UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi. My tenant who has always paid rent on time - unfortunately had to quit their job due to being in pain waiting for an operation. This was back in June.  They asked me for info relating to the tenancy back then and I assumed it was for a HB claim. They have had the op and have been managing to pay the rent - until now.  Now they are awaiting a 2nd op so unable to work - they are guessing until February 24. When they will look for work. They say they are only receiving £324 ESA and haven't even had that yet. that they have other bills and are worried sick - so they have no money towards the rent, This is all coming via text messages. I queried about all the info I gave them in July and asked was that not for a HB claim - asked if they were saying they have been refused HB.  That was 3 days ago and no response.  The vagueness concerns me a bit.  My question for the forum is really - should they be a clear case to receive HB?  And if they should be what would you advise my next step to be?  I do want to be supportive as much as I can and maybe come to some arrangement but they need to be upfront with me I feel. many thanks

I'm not good with benefits but thought HB had been replaced with universal credit.

We cannot advise you if their housing costs can be paid in a clear-cut way. But I do know they can share the outcome with you via means other than a SMS. I have a feckless Tenant who started off 100% privately and made a claim later... for which they needed my help with... there's some kind of on-line system where they have a Journal... and they can communicate with their assigned reviewer / case worker - whatever it's called. I saw a screenshot of this where some worker called Lee told my Tenant to resubmit her housing costs (as she'd put down the Landlord's address as her own address - this is what I'm working with). This was all shown in a Journal Entry that she shared with me as a screenshot.

So, in conclusion, I'd say there's no excuse for vagueness. I would nip it in the bud, set out your stall and set communication expectations. You need to be clear too.

thanks for the replies.  I believe it is now called Universal Credit but whatever it is called  - I was really querying if you think they should be eligible for their rent to be paid - based on the info I gave. I know nothing about benefits and assumed some landlords on here would know more than me and probably deal with tenants having their rent paid for them a lot. 

But the point made is that it doesn't matter what we think.

We can think they should be eligible - how does that change anything for you?
We can think they shouldn't be eligible - how does that change anything for you?

All that matters is if they are eligible, and are receiving it, i.e. the facts of the matter.

We do know more than you, but enough to help you along in understanding our opinion doesn't really matter. You are a Landlord in the PRS - all you [should] care about is whether the rent is getting paid - you didn't sign on to be in social housing, it happened afterwards.