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Too Many DSS Tenants On The Same Street Can Reduce The Value Of Your Property

How utterly thoughtless of me, I haven’t thrown together a DSS/DWP tenant related blog post in a while. I know how well they go down around ‘ere, like a smooth shot of Bourbon cum.

*mutters* I’ve probably been slack because I’ve been preoccupied with trying to evict employed private tenants that fell into arrears and blogging about that sack-of-shit nightmare. Oh, the horrific irony.

In any case, it always feels like Christmas when I publish one of these posts because everyone seems strangely happier and more enthusiastic to get involved. I remember reading the results of a shady survey that implied drivers are more likely to give-way during the Christmas period compared to any other time of year because they’re in that festive jolly mindset. That’s exactly the kind of affect I’m talking about.

I’ve probably covered enough ground on the subject of DSS tenants, if not too much. However, the issue still manages to pull in the crowd and rank as the most active section on this website, so I may as well continue to fuel the fire. Power to the people.

In one corner, you have DSS tenants arguing that they’re not all manufactured off the same production line, so landlords should stop discriminating against them and treat them on individual merit. In the other corner, the landlords are saying, “come on, you’re high-risk, which makes you mostly the same… and you smell funny”

The debate has been battered to pieces for centuries now, and I imagine it will continue long past my checkout date.

Personally, I’m still continuing my crusade of refusing to deal with DSS tenants because I’ve had more bad experiences than good. That’s fair enough, right? But the reality is, any type of tenant can be problematic, whether they’re in receivership of housing benefits or not *mutters* as my recent experience highlights.

However, for example, dealing with DSS tenants in arrears is much more infuriating and difficult to digest compared to when private tenants are in arrears. Firstly, the council continue to temporarily sign the cheques when their tenants are in arrears, and they advice them to stay in the property by the grit of their teeth, to the bitter end, because as soon as they vacate the property, the council will have to rehouse them. I refuse to support a legislation like that.

Secondly, it’s the moral issue, you see.

I know, how delusional. I’m actually leveraging morals. I’d accept sex as rent payment.

The issue is, DSS tenants actually receive an allowance from the Government, bankrolled by tax payers, to either partially or entirely pay for their accommodation. They didn’t earn the money, they were given the money for the sole purpose of paying their rent, among other living expenses. So when they fall into arrears, you’re left wondering where the fuck the money went. It’s bloody infuriating, so I’d rather keep my blood pressure level at a happy medium by avoiding it at all costs.

But that’s just two examples of why I don’t accept DSS tenants. My thoughts on the matter go much deeper, and I’ve discussed many of my frightful insights in the DSS/DWP tenants archive. Knock yourself out.

I’ve actually got massively side-tracked, because the issue I want to open up and discuss is colonisation. Last week I received an anti-DSS tenant email from a random geezer that is currently living in an area with a high density DSS population. He discusses his personal experience of the affects of them colonising in his hood…

I’m a none scrounging 40 + an hour working man who is a private tenant. My girlfriend also works full-time. We’re soon to become homeowners – thank FUCK

DSS does not stop at the landlord’s property they wreck – it can bring a whole street down to a cider-drinking drug den in no time. My landlady only took working people, I am one of them, and now because DSS tenants have moved in left right and centre, and because they drink and inject drugs all night can sleep all day, the net effect on the area is that we’re among the last working tenants to leave.

DSS tenants don’t just bring down a landlord, they bring down every adjoining landlord on a street. I’ve set up my landlord for this- sent a long Land Registry report, photos etc – why? Because she’s been damned good to me over the years and I just know once we’re gone, any working people will not be able to move in or survive here – hence the price will drop, or worse still, DSS people will move in

To my mind, DSS are like cancer to a lovely landlady; they run down a whole area. Any landlord either directly involved with DSS, or in my experience, even renting a terrace next to landlords who DO pander to DSS, has to price that into his business plan i.e. be prepared to take a substantial loss. My heart goes out to the decent landlords and tenants in this country who just want to get on with it and work- my landlord doesn’t deserve this, I don’t deserve this. The sickest thing is my tax is bankrolling these creatures drug taking.

I’ll finish with an adaptation of the old not all Muslims are terrorist line – not DSS are drug addicts, but most drug addicts are DSS.

Interesting.

I haven’t officially responded to the chap who sent me the email, but hopefully he will read this and accept this is a response and a courteous appreciation for sharing his situation.

I mostly agree with him, in the sense that if DSS tenants are closely condensed onto the same street, the street will most likely start to become undesirable to working tenants and consequently lose value. I have no doubt in my mind that it happens all over the country. I’m not saying that every street with a high DSS density is riddled with crime and drugs, I’m just saying that it will have an affect on value because to the outside world it’s an undesirable situation.

The point is, it’s one of a hundred variables landlords should be aware of and take into consideration. An issue like this can potentially seriously damage profits, so it’s not to be taken lightly! Do your neighborhood research.

