DSS- questions regarding payment to landlord

[J4L]

greengriff

I think you HAVE been in the game too long (burnout after ONLY 4 years?)
methinks you need a therapist.

What area do you work out of? I'll open up a branch there I think.
Looks like I'll have a captive audience of 80+ tenants and Landlords already.

[antmit]

It's a nightmare, I rent in one of the most underprivileged areas in the whole of the uk and to be quite truthful a lot of the tennants haven't got the skills to handle this kind of money.(most don't even have bank accounts). They ask me.... can the council pay direct so that we don't get into arreas. I'm still grappling with it all........

I am housing benefit claimant. If you are paid by the council direct you are liable for overpayments and if there were fraud committed you are responsible for the money owing.

With due respect, if people do not have bank accounts, why are they being let to?

[Izzycam]

In an ideal word we'd all have high salaried jobs with beautiful homes which we could afford, but since this is not the case someone has to rent to the DHSS. In one particular area with us, I would say 75% claim housing benefit. As for Bank accounts... that's another serious issue, I'm afraid I can't force all the major banks to ake everyone on their books.

[Esio Trot]

2. They have a LOT of stuff cluttering up the house, and especially a very big TV.

And the TV has to be a plasma version, minimum 42"

5. They are often incredibly dumb (see point 4 above).

A common name for them round our way (taken from a TV programme apparently) is Pramface.

6. They cannot control their kids, who are invariably dirty and rat like.

These are commonly known as Ferral Kids. A common sight in sink estates.

[mind the gap]

These are commonly known as Ferral Kids. A common sight in sink estates.

Might that be feral, do you think? Or ferrous? (Containing a large amount of iron)?

[susanne]

i am really sad to read the way some landlords here describe some tenants - there are good and bad tenants - just like there are good and bad landlords - and i dont think there is any reason to call folks scum. if you dont want to work with that kind of tenant - then either give them notice, or buy property in a better area, or get out of the business of lettings. Of course its a tough business and getting tougher by the year. You guys chose your property and your tenants in the first place - presumably knowing what type of tenant you would attract. You have had the benefit of the "gravy train" of direct payments with no hassle on the HB regime for a long time - and now you have to do some work - you are grumling and blaming everyone but yourselves.

Have any of you written to your MP to get them to challenge this difficult LHA-direct-payment situation ? The more of us do that - the more notice they may take over the next few years. Have any of you got your tenants to write to the council to ask for direct payment on "vulnerability" grounds ?

The law is the law - at least for the present - we may not like it - but for the time being we have to work within it

I have switched several of my tenants from HB to LHA since April and it has been very successful - they no longer pay me a top up and i get an increased rent. Some councils are not allowing such switching. Some are. This does make life difficult and shows how different council interpret the law.

i have not switched a couple of tenants as i know they are poor money-handlers - they did not want to have access to their own rent.

For those that have switched to LHA i have insisted they have two bank accounts - one ring-fenced and then Standing ordered thru to my account and the other one for their income support - child benefit whatever.

i have also got direct payments from the council on vulnerability grounds by helping tenants to write letters.

But this takes time - and it has increased my work load initially - but that will settle down.

Swearing and cussing does nothing other than make us seem like money grabbing blood suckers who hate humanity

most of us are not

[Izzycam]

Hi Susanne, I wonder if you could elaborate on the ring fenced account. Thanks

[Esio Trot]

Swearing and cussing does nothing other than make us seem like money grabbing blood suckers who hate humanity

Most of us are not

Agreed.

However, we are too aware of those "poor" tenants who seem to acquire the latest technology, have uncontrolled kids, and when it comes to paying rent under the LHA system give all manner of excuses: 'My mum's ill'/My daughter's been arrested'/'my son's got run over'/'My best friend took an overdose'/'My dog has got cancer'/'My cat has eaten a parrot'/'I got robbed, and only money was stolen' (but was seen at Bingo the previous night.

[johnboy]

Also bear in mind people dont post comments on here to tell everyone what wonderfull tenants they have. Most people only post when there are problems.

[greengriff]

Well, I seem to have annoyed as many people as I've amused. Let me clarify a few things:

I'm not 'burnt out'. I still love what I do and find it endlessly amusing. I will find a way around the LHA problems and will stay in this business until boredom forces me out of it.

Although these scrotes are annoying in the same way that mosquitoes are, they actually inspire me; everytime I look at them life's previously unattractive tasks like hoovering, disciplining my children, ignoring the TV in favour of family conversation, reading educational literature, showering daily and mowing the lawn suddenly become much more appealing. When I photograph their properties during inspections I show the pics to my children in order to terrify them into working harder at school. 'Look Johnny' I say. 'That's how you will end up if you don't try your best'.

The only thing that REALLY irks me is that tax is taken from lots of hard working people to keep these vermin housed, fed and watching Jeremy Kyle on their plasma screens. Heck, I don't even have a plasma screen! Even if it meant bankrupting myself I would end the benefits system tomorrow to see these scum starving on the streets.

And before anyone asks, no I'm not posh. I come from a poor family - no TV, no car, no holidays and hand-me-down clothes. However my parents worked themselves into the ground (and did their absolute best to instill a sense of right and wrong in me) to end up in pretty much the same state financially as the awful oafs I deal with.

These people that I house are not 'working class' - that is an absolute INSULT to working people and/or people that are unemployed but want to work. They are dirty parasites and I watch them with the same nauseous fascination that I'd watch a documentary on roundworm. When this country finally comes to it's senses we will simply cut off the cash and watch them sink or swim. Bring back the workhouses! :-)

[jeffrey]

They are dirty parasites and I watch them with the same nauseous fascination that I'd watch a documentary on roundworm. When this country finally comes to it's senses we will simply cut off the cash and watch them sink or swim. Bring back the workhouses!

I won't be drawn into your diatribe- but do go and see "Eden Lake"! [strong stomach needed]

[mind the gap]

greengriff: Your comments lack any originality of thought or expression, having been swallowed whole and regurgitated, straight from the pages of the Daily Mail. I pity your children, having to put up with you spewing such nastiness over them. Don't delude yourself - your parents failed, spectacularly, to instil any moral sense in you at all.

[jeffrey]

I have a horrible feeling that all this will disappear when Moderator sees it.

[mind the gap]

I have a horrible feeling that all this will disappear when Moderator sees it.

Probably the best thing for this kind of ranting.

[greengriff]

greengriff: Your comments lack any originality of thought or expression, having been swallowed whole and regurgitated, straight from the pages of the Daily Mail. I pity your children, having to put up with you spewing such nastiness over them. Don't delude yourself - your parents failed, spectacularly, to instil any moral sense in you at all.

So wrong. I don't have time to read the daily mail or any other newspaper. Maybe daily mail reporters rent out properties in the same areas that I do ;-) ?

I am a local councillor and a fundraiser/volunteer for a disabled charity (which is where my newspaper reading time goes) and seeing people with PROPER problems struggling to do the best they can hardens my heart to idiot tenants and other whingers who think they are somehow hard done by. I am happy, my family is happy and if I could just free everyone from the yoke of this ridiculous government that we have then I'd be happier still. Don't project any of your issues or prejudices onto me!