Local Authority want to put the local housing allowance rate on the AST?

Local Authority want to put the local housing allowance rate on the AST?

0:01 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 22 hours ago 12

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Hello Everyone, I am in the process of letting my property through a council.

The rent is higher than the local housing allowance rate so the Local Authority (LA) said they will be covering the shortfall.

However, the LA want to put the local housing allowance rate on the AST as the rent rather than the actual contractual rent that I have agreed with them. I am pretty certain this is not correct.

I also fear this may cause issues for me and even the tenant in the future.

Are the Local Authority correct to do this? I don’t understand why we can’t just put the actual rent on the AST.

This maybe a stupid question but I have never heard of this before.

Many Thanks

Jenni

 


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K Anon

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10:22 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 12 hours ago

Hi, A let to LA once and it did not end well, once the tenants are in the LA wash their hands of you. In this case the LA paid deposit on behalf of the tenant AFTER benefit tenant had moved in and then made the LL sign a clause that she would return the deposit to the LA.

Then they offered incentive that actually turned out was used to offset the rent with payment setups that bamboozled everyone.

On the face of it was just perceived as a bit odd how it was set up but beyond unusual, no big deal, guaranteed rent was appealing, except that the law does not allow for the terms the council requested the LL sign after tenant was in and guaranteed rent is rubbish. disadvantaged the LL terribly..

Long story short she was almost bankrupted by the tenant who was dreadful but had the legal aid juggernaut behind her. Horrific. How deep are your pockets...

Upshot, don't let the tail wag the dog, your property, your AST, your terms. if they don't like it tell them to walk away, the stress of unforseen pitfalls will haunt you for years.

L Bennett

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10:25 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 12 hours ago

Absolutely don't do that. What right have the council to ask?

Somehow it will be some kind of legal consent that traps you at accepting that rate.
I smell skullduggery so keep the AST (as between you and the tenant, not you, the council and the tenant) as it should be

Clint

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10:35 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 12 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by L Bennett at 23/01/2025 - 10:25
I fully agree with you.

David Houghton

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10:36 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 12 hours ago

Let me translate. The council want you to lower the rent to he lha rate. Do you want to do this or not. If not say no, if they insist tell them you will have to find another tenant. Then they will back down

PETER harvey

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10:37 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 12 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by L Bennett at 23/01/2025 - 10:25
the local authorities just look after themselves - oince the tenants are in that it is until you want them out and then just told to stay put until court action. i would never rent to the la anymore - there are good private tenants out there - most of the la tenants that i had were basically nuisances and had all been there before - just being moved from one private landlord to the other.

look for private tenants

Geoff1975

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10:59 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 11 hours ago

I did have this once. I can’t remember what the reason was, possibly something to do with their affordability calculation’s for their client. Not really anything to do with the landlord and I refused. If Labour does bring in rent controls I.e. there was a clause in the draft RRB that had variations on the idea that if the rent is increased the rent going forward can only be a maximum of the rent for the previous period plus RPI, CPI, various other options etc, which means you wouldn’t be able to increase the rent beyond the LHA plus a small percentage.

L Bennett

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11:01 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 11 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by PETER harvey at 23/01/2025 - 10:37
Agree. I was just giving my point of view to the poster as it looks like she is taking a social tenant

dismayed landlord

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11:07 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 11 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by K Anon at 23/01/2025 - 10:22
My personal experience is do not deal with a LA under any circumstances.

Cider Drinker

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11:11 AM, 23rd January 2025, About 11 hours ago

NEVER try to help the Council. They are programmed to screw over private landlords.

Find your own tenants.

Dee LAKHANI

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13:55 PM, 23rd January 2025, About 8 hours ago

Avoid Council and Housing Associations as if tenants are causing issues they will just tell you to take court proceedings, at your costs which could run in excess of £25,000. This is from experience.

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