What happens next if Tenants now start to claim Housing Benefit?

What happens next if Tenants now start to claim Housing Benefit?

10:59 AM, 18th January 2017, About 8 years ago 51

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I’m currently experiencing a situation that is new to me and would appreciate some good advice. My tenants are expecting their first child and have recently lost their jobs. housing benefit

They told me in advance that they wouldn’t be able to pay this month’s rent and have made a claim for housing benefit.

While I am wholly sympathetic to their situation I am also highly leveraged against the property. I do not want to burden them with any more stress, but I do need some answers.

Could any experienced landlords give me some advice on what to do next or what procedures to follow?

Many thanks in advance

John


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Jay James

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21:30 PM, 21st January 2017, About 8 years ago

I thought the purpose of this site was to discuss landlord issues. Look at what it has become. If you want to focus on tenant advice, there are other sites for that.

Gary Dully

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2:58 AM, 22nd January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jay James" at "21/01/2017 - 21:30":

Your absolutely right Jay, it is a site for landlord issues, and as a bonus, the site also offers advice from time to time to tenants.

What pearls of wisdom do you have for John, the landlord?

My advice is if you have trouble with any tenant on benefits, or in fact any tenant at all, who thinks rent arrears are acceptable and they don't get a wiggle on, they should be given a chance to modify their behaviour or be promptly evicted, legally.

As for advice to tenants claiming JSA, UC or LHA etc, who are not working and have given up, is to get off their sweet cheeks and make more of an effort.

There are plenty of opportunities out there, even for people with disabilities, thanks to better communication, support and technology.

So that's concise advice at a fair price!

Smithy

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12:54 PM, 22nd January 2017, About 8 years ago

Don't forget that when people on benefits are expecting a baby, they also get vouchers for free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, baby formula and vitamins. Also a grant of £500.

Jay James

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11:27 AM, 23rd January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gary Dully" at "22/01/2017 - 02:58":

Not sure it's a pearl of wisdom, but John needs to start the eviction process with extreme vigor, whilst hoping the rent gets paid.

Luk Udav

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18:34 PM, 23rd January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Smithy @hotmail" at "22/01/2017 - 12:54":

Not true anymore; only for 1st child. But the tenants in this case WILL get something as it's a first child. I don't know about orange juice etc, though. A pity as the stuff I used to get in the 1950s was jolly good.

michael crockett

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11:56 AM, 31st January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gary Dully" at "19/01/2017 - 02:33":

Gary..you come across as a very unpleasant man.

Luke P

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12:29 PM, 31st January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "michael " at "31/01/2017 - 11:56":

Unpleasant? Debatable. Experienced, knowledgeable, frank? Definitely.

You can't reason with those who cannot/will not pay and for whom the system is weighted in favour of.

A cup of tea and a chit-chat won't cut it with HB tenants. I have hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of my own various failed attempts using the 'nicely-nicely' approach.

A tenant is not a friend and a landlord is not there to do anyone a favour. It's a tough enough game without welfare-warriors adding to your woes.

michael crockett

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12:33 PM, 31st January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "31/01/2017 - 12:29":

No debate..

Jonathan Clarke

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14:43 PM, 31st January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Luke P" at "31/01/2017 - 12:29":

This is about different management styles and effective communication

I`ve just had a cup of tea with an HB tenant this morning and dealt with an eviction in my own way. They will as a result move out within the week following a successful negotiated settlement. We both respected each others positions and agreed it could not continue

If you have had thousands of failed conversations with tenants maybe your management style could be looked at, altered and improved in some way to turn those failures into successes.

Luke P

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15:57 PM, 31st January 2017, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jonathan Clarke" at "31/01/2017 - 14:43":

I have a lot of success, more so than failures -they're just not brought about through friendly chats. Where I'm from (and seemingly Gary too), that sort of nonsense does not work. It's akin to politely asking feral children if they would kindly not hang around on the street corners, ever so nicely, please and thank you. It just does not (in the main, admittedly) produce a positive result.

It appears you operate in 'the south' Jonathan where the average household income is *not* <£15k pa (and the associated problems that, seemingly, come with such a socio-economic group).

Of course I'm generalising, but you'll not get far with tea and biscuits everywhere, if many places.

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