I just rented out my flat - Council bribed me
Discussion
There was a documentary a few years back about people in benefits and on low wages and one person’s story really stood out for me.
He was working two hard jobs in order to get by, and ineligible for benefits. Those long hours seemed to leave him no better off than his neighbours who simply didn’t bother to work.
He couldn’t understand how it was right that his children had less than theirs did, despite their parents not working.
He was working two hard jobs in order to get by, and ineligible for benefits. Those long hours seemed to leave him no better off than his neighbours who simply didn’t bother to work.
He couldn’t understand how it was right that his children had less than theirs did, despite their parents not working.
Ken_Code said:
There was a documentary a few years back about people in benefits and on low wages and one person’s story really stood out for me.
He was working two hard jobs in order to get by, and ineligible for benefits. Those long hours seemed to leave him no better off than his neighbours who simply didn’t bother to work.
He couldn’t understand how it was right that his children had less than theirs did, despite their parents not working.
He sounds a bit dim. If he cared about his children he should have got on benefits himself if there was little financial difference. Spend some time with the kids and be active in their upbringing rather than slavishly working away for no reward. He was working two hard jobs in order to get by, and ineligible for benefits. Those long hours seemed to leave him no better off than his neighbours who simply didn’t bother to work.
He couldn’t understand how it was right that his children had less than theirs did, despite their parents not working.
At the same time he could’ve bettered their lot and expanded the family’s opportunities with a view to eventually becoming a contributor to society by starting a small business from home with the new found spare time. These days that would likely be online selling or learning to code.
Which PH'er is this? https://x.com/TheAntikrish/status/1803514742478348...
Acorn1 said:
I have a two bed flat which I have just refurbished.
I put the property on he market and had numerous applicants. Being honest I would have preferred a working couple, however I had a number of HB applicants.
I'm recently back to landlord -again. Quite small flat, you could say central London. Similar experience, first two weeks of advertising, nearly 20 of 30 applicants in total had some sort of benefits. I'm luckily quite ignorant on the social help subject, so asked a friend who is actually an agent in a well known firm in the area. He also confirmed this, most locals would be on some kind of benefits, as many young working couples and etc. would have been buying already or in some sort of agreed corporate living situation. In the end, I agreed with an international student, university guarantor, and etc. all sorted. Similarly also two council officers responded to my ad, and requested for a viewing for tenants they had.I put the property on he market and had numerous applicants. Being honest I would have preferred a working couple, however I had a number of HB applicants.
The reason also I went for international student, they were on time for viewings and provided everything asked, apparently also no showing up and not responding is a common behaviour nowadays.
ooid said:
apparently also no showing up and not responding is a common behaviour nowadays.
It is. We set up a load of viewings at a property for Sunday morning last weekend. Not one prospective tenant turned up. Only one got in touch to say they couldn’t make it - you can probably guess what chance the rest have of viewing this/any other property. I find it most strange in a market where there is a paucity of rental stock and people can wait years to secure a 3+ bed property (almost all LL’s locally focus on 1-2 bed).
LooneyTunes said:
First time we’ve ever had a complete set of no shows, but typically 10-20% don’t bother showing up, in spite of having said how much they want a property. It is irritating but simply increases the chances that someone who does turn up will be successful.
Well, I planned to keep all viewings in one day once (6 arranged). Only one showed up on time (International student), one of them said they are late and the rest did not even respond (all locals).I also had one local lady, who said she is on holiday for two weeks, so requested a video of the place before actually arranging a viewing (also partially supported with benefits).
Those blaming the market seem to think the private rental sector is a market, with all the idiot government meddling I think that is a stretch.
DSS tenants (DSS used for ease not as a pejorative) should be the tenants every landlord wants. They tend to be stable, stay in the property long term and their ability to pay rent is beyond doubt.
