To think landlords are more likely to accept benefits now?

[chubbycheeks26]

Given then current situation and many families being forced on to benefits?

Or even mortgages and insurance policies allowing it? Could rents rise? All seems like it could be a complicated mess. They'll have a tough time renting to just keywords with stable jobs.

“@Daisysflowers - if a tenants circumstances change they are legally obliged to advise their landlord.”

You are incorrect. There is no such law. Tenants are under no obligation once there are in the property to discuss their circumstances or source of income with their land lords.

@OlympicProcrastinator I said they are not obliged as I have never seen that in a contract.

@Daisysflowers Sorry, I was meant to quote the person who quoted you. You are quite correct. You don’t have to tell the landlord if your circumstances change.

@OlympicProcrastinator that’s ok I had to re read what I put for a second

@Kljnmw3459 why are you assuming all claimants are scroungers? Has this past year taught you nothing. I bet my bottom dollar people who have been forced to claim thought the same of people on benefits.

@BornIn78 see more secure for the most part!

@emilyfrost why isn't a guarantor that much of a bonus? I can guarantee mother would pay the rent the first she hears of it not being paid.

If my mortgage company and insurance allow me to rent to those claiming benefits when they move in then I am fine with this

If they claim benefits while renting from me as long as the rent is paid (I know ex tenants have as they informed me why the rent would be late)

But until things change with my mortgage and insurance I shall still require tenants to not be claiming benefits when they move in. I am not risking having no insurance cover

I think landlords will be spending most of the next year carrying out evictions and trying to recover lost rent etc

The eviction embargo has been extended to 21st Feb "at least". If lockdown is extended, I think a further extension is likely.

@Covine

Remaining in your home until the tenancy is ended by court decision isn't "screwing over" anyone. It's legal and it isn't breach of contract. Moving out when you don't have to means that you're "screwing over" yourself (and whichever unfortunate schmuck you persuade to give you their sofa in preference to remaining in your home).

Absolutely correct.

If you move out before you have to, and have to seek help from the council because you're homeless, they're likely to find you "intentionally homeless" and then they don't have a duty to house you.

My local council will accept evidence of a LL applying to the court for a possession order as sufficient evidence of homelessness and will accept a duty from that date, but some council's won't help until the tenant has an actual date for when the bailiffs come round with a warrant.

Apologies the extraneous apostrophe - must read better!

@emilyfrost

It’s really irrelevant if not all benefit claimants are “like that”. Enough of them are that it’s understandably not a risk landlords want to take.

A guarantor really isn’t that much of a bonus.

I find it ironic that LL's (rightly) expect tenants to meet their legal obligations with regard to paying rent etc, but are happy to disregard their own legal obligations not to breach the DDA.

when we were made homeless I had to pack up put my stuff (minus our clothes etc) in storage and present myself to the council on the day I was due to give the keys back to letting agent. Was one of the worst days of my life knowing my children had nowhere to go after school. We lived in a b’b for 2 weeks then temp house then this temp house for the past 3 years. No landlord will look at us - I have up in the end as it was too much to get knocked back constantly.

So we wait. 3 kids in one bedroom my youngest is driving everyone round the bend and my poor 15 year old is trying to do work for his courses - exam year. I’ll just add that I work, and have always paid my rent on time and in full yes some is via housing benefit as I’m a single parent. I really hope that one day we can have a bit of security and not live in this limbo.

@Crappyfridays7, so sorry that you're still in temporary accommodation (TA) after so long, but I'm afraid that it's not that unusual in many areas.

If you have 3 children sharing, your current accommodation is short of at least one bedroom. The council should move you to bigger TA. If you haven't asked them, it might be an idea to start!

Even Brighton council manage to move people while in TA when one of the children reaches the age where they're entitled to their own room, as long as it's pointed out to them, and Brighton is a council where they tell people at the outset that they're likely to be in TA for ever, because of the shortage of social housing.

@Crappyfridays7 this makes me so sad

I'm so grateful I've managed to come across 2 landlords in good standard homes that have accepted me!

Our mortgage forbids renting to anyone without permission, and then goes on to say that it will not accept benefit income without a guarantor except dla and pip

... direct to landlords payments, that stopped around 30 years ago due to landlords pissing and moaning about being liable for fraudulent recovery

But why wouldn't they complain of the tenant's fraud results in them having to pay back the HB? If LLs are obliged to take a risk (however small) on renting to benefit claimants, they're hardly going to be happy at being made responsible for someone else's deceit

And incidentally, the "direct to LL" payments haven't been stopped completely - they still exist for cases where the tenant's deemed unable to manage their own finances for reasons such as disability

@movingonup20 oh okay so you'd be okay to rent to someone like me with benefits and access to a guarantor? I know not all people can access it. I'm so glad that I can, not exactly keen to screw my mother over who did me a favour helping me get a nice home for me and my daughter. I'm surprised people don't pay their rent when it's a roof over their children's heads!

All the landlords I know avoid benefits claimants. They won’t do it openly now, you just won’t pass their referencing if you can’t supply six months’ bank statements and payslips. Perfectly legal to ask for these AFAIK.

If you lose your job and fall behind on the rent there are all sorts of legal ways the landlord can make life difficult for you. Completely ignoring repairs is a favourite - see how long you last with a broken boiler.

Fall into arrears and you might outwit one landlord with the law fully supporting you, but good luck finding your next tenancy.

I know at two landlords who suspect their tenants falsely pleaded poverty to avoid paying rent while claiming furlough payments. Can’t do anything even though one has the rental income as her only income. The tenants must think they’re smart now, but boy are they going to find it difficult to find anything as soon as their lease is up.

A lot of landlords I know are selling up or getting ready to convert their properties to Air B and B arrangements. There are easier ways to make money than BTL.

I am on the fringes of property and am wondering whether rent payment should go back to the Local Authority. We have had a number of issues with tenants who just dont seem to be able to budget and their rent is used for something else.

They then either ignore reminders or when we finally get hold of them they say they dont have the rent as its spent. Having another party paying the rent would really help.

@Bathroom12345 Exactly what my landlord acquaintances have told me. Rent arrears seem to coincide with chaotic choices in other aspects of their lives. You’d never fall behind with your mortgage, but people seem to find it no problem falling behind on the rent.

The governmental thinking that we need to move towards a Continental model of widespread renting falls down if you don’t also teach financial management to young people.

emilyfrost why isn't a guarantor that much of a bonus? I can guarantee mother would pay the rent the first she hears of it not being paid.

You might be able to, but your landlord a) doesn’t know that b) has no reason to trust that’s the case and c) not everyone would pay up.

Back in the 1980s I’ve heard there was a scheme where landlords with properties in the private rental sector could hand them over to housing associations for long term rental. The housing association paid rents without fail and took care of all repairs etc, and had the expertise to deal with problematic tenants.

Does that business model still exist? If not, why not? Seems like a win-win.

@emilyfrost then by that logic everyone whose working full time with not benefits my not 'pay up

Why wouldn't a guarantor pay? They'd end up in court owing it so 🤷‍♀️

@Buttercup2021 this would be ideal wouldn't it!

The housing association paid rents without fail and took care of all repairs etc, and had the expertise to deal with problematic tenants
Except they didn't look after the properties at all. Many landlords had some real shock when getting their properties back.