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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off at ''no dss, working people only'' when finding a house...

178 replies

juicychops · 17/03/2009 13:10

i do f-ing work for gods sake!! just cos im a single parent and cant possibly work full time due to my situation and so need housing benefit to help me out with PART of the rent, why am i being turned away for anything decent?
it really pisses me off

OP posts:
FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 19:46

no - DH's plan was to rent it out until he was working, then move back in, clear the arrears and sell as he tried to not long ago - getting enough to clear mortgage/fees and then start afresh in rented.

Sorrento · 17/03/2009 19:47

So if you've never intended to make a profit, may I ask what the point of paying half a mortgage is then ?
I take it you aren't a registered charity ?

FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 19:47

as it is he's sleeping on the floor in it, "dining" on a computer chair at his computer desk and watching a conked out TV sitting on the floor.

Ho hum - such is life - it's a bitch.

FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 19:48

Sorrento - I presume she was paying half the mortgage because the maximum rent she could get for the place wasn't enough to cover the mortgage........

Sorrento · 17/03/2009 19:48

And what has he done FAQ - because I can give you some tips to keep the house if it's not too late, him not working isn't the biggest problem at all.

Sorrento · 17/03/2009 19:51

I gathered that, FAQ .... but seriously her eye is on the long term capital gain, nobody would subsidise a tennant without knowing that in the medium to long term they will do rather well out of the deal.
Which as somebody else has paid half the mortgage and kept it ticking along it seems a tad unfair to then scoop up all the profit tax free at the end too wouldn't you say ?

lockets · 17/03/2009 19:51

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FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 19:52

he got his demand notice for full amount outstanding (including arrears) just before Christmas (while still employed). He wrote to them and they (finally) agreed a lower repayment figure (one which he'd offered months before he missed the first payment and they'd turned down) - which he paid for one month, and was then fired (unfair dismissal - another thread totally). Now he's living on fresh air waiting for his JSA to come through and is trying to figure out how to make the next payment due at the end of this month.......

Which of course he won't be able to, so no doubt they'll start all over again "you haven't paid us" "paid XXXXXXX amount within 28 days or court blah blah blah".

I tell you - life's a bitch - and even more so as I've just looked at the time and realised I have less than 10 minutes to make a route from my front door to the dining table for a meeting ARGHHHHHHHHHH

lockets · 17/03/2009 19:54

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londonone · 17/03/2009 19:54

Similarly when I went abroad I certainly didn't want to sell my house.

lockets · 17/03/2009 19:55

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RumourOfAHurricane · 17/03/2009 19:56

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Sorrento · 17/03/2009 19:57

If he can keep those token payments up for three months he'll be entitled to the interest being paid by the DWP, he needs the house to have his children over night but he must make sure he claims income based JSA not contribution based and then asks for the mortgage interest payments claim form.
If he gets to court and explains that the DWP will pay once he meets the criteria the judge won't grant a reposession order, make sure he takes a child with him if possible the arrears will have to be paid but the wolf can be kept from the door for 2 years to get himself straight.

Sorrento · 17/03/2009 19:59

Well if I was wrong then I apologise.

lockets · 17/03/2009 20:00

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FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 20:01

I don't know which one he's claimed (applied about 2 weeks ago). It's so frustrating knowing that DWP assistance is just a few months away, but with no money coming in yet - just can't see how he's going to do it.

I can lend him all 3 children to take with him if he wants though

gotta - fly will reply properly later - friend will be here for meeting anyminute.

noonki · 17/03/2009 20:09

londonone - I think most of us agree that if you can work you should work. But not everyone can for a multitude of reasons; illness, young children and huge childcare bills, sn children, lack of self worth, mental health problems and on and on

I have worked in homelessness for 10 years and see the worse end of the hb problem. Less council stock, bigger rents, fewer jobs, have meant a rise in homelessness. It's very hard to hold down a job when you don't have anywhere to live. And that's before you even get on to the social problems associated with homelessness. Some of the people I work with are so damaged that the thought of returning to an era of Cathy come home is terrifying.

I personally think the gov idea to give hb to people though understandable (to make people use to buying rent I believe) will not work because of the few that take the mick.

I think you need to walk a mile in someone elses shoes before you make sweeping generallisations.

MissGreatBritain · 17/03/2009 20:26

Hi sorry haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned, but I am a landlord and at present have a DSS tenant in my house. She is a great tenant BUT the council that pays her benefit is a PITA. They can stop and start, change the benefits whenever they feel like it and also pay in arrears in case the tenant does a moonlight flit. So I think you'll find that it's the council that landlords don't like dealing with, not DSS tenants.

wangle99 · 17/03/2009 21:49

I also haven't read the whole thread.

I am an accounts manager for a letting agency, we are the only agency in our area that takes DSS (and then with a guarantor). This month 65% of our tenants are behind with their rent, either in full or partly late. All but two of these are DSS tenants.

Its a really difficult situation to be in and I sympathise with the OP.

TheYearOfTheCat · 17/03/2009 22:07

Again, haven't read the full thread, but as a landlord, I have experienced real problems with housing benefit - not with the tenants, but with the govt body which pays it - crap communication, late payments, excessive bureaucracy and intrusive questions. It is easier for me to deal with privately paying tenants.

Not much use for those who are in receipt of hb though.

FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 22:10

oh gawd you're making me all nervous now - got my first HB payment (for the first 2 1/2 weeks or something daft like that) ok in Feb.........first "full" lot is due into my account tomorrow.............it had better be there!!!

Sorrento · 17/03/2009 22:12

You'll be fine 99.9% of LHA pay every week without fail, whether the tenant actually pays it to the landlord is an entirely different matter I'd imagine.

harleyd · 17/03/2009 22:13

i think im having a mini meltdown reading this thread and i havent even got my forms sent off yet

FAQinglovely · 17/03/2009 22:15

well presuming it's in my account when I wake up in the morning sorrento, I'll add my "top-up" to it and it will go out as standing order next week

FAQinglovely · 18/03/2009 10:23

well it's not in my account...............but that could be something to do with the fact that today is in fact Wednesday and not Thursday which I was convinced it would be when I woke up

fingers crossed it's in there tomorrow.

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