I believe brow/ blair meddled first and made landlords liable if tenants lied on the HB application if payed directly to the LL, so all’s stopped accepting direct payments. HB was then paid to tenants to spend as they see fit, so DSS became something to avoid. The torries then compounded this by stopping paying ANY HB payments to any LL until there was arrears etc.
The changes made by the tories under pressure from various groups due to a made up “rental crisis” in 2016 have made the PRE very un attractive hence rents have rocketed. It’s hardly surprising and it was widely predicted by anyone actually involved in letting property.
If they put all the risk on a supplier in any market the price of what they supply will rocket.
There is nowhere else that a customer can steal from a supplier and the pan be supported by the legal system in doing that.
If they did the same to the car lease market prices would rocket.
DSS tenants (DSS used for ease not as a pejorative) should be the tenants every landlord wants. They tend to be stable, stay in the property long term and their ability to pay rent is beyond doubt.
I believe brow/ blair meddled first and made landlords liable if tenants lied on the HB application if payed directly to the LL, so all’s stopped accepting direct payments. HB was then paid to tenants to spend as they see fit, so DSS became something to avoid. The torries then compounded this by stopping paying ANY HB payments to any LL until there was arrears etc.
The changes made by the tories under pressure from various groups due to a made up “rental crisis” in 2016 have made the PRE very un attractive hence rents have rocketed. It’s hardly surprising and it was widely predicted by anyone actually involved in letting property.
If they put all the risk on a supplier in any market the price of what they supply will rocket.
There is nowhere else that a customer can steal from a supplier and the pan be supported by the legal system in doing that.
If they did the same to the car lease market prices would rocket.
I'm a landlord in a small coastal town and one of my flats recently came up for rent - previous tenants had bought their own house (yay!). Anyway. 40 requests to view, agent did a full day of viewings every 20 minutes, so 24 viewings. From that, 9 applications. 5 of them fairly decent. Ended up going to a single Mum of two (ie applied for in her name only). The application needs full credit and income check. She's not working but clearing a little over 2k a month into her account. The youngest is about 6 months old. The father of which, 100% doesn't live with them, but his Mum is the guarantor, he helped her move in, his car is outside the flat in the evenings/first thing in the morning and so on. Also, she was very firm in stating that his name shouldn't be listed on any paperwork, which is fair.
e2a: She'd been looking for somewhere new as, apparently her old landlord had got wind of the new child and the fact she was getting another £65 a week in benefits as a result, and had put her rent up by 200 quid a month. Knowing the guy in question, I can well believe he did that. I questioned the £65 a week as I couldn't square how any sum of child benefit plus... anything, really, could come to that but she was quite sure it was true. I'm not sure how much I believe it though. 65 a month maybe, but, no, she was adamant £65 a week.
e2a: She'd been looking for somewhere new as, apparently her old landlord had got wind of the new child and the fact she was getting another £65 a week in benefits as a result, and had put her rent up by 200 quid a month. Knowing the guy in question, I can well believe he did that. I questioned the £65 a week as I couldn't square how any sum of child benefit plus... anything, really, could come to that but she was quite sure it was true. I'm not sure how much I believe it though. 65 a month maybe, but, no, she was adamant £65 a week.
Edited by mrmistoffelees on Sunday 23 June 23:31
mrmistoffelees said:
I'm a landlord in a small coastal town and one of my flats recently came up for rent - previous tenants had bought their own house (yay!). Anyway. 40 requests to view, agent did a full day of viewings every 20 minutes, so 24 viewings. From that, 9 applications. 5 of them fairly decent. Ended up going to a single Mum of two (ie applied for in her name only). The application needs full credit and income check. She's not working but clearing a little over 2k a month into her account. The youngest is about 6 months old. The father of which, 100% doesn't live with them, but his Mum is the guarantor, he helped her move in, his car is outside the flat in the evenings/first thing in the morning and so on. Also, she was very firm in stating that his name shouldn't be listed on any paperwork, which is fair.
e2a: She'd been looking for somewhere new as, apparently her old landlord had got wind of the new child and the fact she was getting another £65 a week in benefits as a result, and had put her rent up by 200 quid a month. Knowing the guy in question, I can well believe he did that. I questioned the £65 a week as I couldn't square how any sum of child benefit plus... anything, really, could come to that but she was quite sure it was true. I'm not sure how much I believe it though. 65 a month maybe, but, no, she was adamant £65 a week.
