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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect a landlord to take on a tenants on dss benefits?

49 replies

dragonstitcher · 14/05/2008 16:46

I've heard different reasons for why landlords don't like tenants on IS and housing benefits.

One reason I've heard is that benefit claimants have a reputation for being rough and they don't want their property to get trashed.

Another reason is that councils have a tendancy to pay late.

These are the two reasons I have been given. I don't know whether there are any more.

I am fleeing an abusive marriage with three girls. I don't smoke, drink or have wild parties. I like to think I'm a thoughtful, decent human being. I'll be on benefits until I can sort out a means to support myself and my family.

So maybe the council might pay the rent a week late. They are going to pay it every month without fail aren't they? I would have thought that the guarantee of getting the rent every month would be a bonus.

What bothers me is the fact that this is a known issue and yet nobody does anything about it! When I sort my life out, I'm tempted to try to start some kind of campaign myself.

OP posts:

Upwind · 17/05/2008 06:11

"it takes about 6 weeks for a first claim to be processed and the benefit you are entitled to will be paid 4 weeks in arrears."

surely they could process it immediately in a case like this? DragonSticher is fleeing an abusive marriage and has children. How is it acceptaple that she won't get housing benefit for two and a half months?

DS - hope you have somewhere safe to stay in the meantime

laura032004 · 17/05/2008 06:25

We let out our flat, but have never had any DSS applicants because it's a 1 bed. However, we probably wouldn't accept them. We don't do it to make money, we are in a rented house through the Navy, so the flat is to ensure that we keep a step on the property ladder. The rent doesn't cover the mortgage. If our tenant pays late, we can only just cover the mortgage ourselves. I couldn't risk clawbacks or anything like that in addition to the normal problems with renting a property. I've no idea about the impact it would have on our buildings insurance (this comes with our service charge, so we might not be allowed to sublet to DSS tenants anyway) or mortgage as it was never an option for us.

I completely sympathise with you, but as hatrick says, not all landlords are loaded. Hope you find somewhere soon.

bigknickersbigknockers · 17/05/2008 07:25

Dragonstitcher, I used to rent out a small 2 bed house 4 years ago and when I started to rent it out I was told by the lettings agency that mortgage companys wouldnt allow DSS/benefits which I felt was a shame because YOU were the sort of tenent I was advised by another friend (who rented houses out) to go for. A single mum, on benefits, who wanted to make a settled home for the children, and rent gauranteed every mth.
I, on the other hand got tenants who moved it, stayed a short while then moved on.
I would do as other posters have said, and talk to someone at the lettings agency, and ask them to explain your situation to the landlord. As said before, landlords are human too, and better to get a long term tenant if possible.

ReallyTired · 17/05/2008 10:32

No one in their right mind will rent out a property without insurance. The problem with DHSS tenants is that they are uninsurable. You need insurance to cover stuff like fire or flood even with the best of tenants.

I didn't know about the claw back policy and I find it horrifying. Why should it be an honest's landlord's problem if a tennatn has fiddled the benefits system. Would the governant claw back from Tescos for all the food fraudently paid for by benefits.

The sad thing is that many benefit cheats are on low incomes and probably should be entitled to other benefits.

silvercrown · 21/05/2008 16:52

sometimes the mortgage lenders won't allow certain types of tennants. When I was letting a house they refused to allow students. I actually went down the DSS route and let it to a young couple who had a deposit but I had to wait for the monthly payments direct from the dss. That was fine. They insisted on a yearly agreement and then at 10 months they wanted to leave. I was very reasonable and even gave them back their deposit (idiot that I am). The house was filthy and they had caused no end of problems with neighbours that I only heard about later. Shame that a few bad eggs ruin it for everyone.

Greyriverside · 21/05/2008 17:27

With the new housing benefit rules the claimants will be paid directly and paid a set amount not dependent on the amount of the rent. They either have the money in their hand or they don't so it's not the problem of the landlord. It's up to the renter to find the deposit/first months rent before they move in. Nor do I believe it would be possible for the government to take the money back from the landlord.

I'm having trouble believing that it ever was possible unless the landlord was an accessory to fraud. Sometimes they were of course. I can remember the real old days when the landlord would find out what you were entitled to and then adjust the rent up to the maximum housing benefit level.

As for evicting tenents you either have the legal right or not. Private tenants don't have less rights. The whole voluntary homelessness thing is a red herring because if you have the right to evict they are not going voluntarily.

