Businesswoman signing the contract.

Why let to tenants on benefits?

When Upad's CEO James Davis started renting to social tenants, it began as a purely financial decision – but he soon found that there are more advantages to this sector than simply higher rents. James admits that originally it was simply the higher rental rates offered by housing benefit that attracted him. “I knew that HB has a bad reputation with some landlords,” he says, “but the... Read more

Posted by Sue @ Upad on June 9th, 2010 in Property Market, Property Rental, Tips for New Landlords

LHA and landlords – benefit or curse?

One of the questions we hear from tenants most often is where can I find a landlord who'll let to tenants on housing benefit? As many as one in ten renters may be receiving benefit, so when these tenants represent such a huge proportion of the market, why do so many landlords state "no DSS" in their adverts – and are they right to do so? For some, it's because they have no choice. Some... Read more

Posted by Sue @ Upad on March 5th, 2010 in Landlord Legislation, Legal, Property Rental, Tips for New Landlords

Government to impose new maximum for Housing Benefit

The Times reports that the government plans to “crack down on excessive Housing Benefit payments”, in an effort to cut the annual £17 billion rental bill. The newspaper states that the action is intended to “stop families on benefit living in palatial homes at the taxpayers’ expense”: they cite the case of Essma Marjam and her six children who have claimed £1,600 per week for a... Read more

Posted by Sue @ Upad on February 23rd, 2010 in Property Rental

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LHA decision “good news for landlords”

A Housing Benefit Tribunal has ruled that a tenant's rental arrears begin as soon as their due date to pay rent has passed, not eight weeks later as some local authorities have argued. Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is paid directly from the local authority to the tenant - but unlike most rent, it's paid in arrears. If a tenant is eight weeks or more in arrears with their payments, their... Read more

Posted by James @ Upad on October 27th, 2009 in Legal

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