Has anyone actually experienced this affect? Has anyone felt a direct financial impact because of a high DSS population in or around a property you own? Estate/Letting agents probably see this affect in full-swing all the time…

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Refusing DSS Tenants Is Discrimination

8 Comments - join the conversation...

Tinny2013-01-07 10:53:14 I sold my house due to this. My street, once a nice working class street has in 10+ years become a heaven to DSS renters and eastern europeans who may or may not be on housing benefit but who have turned one bedroom town houses meant for a single person or a professional couple, into houses to have up to 3 kids in. The street is littered with kids whose parents do nothing all day but are too busy to take them to a proper park to play so driving a car down the road can take as much as 10 minutes as one needs to wait till 18 month old who is minded by his 3 year old sister decides to move off the street. Not to mention that everyone has a dog but equal attitude when it comes to walking them properly or cleaning after them. The lovely Lithuanian ladies who are on DSS were also running an operation every weekend from their property when a big truck would turn up, slowly load up with cars, motorbikes and cycles without registrations and go only to return the next weekend. Once reported to the police, I felt like a criminal because calling either local police or a council gets them immediately offended. I wonder why they answer the phone. I sold the house and am now living in a much nicer area down the road. I no longer have to listen to the next door neighbour's kid screaming at 11.30pm because it is time to go to bed and then again at 8am when it is time to go to school. Frankly, I wanted to burn the whole street to stop it spreading. Perhaps the capping of housing benefit will make landlords more selective due to necessity.

I do agree DSS people are not all the same, I have a friend on incapacity benefit due to damage she received whilst being poisoned at work. She was once someone who owned 2 houses and who had a good job but that is easily checked. She won't wreck your house. I had a terrible time finding a place with 2 cats, even after promising 2 months deposit, to pay for the insurance etc...and the fact that my indoor cats are so clean they get stressed if I don't immediately clean the litterbox after they used it... so I am now aware that stereotyping happens on all levels. 1

Benji2013-01-07 11:37:00 "they advise them to stay in the property by the grit of their teeth, to the bitter end, because as soon as they vacate the property, the council will have to rehouse them."

Sort of. The law has just changed allowing councils to discharge their duty by offering tenants a property in the private sector.
Councils no longer have to provide a council house. Tenants no longer have an incentive to make landlords get a possession order. 2

Glen2013-01-07 16:57:44 I am lucky enough to not have had to deal with this. My current tenants are fantastic (both working professionals). I will not deal with DSS tenants on the grounds that my mortgage company simply will not allow it so it takes my choice away anyway.

It's a shame that the minority have to ruin it for others. 3

Tinny2013-01-07 17:17:40 Glen this is how I feel too, although not a landlord I was considering keeping my house as a rental potential whilst buying elsewhere but decided against it due to the deterioration of the street. I don't think councils are doing anyone any favours (least of all themselves) by not tackling anti social behaviour more vigorously. After the london riots when few of those participating got evicted I thought things will change and people will finally be accountable but it was short lived. I worry about my credit rating as I have to rely on credit checks but those who have nothing to lose can do whatever they like.

Having said that, I remember having a nightmare family renting one of the houses in the road and the residents could not do anything about it due to the fact they had housing benefit rather than being council tenants and we, as a last resort, complained to the landlord, who did not do anything about it. One morning they just left. The landlord came to see the property then and I saw him weeping at the devastation he found. But whilst he was getting the rent, he would not hear the neighbours' complaints or address the issue. I am now renting in the building where it seems people work and I love it so much that it cured me of all psychological ailments I had in the past years, one of them being depression for which I was treated with CBT..all over the state of helplessness regarding the dilapidation of my living environment. 4

The Landlord2013-01-08 08:27:34 @Tinny,

That's exactly the kind of issue I was referring to, regarding homeowners having to sell because of overpopulated DSS tenants.

Genuinely is a shame that they ruin it for deserving claimants.

@Benji
Really? When did that law get introduced? That's good news.

About 4 years ago I had a tenant intentionally fall into arrears, and then requested that I send her a letter of intent to evict her, so she could get rehoused into a council house. She said the council needed that letter to get the process moving.

I can't even believe a system like that was put in place!

@Glen
Thanks for dropping by to brag about your perfect tenants ha! :) 5

Benji2013-01-08 09:40:52 "Really? When did that law get introduced?"

9th November 2012;

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2601/made

Search 'homelessness suitability 2012' 6

Tinny2013-01-08 09:51:40 I think everything has a flip side, if I was in a position of your ex tenant, I would have tried talking to you in order to get the letter. My friend did this and landlord simply gave her a notice saying he willneed the property after her lease expires. No one ended up owing any money. The thing is that I would personally feel bad owing money and if I saw the situation coming, as you do, I would speak to the landlord at once. Like I would to a bank if I lost a job. I find that solutions crop up when you don't ignore the problems. 7

Humberto2013-02-26 12:51:05 I'am looking a studio with DSS welcome.
Can you please help me?

Kind regards

Humberto pinto 8