Universal credit payment direct to landlord

[lrwi]

For three years my tenants rent has been paid directly into my account from her Universal Credit payments. This morning, two days before this months rent is due, I have an email telling me that it is to be stopped yet I can apply to have it re-instated only if she has a change in circumstance. Have I missed something ? She tells me nothing has changed in her circumstance. Does anyone have a contact number for UC in St Austell rather than me trawling through the Gov/UK website?

[theartfullodger]

Tenant is entitled to request payment back from to you and then to her. Your agreement is not required.

In terms of who owes you rent it is always the tenant, not UC or LHA/HB.

Did you mean the job centre in St Austell please?
https://www.jobcentreplusoffices.com...ell-jobcentre/

Artful, in receipt of 6 benefits, thank you you generous taxpayers...

[lrwi]

Tenant is entitled to request payment back from to you and then to her............................Sorry, did not quite understand this sentence

This is what the tenant has received. c2309dfb-35bb-4fb2-8857-90ac48fe55d7.jpg

[jpucng62]

I think Artful means she can change it from being paid to you to being paid to her, and then she pays it to you. Seems odd that they have done this if she hasn't requested it.

[QUOTE=theartfullodger;n1180362]
Artful, in receipt of 6 benefits, thank you you generous taxpayers...[/QUOTE

Out of interest what 6 benefits do you receive? Think I might be missing out on some!

[ash72]

Fill out the UC47 form and if you dont get payment its because the T has cancelled it or rejected your application, if that is the case you should think about serving notice.

[nukecad]

I do know this stuff.
And can usually explain it better than the DWP/contractors phone jockeys.

The people you talk to on the phone for UC enquiries are G4/Securitas not the DWP; contracted out so they don't have much clue.
(Not that most DWP staff have a clue anyway, but that's another story).

I believe that the email/journal entry from UC will be because any outstanding rent arrears have now been paid off over the three years.
(At least according to the UC computer; which has been known to be wrong).

The Change-of-Circumstances bit is for if the tenant gets into arrears again , that would be a change of circumstances and you could apply for another direct payment (MPTL) to be set up.

So the question has to be is your tennant still in arrears?

UC doesn't like Alternative Payment Arrangements, including Managed Payments To Landlords (MPTL's), they would rather the claimant mananges their own payments.

The DWP/UC will do APAs when necessary, but will stop any APA/MPTL as soon as they can.

You should look into setting up a Direct Debit or Standing Order to pay you the rent on the date that your tenant recieves their UC payment.
You will need your tenants agreement to do that, but you had their agreement for a MPTL anyway so it shouldn't be a problem.

PS. Did your tenant send you that screenshot of their UC journal?
It is illegal for anyone except the claimant to have access to their Journal. (Unless an apointee/guardian has been set up).
There is a current court case ongoing against a multi-property landlord who has been changing his tenants rent details on their UC journals.

[theartfullodger]

...................

Out of interest what 6 benefits do you receive? Think I might be missing out on some!

State Pension, Free 'bus pass, £10 Xmas Bonus, Free eye tests, Winter Fuel Allowance, Free prescriptions.

For anyone (especially tenants..) to find out what benefits they are likely to qualify for try..

https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

[jpucng62]

State Pension, Free 'bus pass, £10 Xmas Bonus, Free eye tests, Winter Fuel Allowance, Free prescriptions.

https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

I hope you are making good use of ALL of them! I'm looking forward to getting a bit older & joining you

[theartfullodger]

Good use?? Certainly not! I use the winter fuel allowance on wine rather than leccy/gas. Don't (well, hardly ever, especially during covid f*** u* by this government ) use the 'bus pass.

[axil23]

Is there anyway to get the benefit paid direct from day 1? Without them going into arrears or requesting it themselves. Under housing benefit rules there was a 2 months in advance tenancy that triggered the direct payment. Haven't tried it under UC but was wondering if it would work?

[nukecad]

Not without the tenants consent/request, and only rarely from the start of the claim even then.
(Unless you are a social landlord, or possibly if you are a private landlord in Scotland which has slightly different rules on APAs).

However if you already had direct payments from Housing Benefit before the tenant moved to UC then a UC MPTL can be set up from the start of the UC claim.

You have to remember that benefits are the claimants entitlement, not yours.
Monies received for that benefit entitlement can then be spent however the claimant chooses. (Just like wages can be spent however a wage earner chooses).

At the DWP's discretion part of that entitlement may be paid to someone else in certain circumstances if it is in the claimants interest to do so.