Rent arrears

[Pixxie7]

According to news night there are thousands of people who have fallen behind with their rent. Whilst I appreciate some are genuine I can’t see how anyone on benefits or on a pension can have been that badly affected. Similarly with people furloughed.
So my question is are a lot taking advantage of a bad situation.?

I can’t see how anyone on benefits or on a pension can have been that badly affected. Similarly with people furloughed.

You are totally ignorant of the facts, they've been pointed out to you and all you can do is say a PP is a piece of work.

Try saying, yes that was an ignorant comment?

Because it was!

Most debt advice places say that the first bill you should pay is your rent

Feeding your family isn't a bill. People are obviously going to choose putting food on their children's table over a bill.

That's shit yolo. I really hope things get better for you very soon. This thread is actually pretty heartening, the op is pretty much a lone voice. Empathy is still alive and well.

The only point of posting a thread like this op that I can see is to cause a argument. You are correct in what you say that everyone is entitled to their opinion but you haven’t given your opinion you have literally come across as very ignorant and are annoyed you are not getting the replies you wanted so are now picking on others cause they have the nerve to pull you up on it.

You have also yourself said you have no links to back up what your saying either so the only conclusion everyone is coming to from the way you are answering is that you are rude and have started the thread for a reaction.

Food is more expensive, Thats before you’ve bought extra. There’s less choice in the shops so you have to buy what you can get.

Print cartridges, Printers, paper, for school work. That’s assuming you’ve already got a laptop.

That’s before you’ve bought a jigsaw to occupy them

People furloughed received 80% of their salary so may be a short fall but not months of not paying. You have no idea! Absolutely none!

I don’t like rude people, calling someone ignorant implies that they are lacking in knowledge uneducated. I expressed an opinion nothing more nothing less. Then I suggest that you make sure that all of the opinions you express in future are informed ones! Failing to do so will result in you making more uninformed declarations, remaining ignorant of the issues many people face.

It is, as many posters have said, glaringly obvious why many people on low incomes found a drop of 20%, at minimum, of ther income financially devastating!

Start with: not everyone was furloughed at 80% of a steady wage.

Think about why that might be. Hint: The gig economy and redundancy, just for starters.

Feeding your family isn't a bill. People are obviously going to choose putting food on their children's table over a bill.

Even if you don't count your shopping bill as a bill, the electricity/gas/petrol/bus fare towards getting and cooking is.

Sometimes theres a choice between dealing with the right now problem, or the problem that will come in a month or two.

It's not a nice place to be.

Just because you can't understand something doesn't mean it isn't happening.

The furlough amount is 80% of salary to a maximum of £2.5k per month until the end of October. That doesn't change, the only part that changes is how it's funded. Employers have to pay you 80% but can only claim back 70% next month and 60% in October.

Furlough for me would pay me about 45% of my normal income. If I were renting it would probably make it difficult to pay rent. People tend to live to their means and the higher the income, the higher the outgoings.

Thanks foamrolling It is shit frankly.

For those who don't know, if you have adult children you live with and normally share rent, CT and bills with, they can't get universal credit help towards it as UC says they don't legally have to pay their own way regardless of age.

Even if I filed for bankruptcy and applied for benefits, we'd still be having to look at 'doorstep lenders' to meet demands at this point.
Worryingly they're actually more affordable and potentially better than the only legitimate loan I can now get.

That's the real "people taking advantage of a bad situation" along with IMO those spreading politics of blame, division, hate, and the deserving and undeserving in the middle of a crisis.

'That's the real "people taking advantage of a bad situation" along with IMO those spreading politics of blame, division, hate, and the deserving and undeserving in the middle of a crisis.'

Spot on.

@rwalker

I think most people replying missed were poster said some people . Yes some people are taking the piss and using it to there advanatge .

The OP didn't say some people - the OP said a lot of people are taking advantage.

People will always point out the extra costs, not what cost less. We all know how quiet the roads are during school holidays and parents don't drive their kids to school.

Many people who drive have made a saving in petrol. Parents have made savings in not paying for school activities, holidays reimbursed, savings from cancelled events etc...

