Universal credit payments to landlord - Universal credit can't locate tenant! Help

[NewGuyOne]

Good day.

Universal credit cannot locate the tenant they are paying me the landlord, direct housing payments.
I have provided the name and area code though they say they see nothing on the system.

I've a problematic tenant, drugs, anti social behaviour, not paying bills, etc etc. My growing family is making this harder to deal with and i simply want to put an estate agent in charge.
However, because universal credit can't locate the tenant they are paying for i can't appoint the estate agent to make life easier and take over.

The property has two flats: upstairs flat and ground floor flat. Universal credit sees on there system the tenant upstairs, though can't find the tenant on the ground floor...
Both tenants are supported by housing benefit universal credit.

Its 100% universal credit, as the only other housing payment can be the local authority, and I've contacted the local authority and they say they are not paying anyone by that name, but did say he sees both tenants on his system but they not paying housing and cant say anymore.

Contacted my bank Barclays and historically it shows on payments made .........DWPUC - department of works and pension (DWP) - universal credit (UC)

I've phoned UC a couple times, and they say theirs nothing they can do without a tenant name and post code match - its ridiculous. Who can i contact to find out or can i make a claim again UC for damages. I've recorded all the calls i made to UC and the local authority.

I don't want to be a landlord i want an estate agent to take over.

The only other thing the UC agent said was you need to request details from the tenant, and 100% the tenant will not comply and tell me where to go as i told him.



Any assistance on this would be highly appreciated

[DoricPixie]

I don't think you have snowball's chance in hell of making a claim against UC for damages. If the DWPUC can see the tenant on their system but are not paying housing anymore and can't say more then this sounds like an issue at the tenant's end. Perhaps the simplest solution would be to evict the tenant for arrears using the Section 8 process and sell the property since you no longer wish to be a landlord or evict, engage a letting agent and find a better tenant.

[NewGuyOne]

DWPUC 'Can't' see the tenant on the system - but they 'are paying' housing ... They can't find the tenant on the UC system - this is the problem i mentioned in my post. I want to appoint an estate agent ...

Perhaps the tenant has given a different name to UC from the tenancy agreement.

[Lash]

Do you have tenants date of birth? That may help trace DWP them.

[theartfullodger]

Does your bank statement show NI number?? Might help DWP..

[DoricPixie]

DWPUC 'Can't' see the tenant on the system - but they 'are paying' housing ... They can't find the tenant on the UC system - this is the problem i mentioned in my post. I want to appoint an estate agent ...

Perhaps the tenant has given a different name to UC from the tenancy agreement.

Your opening post says DWPUC "are not paying anyone by that name," and that DWPUC "are not paying housing and can't say more." Are you now saying that DWPUC "are paying" housing so you are receiving rent for the property? I thought the issue was that the tenant was in arrears but it's that you want a letting agent to manage the property for you instead?

My opinion still stands that you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of claiming damages from DWPUC. Artful's suggestion about the NI number is a good one as that should be unique to the tenant in case he has used different variations of his name on the tenancy agreement and with DWPUC.

[nukecad]

Perhaps the tenant has given a different name to UC from the tenancy agreement.

No, you have to show them a copy of your TA (or other proof that you are liable for rent if you don't have a written TA) when claiming UC, and if the name and address on the TA/proof is not the same as on the UC account then they won't pay UC Housing Element.

Bear in mind that the people you are talking to are most likely not UC - the UC general enquiry lines are contracted out to Serco.
Sometimes you have to ring a number of times before you get lucky and talk to someone from UC themselves.

The Universal Credit: Housing Queries Routeway might help: https://www.gov.uk/government/public...eries-routeway

Other than that - What tenant details did you use on the UC47 when you first asked for MPTL direct payments?
Obviously those details worked to set the payments up.
(Although you may find that the tenant is no longer getting UC and you have been paid the rent in error, meaning you'll have to pay it back).

Something to be aware of is I'm not sure that direct payments can be paid to an agency.
The name is 'Managed Payment to Landlord', you may find they won't pay direct to an agency.

You are probably better staying with the direct payments as they are, and appointing an agent and paying them yourself, rather than them taking their cut from the rent they collect.

[jpkeates]

Appointing an agent won't make any of these problems go away, you'd just be introducing another layer into the mess.

If you don't want to be a landlord, evict the tenants and sell the property.

[Hudson01]

Appointing an agent won't make any of these problems go away, you'd just be introducing another layer into the mess.

If you don't want to be a landlord, evict the tenants and sell the property.

You have saved me from saying the exact same thing.