If she's netting 2k a month I'd easily believe £65 a week. Bloody joke that we fund thate2a: She'd been looking for somewhere new as, apparently her old landlord had got wind of the new child and the fact she was getting another £65 a week in benefits as a result, and had put her rent up by 200 quid a month. Knowing the guy in question, I can well believe he did that. I questioned the £65 a week as I couldn't square how any sum of child benefit plus... anything, really, could come to that but she was quite sure it was true. I'm not sure how much I believe it though. 65 a month maybe, but, no, she was adamant £65 a week.
Edited by mrmistoffelees on Sunday 23 June 23:31
markiii said:
If she's netting 2k a month I'd easily believe £65 a week. Bloody joke that we fund that
£2K a month is the equivalent of a £29K a year job. Plus on top of that you get your National Insurance contributions paid so she will get a full state pension when she gets to retirement age.Wonder why these people don't bother working?. If she is getting another £65 a week on top, that is the equivalent of a £34K a year job.
Lets assume boyfriend is working as well earning the same, that means they have around £4500 take home a month.
I have English neighbour's, mum 60’s daughter 35 and two kids in a 4 bed £1m house I think the rent is about £3.5k a month.
They returned from Italy after daughter divorced, paid 2 months deposit and rent in advance-then went on HB, never seen anyone work but complaining to other neighbours they want a house with sea views.
Systems broken why work.
They returned from Italy after daughter divorced, paid 2 months deposit and rent in advance-then went on HB, never seen anyone work but complaining to other neighbours they want a house with sea views.
Systems broken why work.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
markiii said:
If she's netting 2k a month I'd easily believe £65 a week. Bloody joke that we fund that
£2K a month is the equivalent of a £29K a year job. Plus on top of that you get your National Insurance contributions paid so she will get a full state pension when she gets to retirement age.Wonder why these people don't bother working?. If she is getting another £65 a week on top, that is the equivalent of a £34K a year job.
Lets assume boyfriend is working as well earning the same, that means they have around £4500 take home a month.
If it wasn't for the ability to take a piss outside easyly i think given the choice next time arround when god asks what gender do you want to be ill pick female... lol
During Covid, one of our tenants stopped paying and then stayed after covid, still not paying.
The local authority in cahoots with Law Centre (a charity that gives free legal advice to low income people) assisted her with not budging. They used stalling tactics and played the legal system to keep her in situ.
She was working, but claimed not to be to get the free legal help.
Eventually, we caught her out lying to the court and essentially blackmailed her. Unless she went, we'd pursue contempt of court, which carries a theoretical custodial sentence She left.
I haven't totted up her total debt but it was around £13k.
To my surprise, she started paying £50 per month which would see her debt paid down in, what, twenty-five years with interest?
Anyway, she stopped paying a couple of months ago, so I chased her up today. "You never told me who my deposit was protected with" came the reply.
The local authority in cahoots with Law Centre (a charity that gives free legal advice to low income people) assisted her with not budging. They used stalling tactics and played the legal system to keep her in situ.
She was working, but claimed not to be to get the free legal help.
Eventually, we caught her out lying to the court and essentially blackmailed her. Unless she went, we'd pursue contempt of court, which carries a theoretical custodial sentence She left.
I haven't totted up her total debt but it was around £13k.
To my surprise, she started paying £50 per month which would see her debt paid down in, what, twenty-five years with interest?
Anyway, she stopped paying a couple of months ago, so I chased her up today. "You never told me who my deposit was protected with" came the reply.
Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff