Rent and food bill

[Tee196]

So I've recently just moved to a new part of the U.K. ( been here about 5 months) so currently on benefits until my daughter goes to nursery in September, so I'm currently getting £250 a month, my housing benefit covers £399 of my rent then I have to find £170 which leaves me with around £80 for the rest of the month, my landlord text me today saying I still owe £250 for this months rent when I told her that the rent is 563 a month as stated on my contact but they are now denying that was the price of rent, they've told me they want the £250 today with out any fail, I've explained to them that I can't afford to pay that kind of money as I still need to buy food gas and electric for the house, they don't really seem to be understanding about the whole situation

Is there anything I can do to get out of the situation I'm in?

What does you tenancy agreement say the rent is?

What does your lease say? They can’t argue what it says on that

On the agreement it says 130 a week, £520 a month and now they are asking for more than that a month

Check the lease agreement. As pp said, they cannot demand more than the agreed amount.

they cannot just put the rent up, if your lease agreement is 130pw then thats what you pay. Is it worked out per calender month? Do go to the citizens advice bureau for their support. also ask your landlord why the rent has gone up, issue you with a new lease and rental agreement if you want to stay, why do they think you owe them 250.

Sorry, I am a bit confused, how much is your rent £520 (4 weeks at £130) or £563.

Have you rented your property via a letting agent, or is it direct with your landlord? If you've used an agent contact them immediately. I'm very confused with the weekly/monthly amounts you've stated, because if your paying £130 a week, then this works out much more than if you pay rent monthly at the amount you stated.

If it's £130 per week, that is £6760 per year.

£6760/12 is £563 per month.

If it's £520 per month, that's £6240 per year.
£6240/52 is £120 per week.

Which is it?

If it's the former but you've only been paying £520 per month then you've been shirt by £43 per month. Times that by 5 months and that's almost the £250 they're asking for.

*short by, not shirt by!

563 would be the monthly cost as some months have 5 weeks not 4

If the rent is weekly at 130 then that’s what you pay.

Are you sure you're getting all the benefits you're eligible for? 250 sounds low for a person with one child. is that universal credit or just income support? Do you get child tax credit as well? Might be worth double checking that

Council may be able to help with discretionary housing payment perhaps as well if you're facing eviction

Surely you should be entitled to JSA at about £73.10; Child Tax Credits at £60-65; Child Benefit at £20.70 weekly?

Also, Housing Benefit is usually paid fortnightly in arrears. Could this be part of your problem?

Yeh it’s £563 a month, you’ve been underpaying. They are probably just asking for this money if you have been there a while. You will need to pay it!

Hang on, in your first post you say 563 a month, in your second you say 520. Which is it you’ve been paying?

When I signed the contract it said £130 a week, £520 a month he wrote and signed it himself and now he's asking for £563 ( obviously he knows he messed up with the math) my argument is he can't just change it if the price has already been agreed, signed and confirmed? He confirmed this price to the housing benefit office

So your contract states two different prices, £130 per week and £520 a month. As these are different amounts I’m not sure what happens here. I think you need to get some proper advice, have you tried phoning CAB?