0:03 AM, 17th July 2024, About 35 minutes ago
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Amid ongoing delays with Universal Credit (UC), one landlord is stepping up to help his tenants.
Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlords for benefit tenants, shared with Property118 that UC housing element payments have been consistently late for his tenants over the past three months.
This news comes despite government promises to increase housing support for low-income renters starting from April 1. Many landlords, including Mr Roberts, are still receiving payments based on old rates.
Mr Roberts says that delayed Universal Credit payments are causing misery for his tenants.
He told Property118: “I’ve been trying to get answers from UC about why payments are delayed. It’s been tough for my tenants who rely on these payments to cover their rent.
“Today marks the third consecutive month that Universal Credit has not paid me the Housing Element. Could you survive without wages for three months?”
Mr Roberts explains one of his tenants is now at risk of eviction due to delayed Universal Credit payments.
He said: “One of my tenants has been moved to Birmingham refuge hostel but is still liable for rent at her previous address. Her social workers have filled in all the forms for Universal Credit, and UC has said I will receive all the backdated rent for May 7th and June 7, 2024.
“I’ve submitted the online direct payment and arrears form, but I keep getting notices saying UC isn’t paying. My tenant is now at risk of eviction within the next two weeks if nothing changes. Universal Credit needs to help prevent the tenant from becoming homeless and avoid the need for Section 21 and Section 8 notices.”
When approached by Property118 for comment the Department for Work and Pensions told us: “Tenants should speak to their work coach if they need help with their Universal Credit claim.”
Mr Roberts has created a template letter for tenants to use when contacting Universal Credit officials.
He encourages landlords to share this template with tenants who are asked to provide rent proof again or when the tenancy agreement doesn’t reflect the current rent.
The template letter is below:
Dear UC,
You’ve asked for proof of rent, which I’ve already sent you. Do you need the tenancy agreement too?
The tenancy is X years old and only shows what the rent was in 2014. My landlord has met with your senior staff multiple times and was told to stop asking for the tenancy agreement as proof of rent unless the tenant has just moved in.
I’ll upload the rent proof and proof of address. If you also need the tenancy agreement, please make sure the portal allows for three documents.
Please don’t delete the rent proof. You’ve already received it, and it’s the correct one. As I explained, the 10-year-old tenancy agreement is useless for proving the current rent. Please use the latest rent proof letter instead. The tenancy agreement is only useful if I have just moved in.
If we can’t solve this issue this time, can you please contact my landlord to find a way forward? I give full consent for you to contact my landlord about this rent query until he starts receiving the rent in his bank and this housing cost issue is resolved.
You can find more info about giving consent here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consent-in-universal-credit/consent-in-universal-credit.
Consent can be given quickly in different ways. For example, I just need to put a note in my journal to give consent. This is much simpler and more straightforward than in the old systems. Once consent is given, advisers will work with the claimant’s representatives.
I give full consent for my personal information to be shared with my representative. All information should be disclosed to get my Housing Element paid, as your failure to do so is going to make me homeless.
