What to look for in a DSS tenant

[Samster]

Hi,

We are looking to rent out one of our flats, and the best offer we have is from a DSS tenant who will pay the full asking price of £350 a week and has her own furniture.

She said that the DSS is prepared to pay her rent every month. However i have never had a DSS tenant before and am a bit wary. She is sending me a letter confirming that the DSS will pay her rent of £350 a week, and i am going to do the usual tenant check, landlord check, bank check, and will phone the council independently to ensure that it will be paid indefinetly.

Is there anything else i need to look out for? Any other questions that i need to ask?


Thanks

Sam

[ram]

We are looking to rent out one of our flats, and the best offer we have is from a DSS tenant

You say ( previous post ) -- are selling both flats later this year to buy a house.

Then you don't want Dhss tenants....... read the comments here ( do a search )

Single girl, gets pregnant, brings in her boyfriend(s), can't get her or her dhss boyfriends out to sell flat, payments stop for what ever reason, takes you 6months to get them out ! because of slow response from council who have nowhere to house her

!! ----------- Noooooooo

Think of what is the worst thing that could happen to stop you selling your Flat, when you have thought, then keep away from that route.

You want ordinary person, short term let, 6 months only, working, and if rent not paid, easy to give 2 months notice to quit,

If Dhss, too many foreseeable problems

Sorry if Dhss persons reading this, but it is a business venture, not a charity. ( And yes, I -have- been a Dhss tenant, but not a single girl, last time i looked )

Sell your flats now, dont bother with rent, then have a stress free life.

[PaulF]

The DSS doesn't exist!

What you mean is your potential tenant is entitled to Local Housing Allowance. These rates are ususally published on your LA's website so you might be able to check the amount they might be entitled to receive. It is now paid to the tenant and cannot be paid directly to the landlord unless the tenant is in 2 months arrears.

[Samster]

Hi Ram,

Thanks for the reply, and good searching of previous posts.

We have already bought a new house and don't need to sell the flat now for the forseeable future, so we are looking for a good tenant for the next few years to pay the rent.

She already has a kid, and i think the boyfriend may be moving in anyway, so not worried about selling it at the mo

[mind the gap]

£350 per week???? The council will pay that much? How big and luxurious a property is this?

[ram]

Hi Ram,

Thanks for the reply, and good searching of previous posts.

She already has a kid, and i think the boyfriend may be moving in anyway, so not worried about selling it at the mo

I would STILL advise not to rent to Dhss ( what ever it's called now )

If the boyfriend works, ( if not now, in future ) Her housing benefit could be stopped, if someone lives with wher who is working.
So you could get a situation where she can't pay the rent, the Dhss ( what ever it's called now ) won't pay, The boyfriend won't pay or does not earn enough to pay your rent.

Nooooooo still not a good idea.
You are choosing the worst condition ever. So please don't come back here in 3 months time saying have a problem , Hmmmm !

Best of luck

p.s. ( Post below ) I know "It's called Housing Benefit or HB," but replied to the post in the language the originator understands, and others understand too.

We all know Dhss is still used to infer tenant is in receipt of government funding, unemployment benefit / housing benefit / income support etc etc.
For People who have been in full time employment for the last 15 years, they only know the term Dhss as they have not visiited the " job centre" recently.

[Poppy]

It's called Housing Benefit or HB.

Certainly not DSS or DHSS any more.

[Samster]

Well it looks as though its a moot point. She got her postcodes mixed up and we are just outside the area to qualify for the amount of rent we are charging, so she can't afford it.

So no chance of getting her, but its been a good learning experience, and now at least i know its not DSS and is HB!!!!!!

Thanks for your responses

[Mars Mug]

For People who have been in full time employment for the last 15 years, they only know the term Dhss as they have not visiited the " job centre" recently.

I agree, in my case you can probably guess from the other thread we both posted in (water payments) that I have not walked into a job centre for about 25 years. Actually I prefer to use the simple name of Social Security i.e. the SS.

[buffalo747]

When I advertise for a tenant, I sometimes say that "DSS claimants may be considered" but, Housing Benefit as once known is now Local Housing Allowance.

Bill

[PaulF]

When I advertise for a tenant, I sometimes say that "DSS claimants may be considered" but, Housing Benefit as once known is now Local Housing Allowance.

Bill

To advertise as such is in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 as you MUST consider them as your advert prejudices such persons, and is a criminal offence. I won't go into further details as I have done this on numerous occasions.