Tenant has stopped paying rent!

Tenant has stopped paying rent!

9:34 AM, 17th July 2023, About A year ago 168

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Hi all – newbie here and what a mess I’m in! I stupidly rented my house out feeling sorry for a single parent on benefits. The rent is £550 pcm and has not been increased over the 6 years as her benefits would not cover it. I asked for a £50 increase per month in October, and since then the tenant stopped paying altogether.

I issued a section 8 and one week before the hearing she obtained emergency legal aid. One day before the hearing a surveyor attended the property and a counterclaim of disrepair was submitted. I’m due back in court on the 31st but my defence must be submitted by the 20th. I received the court instructions on the 13th.

I couldn’t issue the s21 as all the housing paperwork was lost in a house move. The costs are massive and I’ve run out of funds. Could anyone please offer any advice?

I’m not entitled to legal aid because it doesn’t cover this case.

Thanks,

Tracy


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Happy housing

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20:35 PM, 18th July 2023, About A year ago

Can you not apply directly on the gov website? Just trying to give you options.

Trapes

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21:15 PM, 18th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Happy housing at 18/07/2023 - 20:35
I did apply on the gov website.
UC agreed to pay me direct but the tenant opposed this so they could only pay me the £36 per month arrears

Happy housing

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21:33 PM, 18th July 2023, About A year ago

So what solicitors say

Marie Lee

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7:16 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Trapes at 18/07/2023 - 18:38
RE lender

I already said, contact the lender ask for help, ask for a payment holiday. they are there to help you, not repossess your house. Do it xx

Castle

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7:23 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Trapes at 18/07/2023 - 21:15I don't think that is right. They should implement a managed payment to landlord when there is 8 weeks off arrears. I would try again. Try complaining and provide proof of arrears and all the information. Explain that it is causing you extreme financial hardship.

Marie Lee

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7:29 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Castle at 19/07/2023 - 07:23
As a LL I have never had experience of T & HB, but I am shocked at the terrible attitude and actions from the HB offices. Seems to me, they make it up as they go along. As I understand it if T is 8 weeks late, LLs can apply for HB payments direct to them. So why in so many cases does this not happen. As someone said before, HB money is NOT the Ts it IS to pay the rent. So what the hell is happening?

Castle

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7:41 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

It's this housing benefit or universal credit? I assumed UC but similar rules should apply to HB.

If it's UC the UC47 form doesn't give you much options to specify additional information. I would go down the complaints route and mark it as urgent

Happy housing

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7:43 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Marie Lee at 19/07/2023 - 07:16
There's no more payment holiday with banks anymore. They only give you slack if you have made over payments

Happy housing

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7:48 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Marie Lee at 19/07/2023 - 07:29
Castle is absolutely correct, do a payment plan, go straight to dwp. This is funds kept for help with rent not just to do anything with you should be getting far more. I know it's stressful but you need to understand solicitors work for money only do what they can, you need to start thinking out the box. I know it's stressful but LLs I'm sure have been through this and give advice to what works.

Castle

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8:01 AM, 19th July 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Happy housing at 19/07/2023 - 07:43
I think it will take a while before the bank can repossess, I heard a year minimum. If you can get the UC money coming in they might be more sympathetic and hold off. There are probably lots of resources available to you with regards to what to do on that front like Citizens advice. See what they say on the money saving expert forums, I bet they have done good people there for that sort of thing. Landlord repossession hasn't really kicked in yet, so you might get better advice on that front from somewhere like that.

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