As for all poor people being dirty.... I'm sure that's true and really that's why it's fair and right that they are so poor.

pinkyp · 21/05/2008 17:35

my friend was in the same situation so she met up with the landlord and explained the situation and offered good referance and a garentaur(cant spell sorry) and she got it.

expatinscotland · 21/05/2008 17:44

the trouble is, greyriver, that many private lets require an income check. and if you need the income from HB to pay the rent or your income is from benefits, that's going to become very obvious to the landlord soon.

private renters do have fewer rights in that their tenancy is only short-assured, from 6 months until however long the landlord wants to set it. but 6 months allows the landlord greater flexibility so that's what many opt for. after that, the tenant can be given the 2 month notice to vacate at any time.

so it's far less secure than housing association/council tenancies, where a tenant can find himself having to come up with a deposit/first month's rent once a year if not more.

FioFio · 21/05/2008 17:47

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FioFio · 21/05/2008 17:48

This reply has been deleted

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Upwind · 21/05/2008 17:53

"It's up to the renter to find the deposit/first months rent before they move in."

Can't you see how this might be difficult for the OP?

expatinscotland · 21/05/2008 17:56

Some councils do have grants set up for this, and some councils even have agreements with private landlords to let to DSS tenants as 'temporary accommodation'.

But this is not the case anywhere.

The root of the problem, of course, is that a huge percentage of social housing was sold off and not replaced.

It can't be expected for the private sector to take up the slack without being forced to do so, which will never happen.

fiodyl · 21/05/2008 18:09

Im absolutley certain that if you are overpaid Housing Benefit it cannot be claimed back from the landlord, just as much as if you were overpaid Income Support they wouldnt claim it back from the shop you spent the extra money in.

And our local council DO accept people as homeless if their private landlord is selling up- maybe its different elsewhere.

Big mouth where was your mum offered a place to live?It sounds like where I live!

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 21/05/2008 18:10

'Why should it be an honest's landlord's problem if a tennatn has fiddled the benefits system.'
Because they can. Becasue the landlord is traceable person and they can get at them. And until this is addressed, there will be a shortage of decent properties available to HB claimers.

littlelamb · 21/05/2008 18:13

I used to work in lettings and one of the reasons landlords won't take people on benefits is because it negates their rent guarantee insurance- landlords can take out a poicy on new tenants that will pay them if the tenants ever default on their rent. The companies who offer such policies will not insure tenants on benefits. Not fair, but its the way it is

SmugColditz · 21/05/2008 18:16

It is grossly, grossly unfair. I do not blame the landlords, I blame the policies that have forced the land lord's hand.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 21/05/2008 18:18

Also - may have been covered on this thread, but non HB tenants do move out if served eith a section 21 notice - HB tenants go to the council housing office which tells tehm to saty put till evicted or they will have made themselves intentionally homeless {hmm]. The landlord then has the trauma and expense of eviction, so again, it deters people from renting to HB claimers.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 21/05/2008 18:20

I mean 'claimants'

CombustibleLemon · 21/05/2008 18:23

Don't know where you live Fiodyl, but it does happen in Sheffield- friend rented out her house while travelling. The council came after her when they found out that the tennant had been with a partner who was working, so shouldn't have had housing benefit. The council's attitude was that my friend should chase the woman to get her money back.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 21/05/2008 18:24

(sorry off topic, but combustible lemon I do like your name!!!!)

CombustibleLemon · 21/05/2008 18:25

Thanking you kindly

mypandasgotcrabs · 21/05/2008 19:59

I was in a similar position to you recently dragonstitcher. xp and I had split, I had to stop work, we've had to sell the house. It is very difficult to find somewhere when you're on HB, but what I did was just emailed every letting agents where I live, asking if they had any properties that would take HB tenants. Of about 60 agents, I think only about 8 replied, and only 3 of htese were able to help. The landlord of the house I did find, and am moving into on Sat was actually saying no to HB, but the agents managed to talk him round, explained my situation and he's been great since. Some others were able to help me out, but only if I was able to find 6 months rent up front.

WRT clawing back overpayments, the council tried to clawback from an ex landlord of mine when xp and I were being done for benefit fraud. (Their cock up, they put a new claim through for us when we were claiming the 4wk carry on when I started work)

CrazyMofo · 21/05/2008 20:38

Some do take on DSS tenants dragonstitcher

I have just been given one finally and im on IS, i get all of my rent paid but had to go through quite a few checks to get there!

If you ask at every state agents you know then they should be able to tell you if they have any landlords who accept DSS, i bet you will find one because i did.

The only thing i would say is that the house ive just started renting is a MESS and i think the landlord thought he could get away with it because im on benefits, but luckily its all being sorted now!

Anyway i would seriously ring around all the agents you know and find out

jellyrolly · 21/05/2008 20:54

It makes me so angry to read this dragonstitcher. You should be getting all the support you need not being discriminated against.

I rent to a single mum on benefits and yes it does cost more to insure. I don't mind paying a bit more, I would hate to lose my tenant, she's great and loves her home therefore looks after it.

Good luck with your new home and new life.

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