Information Library

Questions & Answers

I have a query regarding the current situation with Coronavirus and self-isolation.

We have a tenant who has been advised to self-isolate for 4 weeks but may extend to 12 due to underlying health issues.  He has been, until yesterday, in full time…

Good afternoon

In recent days an increasing number of my SRS client base have asked if I could point them in the direction of any help there may be on Government websites or elsewhere, that could help tenants, that are already or most likely to be affected by the Coronavirus,…

Hi John

Firstly, your approach of trying to help tenants by reassuring them their homes are under no threat and trying to source helpful information is admirable and exactly what I’d expect most responsible landlords to do in this chaotic and worrying time.

Good tenants don’t become bad tenants overnight,…

Good morning

One of my landlord clients started the New Year, with something of a damp squib when they received a £15,000 demand from DWP, for an alleged overpayment of “housing costs” relating to an ex-tenant. The demand provided details of the property, the overpayment period, and, the fact the…

Hi

RLA members may recall an earlier article involving an aunt and niece, where Housing Benefit had been wrongly refused, simply on the basis of their close family relationship. With my help, both eventually secured payment, including a backdated award, but not without a prelonged  period of worry &…

Good morning

For the 7th year in succession, DWP has failed to produce a satisfactory automated solution, to the annual rent uprating exercise, despite its senior managment, promising me, last year, a solution by Easter 2019!

In its guidance, issued to SRS landlords, on 29th January, 2020, DWP insists, that…

Good morning

Recently, I have highlighted tenant case examples, where specialist RSL staff have helped tenants, successfully overcome obstacles, created by a DWP administration that’s struggling to cope with the complexities, it’s created, in a benefits system, originally described as being “simplified, integrated & transformational”; it’s certainly not…

Good morning

West Granton Housing Co-op, website clients of mine, contacted me, seeking advice regarding a dispute over Housing Benefit (HB) which related to one of their elderly tenants.

The tenant had been occupying a house of the Co-op, became ill, was transferred to hospital and during her stay there,…

Good morning,

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked by landlords, regarding Universal Credit is:

“Why has my tenant’s “housing costs” been cancelled retrospectively, when he’s still liable to me for rent”?

Firstly, the questions of liability to pay rent and your tenant’s entitlement to “housing costs”…

Good afternoon

DWP, on 23rd January 2020, issued its latest set of statistics on the extent of Universal Credit’s rollout. In confirms overall number of claims, as at August 2019, amounted to just over 2 million, and helpfully breaks down figures to constituency levels. It also highlights, there still remains 68% of claimants (4.5 million,…