The Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2010 amend the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 from 1 April 2011. It mostly contains the changes needed for the recent budget changes (capping of rates, 30 percentile of rents etc.) but it also re-introduces direct payments to landlords in certain cases.
Regulation 2 of the amendment regulations amends regulation 96 HB regs 2006 which regulates when a local authority may pay a landlord direct.
The new addition states that a local authority may pay a landlord where:
the relevant authority considers that it will assist the claimant in securing or retaining a tenancy
So, what does a landlord need to do to ensure payment is made under this new power?
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Hi
My ex-tenant moved out last week. He found himself without a job January last year and owes me rent from the January. I pursued this for a while and then received communication that he had been in touch with the local council and that they would be meeting his monthly rental. I contacted the council who confirmed that they had paid him direct in February (incidentally he informed me that he had not received anything from them). I pursued this with the Council and they started paying me direct from the March (4 weeks in arrears) and did not question this. Payments have always been regular.
You local authority has done exactly what the LHA guidance to staff states that they should do which is excellent news. Unfortunately your situation described above does not happen often and most local authorities require the landlord to wait until at least 8 weeks arrears before paying direct.
Adrian, What are your early thoughts re the pending reduction in LHA’s for HB new tenants. Obviously landlords will take as few as possible but is there going to be any other way to beat this government ploy?
regards,
Jim C
Hello
I’ve written an article which should hopefully answer your question (no way of avoiding though!)
http://www.all4landlords.com/archives/4049