Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

Original poster

Renting to DSS?

17 replies

RockThePots · 17/05/2011 08:21

Would you?

I am a single mum with a 1yr old, so I receive full housing benefit and income support. I think I am an ideal tenant. I don't smoke, don't have parties, don't make a mess, have never been late on a rent payment and I am looking for a long term let. I can also provide a guarantor.

I am looking for a new place to rent but I live in a very popular area with lots of students so there is a lot of competition for flats. I just want to know if I am likely be considered as a tenant or if generally landlords automatically don't take dss.

Don't be afraid to give me bad news btw I understand that landlords have to do whatever they can to protect their property.

OP posts:

boohoohoo · 17/05/2011 08:39

Hi, we rent a house to a family on DSS, have absolutely no problems at all, rent always paid, house kept lovely. I think some landlords are wary if renting to anyone on housing benefit but we personally have had a very positive experience.

We advertised privately and just said DSS considered and had other people (house share, students etc) apply but when this family applied we just had a good feeling about them (not great business sense I know!) and they really needed a larger house but were waiting forever for social housing.

I would just ring up any you see advertised and ask, they can only say 'no'. We personally have had less hassle with this family then other tenants we have had!

Good luck

Original poster

RockThePots · 17/05/2011 08:54

Thanks boohoo.

I have my eye on a flat but the problem is it is rented through an agency so I can't actually talk to the landlord. I suppose all I can do is plead my case to the letting agents and they hope they pass it on to the landlord.

It is hard to find a private let in my area. I would say at least 90% of places are through an agency.

OP posts:

fergoose · 17/05/2011 08:57

unfortunately many landlords don't have a choice. Their mortgage terms may specify no housing benefit. Also I think their insurance can be a lot higher if they have hb claimants renting.

Original poster

RockThePots · 17/05/2011 09:06

I have heard that before fergoose I'm sure I saw a thread on here once that said that so long as the tenant had a guarantor then it was okay, but i may have imagined that.

OP posts:

RedHeels · 17/05/2011 09:47

If you have a guarantor, then you don't have to mention you are on HB?

Original poster

RockThePots · 17/05/2011 10:06

That was kind of my plan redheels But I think they will figure out that I am on benefits because I am a single mum with no job.

Maybe I should just say that DD's dad is rich and pays me a ton in child maitenence (i wish!)

OP posts:

RedHeels · 17/05/2011 10:24

Correct me if I'm wrong but since you have a guarantor, they should be not interested in your income. They will not request to see you, for example, banks statements to prove how you support yourself. Depending on who your guarantor is, the estate agent can think that it's him/ her that supports you. If I were you I wouldn't say anything, unless they ask and if they do, you ca mention the imaginary rich dad. Otherwise you'll be looking for a flat for a long time. Anyway, let us know how it pans out .

IntergalacticHussy · 17/05/2011 11:04

it shouldn't be a problem at all; it's the attitude of so many landlords which is just plain wrong: i'm looking for somewhere to rent with my dh and dcs at the moment and it pisses me off the amount of ads that say 'no smokers, no students, no pets, no dss'.

It's the modern day equivalent of the signs you used to see on pubs back in the 80's 'No blacks, no irish, no dirty work clothes...' just an acceptable form of discrimination imo. And then there's the grilling you get when you speak to letting agents 'So, you're at home with two kids, how do you intend to pay for the property?' Feel like telling them to mind their own feckin' business.

Imagine if Thatcher hadn't persuaded council tenants to sell off their homes, all this could be largely avoided and our kids would have stable homes to grow up in. Grrr

Original poster

RockThePots · 17/05/2011 13:36

Right, I phoned up shelter to get there advice on whether to tell landlords i am on HB.

Basically they said that I don't need to mention it, but also I can't lie if I am asked. Also they said that sometimes it is written into a contract that I can't claim HB so if I didn't tell them I run the risk of them writing up a no HB contract and me not being able to sign it, or if I did sign it and they found out then I could be turfed out.

It is hard because I don't want to deceive anyone but I also want to get a home for me and dd

OP posts:

Celibin · 18/05/2011 19:48

Some landlords may not like it as I think the rent used to be paid directly to the landlord and there were delays and also some landlords did not like being mixed up with officialdom etc but I think that is over now as hb tenants pay landlord direct (?)

northerngirl41 · 18/05/2011 22:18

I've rented to DSS tenants before now - and been badly burned. It was a single mum we rented to and she had a guarantor. She then moved in her boyfriend who she had blazing rows with and who just happened to be a drug dealer. It was horrific and I had phone calls on an almost daily basis from another tenant we had in the same building about how they'd had to call the police again, the front door of the flats being broken, the CCTV being smashed, they even ripped the water meter off the wall which meant the whole block was without water....

The fact that it's more or less impossible to evict them - it takes months and months. Eventually our other tenant stumbled across a rather marvellous shortcut!

What would make the difference in renting to DSS tenants? If I could specify who the flat was let to, if I could have right of inspection at any time, if you were living the same time zone as everyone else in the flats who was working, if I knew the flat was properly soundproofed and I wasn't going to get continual complaints, if I had some way of knowing that if I served eviction on you, you would go. We had a little old lady after that and she was just lovely.

Lozza83 · 19/05/2011 20:10

thing is aswell is that if you have nowhere to go if the landlord decides he/she wants his/her property back then it takes months to get you out as they have to go to court twice.... i am currently going through this at the moment and i felt bad that my landlord had to pay this so i've allowed them to take money out my deposit for court costs. This is something i think is pretty off putting for landlords aswell as the fact that the rent is paid in arrears so it can get a bit complicated. Anyhow, as you can see further up there are nice landlords who are happy to just go with the flow and rent out to hb tenants so there is hope. Good luck with your search xx

conculainey · 19/05/2011 23:20

I rent a house to a dhss couple and have always rented to people on benefits, I have never had any bother with payment as the rent/rates goes straight into the bank. I have never had any damage other than normal wear and tear so I can see no reason not to rent to dss/dhss tenants as they do imo respect other peoples property and are normally very glad to have a roof over their heads.

sunshineatlast · 20/05/2011 09:12

I rented my flat to a single mum as a DSS tenant. She found me as a private rental through an EA though and then said the DSS would pay. I was happy with that, she was fab and the rent always paid on time.

TheHumanCatapult · 22/05/2011 06:55

Yes my landlord is talking that he may need to sell my house I rent ,as he has cash flow problems( not from me he admits I have been goo tennart looked after house paid rent etc but its related to his business looking like will go under ) and I am feeling guilty that the council have told me to sit tight and let him take me to court if he does want it back .As they have no where suitable at the moment .

(I need 4 bedrooms but house needs to be adapted to allow for wheelchair use for me and ds3 )

conculainey · 22/05/2011 14:34

Not sure of your location but a landlord must offer the sitting tenant first refusal on a property if it is put up for sale in parts of the U.K.

TheHumanCatapult · 22/05/2011 15:53

me sadly not in situation to buy am carer to ds3 and now a full time wheelchair user because of the accidnet .I am now toping rent up by £200 a month

Flip