Its always the same: some people will be genuinely affected and in the shit, and others will take advantage but try to justify that they were hard done by too. Sadly, it's next to impossible for strangers to no which is which.

@SadderThanEeyore

2 x furlough of 80% here We have lived on 60% of our usual income since March. Well done with your understanding there op.

I'm really confused by this statement. How has being on furlough left you living on 60% of your usual income? Surely it would still be 80% (which I agree is less than ideal)

@dontdisturbmenow

People will always point out the extra costs, not what cost less. We all know how quiet the roads are during school holidays and parents don't drive their kids to school.

Many people who drive have made a saving in petrol. Parents have made savings in not paying for school activities, holidays reimbursed, savings from cancelled events etc...

Its always the same: some people will be genuinely affected and in the shit, and others will take advantage but try to justify that they were hard done by too. Sadly, it's next to impossible for strangers to no which is which.

Probably the wealthier ones who can afford to book that holiday, afford to book holiday activities for the kids.

If you are just getting by. You hadn’t booked that stuff anyway.

@SadderThanEeyore

2 x furlough of 80% here We have lived on 60% of our usual income since March. Well done with your understanding there op.

No, if you both got 80% you've lived on 80% of your income, not 60%.

Wow The Real World isn't shopping in M@S and taking 3 holidays a year! For most it's a struggle financially especially as rent in some areas are sky high for a two bedroom property. I know someone who has to pay £1000 a month for a basic flat (no luxury at all) and only gets £300 left a month to pay bills/food/clothes for her son. Two people working full-time can still be struggling so when you only get 80 percent it's very difficult.

No, if you both got 80% you've lived on 80% of your income, not 60%.

No because the maximum is £2.5k per month and that may very well equate to 60% of their salary.

@doityourselfnow

No, if you both got 80% you've lived on 80% of your income, not 60%.

No because the maximum is £2.5k per month and that may very well equate to 60% of their salary.

That I would understand, they already said both were on 80% which is where the confusion lies.

I suspect that the reasoning is that:
100-80 = 20
20x2 = 40
100-40= 60

People furloughed received 80% of their salary so may be a short fall but not months of not paying.

For starters there’s limits on furlough payments, for another it’s not just income decreasing its outgoings increasing and for another as I said earlier there were millions who were barely hanging on BEFORE all this happened!

Thousands are being laid off, just this week m&s announced they’re going to be making 7000 redundant and every day on the news is other large companies announcing large numbers of redundancies, that won’t include all the small businesses and sole traders that have gone under.

Yes living costs have gone up but that’s the same for everyone

But “everyone” can’t absorb those rises into their budget!

I also have 3 people in my circle who work for dwp and they’ve been working 10/12 hours a day to deal with the estimated 5 fold increase in claims.

When you're paddling madly to break even every month a shortfall of even £50 can be catastrophic

Exactly!

I’ve had times when I barely had £10 left at the end of the month, no luxuries, living very frugally inc missing meals etc - if covid happened then I’d have beeb screwed!!

Don’t know how to quote a quote but

I can’t see how anyone on benefits or on a pension can have been that badly affected

You are in that statement

Totally agree with this post too.

The whole premise of this thread is that you think people are acting irresponsibly with no need to!

Many people are now on their 5th month of furlough - that's one whole wage lost and that's simply unaffordable. yes - and there’s worse to come! We’ve not hit winter yet which will likely see an increase in infections, possibly a 2nd wave and a lockdown in winter will be much more expensive in terms of energy bills AND we’ve still got Brexit proper to deal with!

however there are also people who have taken advantage of the Covid crises. not exactly sure how and even then I think it’ll be a tiny minority - what’s your source for thinking this is an issue significant enough to start a thread about?

I think you are naive, and blinkered and living in a bubble!

Like a lot of people I have been through tough times and I know how it is to struggle. I for one would be interested in how tough, and how long ago.

Again even before covid we had people starving to death due to issues with benefits.

You are obviousy going to get robust replies to such a goady thread. totally agree

From your op

I can’t see how anyone on benefits or on a pension can have been that badly affected.

