says DSS enquiries welcome so I've fired off an email. Fingers crossed.

London is horrendous for private rentals (and I did it as a single, salaried professional, so you have my sympathy, OP). Have you talked to the Hyde Group or Community Phoenix Housing? They are unlikely to have spaces, but may be able to suggest different landlords. I would also ask your landlord if he can recommend anyone.

I signed up to Hyde group online last year and regularly get emails showcasing new properties but they tend to be quite far away from where I need to be, I'm not eligible for them anyhow and because I'm not on the council waiting list that makes me low priority

I will look into Phoenix housing. I hadn't heard of them before.

I would love not to discriminate. I've welcomed those on housing benefit in the past, yet it has always gone wrong. I've been shafted left, right and centre.
I had one tenant who I was having trouble receiving payment from, in the end the housing benefit was paid directly to me, then it stopped. The tenant kept saying that she was in the middle of sorting it out with the housing benefits office as her circumstances had changed. After months of no payment, I found out she had contacted the benefits office pretending to be me, and gave in my "new bank details" and had the benefit paid into her account and of course didn't pay me.
Just one of a long list of issues I've had