Comments on: The Difference Between DSS Tenants on Housing Benefit (HB) And DSS Tenants On Local Housing Allowance (LHA)

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:22:16 +0000

By now Local Authorities should’ve written to all HB/LHA claimants, and landlords who are paid direct in relation to this regulation change.
My opinion is this is an ill thought out piece of legislation that borders on age discrimination (at best).
Are you aware that the single room rent (SRR) doesn’t apply to single under 35 year olds that live in council accommodation?
Clearly one set of rules for private landlords and another for the council, it’s unbelievable how this regulation has been introduced when it’s clearly unfair on many levels.
If you are a decent hardworking, law abiding under 35 year old earning a low wage and require assistance with your rent, you’re going to have to find a cheap rental somewhere and struggle. BUT if you have a criminal record and come under MAPPA you won’t have to worry because the under 35 SRR won’t apply to you. Who says crime doesn’t pay!

By: Midlander

Midlander — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:48:00 +0000

I wonder if landlords (and tenants!) know that from 1 January 2012, all young people under the age of 35 will only be paid the DLA ‘shared accommodation’ rate when they make a new claim?
There are some exceptions, see here…
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/paying_for_a_home/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/housing_benefit_if_you_are_under_35?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=print
I only came across this by accident!

By: helium

helium — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:01:16 +0000

Hi there depressed landlord. We just changed the locks on Dec 1st when her tenancy ended. Place is a bit of a mess and all her stuff is still there. At least i know she will not get in again, and if she wants to sue then she can go ahead but she will never step foot in my house ever again.
I think i will try to sell it now. I’m fed up of the place now.
I hope your situation gets sorted.
I’m just going through the single claims procedure now to get £550 deposit back (it was taken in advance for the last months rent but the RLA told me to protect it so that it didn’t look like a disguised deposit). I hope she doesn’t make it difficult.

By: maskedman

maskedman — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 12:46:58 +0000

Airedale,
what you said about “I have a lot of experience with tenants who complain of damp in every room”

you are totally right at your hazard a guess that the building is perhaps of the age and yes it does mean a severe case of a lack of ventilation.

I lived in a 2 bedroom house, and that whole place was very well ventilated, but still wall paper peeled off, the roof collapsed in to my bathroom, and the ceiling in the kitchen was water damaged, dont even get me started on the basement. .

“If you are constantly washing clothes and drying them” – yh i would agree that it escapes into the walls, but what about when you put your washing outside? whatever the weather

my 2bedroom house had old single wooden pained windows, and most of the downstairs ones were nailed shut by the landlord, the ones that opened, were always opened, but still all them problems happened, even black mould spots. my husband had developed breathing problems, and i was ill alot.

the landlord said to me exactly what you said about not ventilating, but i did, and when i got a health inspecor around, he said he would advise we move out, and the landlord got a letter to do the house up to current standards.

sometimes it is not the tenants fault, its the landlords

By: deppressed landlord

deppressed landlord — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:44:26 +0000

@HELIUM 172
i am in a similar situation to you at the moment and i feel your pain. my section 8 has expired too and the tenant is staying put, obviously they have played this game over and over again and know the system. my tenant is in over £3000 rent arears and the council have taken the pisss and have continued to pay rent to the tenant despite my pleas..well i got in touch with the local councillor and she has been very supportive and got onto the housing benefit straight away and now finally the housing benefit has been redirected to myself. i dont know how long this will continue because my tenant keeps twisting the councils arm because they have made a decision to pay me previously then went back on their word and paid the tenant instead off me, these scums will be out sooner or later and we have learnt the hard way by getting our hands burnt the first time…but in the longer run they have made us a stronger person cz in the future we know all the tricks these scums play in order to scam and scrounge off you, best of luck and hang in there x

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:12:53 +0000

David Booth,

Tasker,

Great idea.
So you act as escrow? the payment is paid into an account that the benefits receiver cant spend from?

I could make you a great website.

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:33:41 +0000

I make sure anyone on HB agrees, and signs to say they do, to open a Credit Union account so the HB is paid into it. The Credit Union then pay the rent direct to me. I also get them to sign to say I can discuss any issues with the HB dept. In some areas you pay nothing, in other areas you may pay a nominal fee of around £5 per transaction. Maybe not perfect, but it helps to minimise the risk of non-payment of rent

By: Midlander

Midlander — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:32:05 +0000

David, you say:

“the tennant (sic) agrees to pay our company the money they get from the LHA”

But a tenant, when they sign a tenancy agreement, agrees to pay this money to their landlord anyway, and this does not always happen… does it?! What does your comapny do for its £4-per-transaction? Does it pay the landlord anyway if the tenant does not fulfil his/her agreement with you? And do you then undertake to chase up the tenant for the dosh?

By: David Booth

David Booth — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:10:05 +0000

LHA, HB or what ever you call it theres a new solution for landlords & tennants.

I would like to take my time to introduce you to our new company Tasker Payment Services. The company is designed as a one of it’s kind payment service for DSS claimants and their landlords. Customers who do not have a bank account, or have large overdrafts eating into their Local Housing Allowance can use our service to have the peace of mind that their rent is paid straight to their landlord’s bank account on time, every time.
With much experience in dealing with such payments, landlords can rely on Tasker Payment Services to provide them and their tenants with a reliable and secure way of receiving their rent.
We are fully registered with the FSA (registration number 564939) and can be found on the FSA’s register of payment service providers.

The idea behind our company is simple the tennant agrees to pay our company (Tasker Payment Services) the money they get from the LHA and the landlord gets paid from us fortnightly. All we take £4.00 transaction fee for transferring the money to the landlords bank account.
This also helps out the council because they dont have to deal with arrears and it could help the council because more landlords would want to register because they know they are going to get paid.
If you would like to visit our website http://taskerpaymentservices.co.uk/ and read a little more about us if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

By: Suzy

Suzy — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:18:44 +0000

The person who wrote this article must be the most ill educated human being ever!