Pretty provocative!!

Calling someone ignorant is rude in my opinion. not if it’s true. It’s also pretty off to benefits/poverty bash!!!

I am just making an assumption that given the help provided by the government plus the fact that a lot of people’s income hasn’t really changed, I am surprised so many are in arrears. no - you’ve made an assumption that it’s due to fecklessness rather than poverty!

What experience do you have in GETTING help from the govt? Especially at the moment?

You are stubbornly and nonsensically sticking to your original opinion despite myself and many others, some of whom are VERY well informed in such matters explaining to you why your original opinion/belief was wrong!

@notsoshabby while I’m sorry for your circumstances, you yourself admit that it’s very few tenants behaving badly, I suspect the same tenants as would have taken the piss at some point even without covid

There are ALWAYS a FEW who will take the piss but they are rare. The vast majority of people don’t.

calling someone ignorant implies that they are lacking in knowledge uneducated. I expressed an opinion nothing more nothing less. no in this context it implies a lack of knowledge on the subject AND an unwillingness to learn/inform oneself. You expressed an ILL INFORMED opinion based on prejudices and poorly informed assumptions. You just don’t like the fact that you’re having this pointed out to you!

Don’t want to be thought ignorant and ill informed? Then don’t make statements and express opinions publicly that display your lack of understanding and empathy.

Rather smacks of you can give it out but not take it!

It is ok to admit you are wrong you know, it's a valuable life skill. absolutely we can all learn from others experiences.

If op had come on genuinely ASKING for an explanation of why people are facing rent arrears due to covid they’d have perhaps had some mocking replies but not irritated and frustrated ones!

And as several have said even AFTER many pps have explained the various reasons why, op persisted in making prejudicial and offensive comments.

My friend who is 78 was admitted to hospital, the. A nursing home just before lockdown started. He only has a traditional passbook account so has fallen into arrears because he is not allowed tout to pay his rent. As he always paid in cash. I've not yet been able to set him up a current account. It's been really difficult. The council have got snotty about it so I had to pay it on my credit card and get the cash back.

@Pixxie7

I am just making an assumption that given the help provided by the government plus the fact that a lot of people’s income hasn’t really changed, I am surprised so many are in arrears.

Assumption? In the states we have a saying. When you assume you make an ass out of you and me. I find it difficult to understand why you don't understand how people can fall behind. They fell) behind due to losing a portion of their income and their expenses still remaing the same or even worse they actually rose because they were at home. I know my grocery bill went up by 600 dollars a month since March. My water went up 30 dollars and electric went up about 125. M

I'm interested in why you think people would do that? Why would people take 'advantage' of covid and purposefully go into rent arrears?

I mean, how fucking stressful must it be to be behind on your rent? Your home, the roof over your heads being purposefully jeopardised? To risk making yourself homeless? Or to risk the threat of years and years of paying it back, possibly not being able to move because of it?

I find it highly unlikely myself, but I'm genuinely interested in why you think anyone would do that? What's the perceived benefit @Pixxie7?

@graphista, I don't disagree, it's a shame that a few bad apples can spoil it for others and they likely would always have done, my tenant has been a bit cheeky in the past over other stuff. I thought it would be interesting for people to have that intel from my letting agent that it was a very small number (in his opinion) just 2 -3 out of 600 taking advantage. I can see how tough Covid has been for many, since my post this morning I found out another friend has gone out of business. Like I said, despite my circumstances I'm still able to keep my head above water with savings and a regular income and count myself as very lucky.

I rent out five properties. One was furloughed I gave him a 40% discount for three months. He did not pay me anything last month even though he is presumably back at work. Another is self employed I have her 50% reduction for three months. She paid that but has not paid anything since. Another is on benefits and has paid full amount all the way through. Another who moved in during lockdown paid first two months and nothing last two - just stopped paying. Last one gets rent paid by employer so rent has been paid.
So half my tenants have not been paying. All three were vetted and the flats are not at all budget. I rely on this for my income and I've been very fair but now feel as if I've definitely been taken advantage of.