Anne Taylor asked 3 years ago Has anyone had any success with complaining about local council's Universal Credit Departments?
My problem is that my council continued to pay the housing element of my tenants Universal Credit to the tenant even though over a period of 5 months I contacted them numerous times informing them that the rent wasn't being passed on. They told me there was nothing they could do until the tenant presented, in person her tenancy agreement. My argument is that the Government website states that a trigger to setting up a APA or MPTL can be information from the landlord to say the tenant is in arrears. I have complained to DWP complaints team with no success and have now gone to the Independent Case Examiner but am not holding out any hope. I have been informed of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman but was wonderiing if anyone else had any ideas. I am wanting them to pay the £1800 arrears in a lump sum and not ar £40per month that they are doing now. Thanks for any advice.
Marc Attwater Staff answered 3 years ago Complain to your MP
Anne Taylor
replied 3 years agoThank you. That is on my list of options. Has anyone had any success by complaining to their MP? Unfortunately for me I’m an overseas landlord so don’t really have an MP in the UK even though my properties are there. I think the MP for the area will say he can’t help me. It’s all about vote catching when all said and done.
T Els answered 2 years ago I dont know how the universal credit suspend only the tenant housing cost while he have valid tenancy contract and still live in the same place and how the tenant delay in handing in all the documents required by his universal credit to issue his housing costs for long time until he can receive a lot of rent arrears, then he doesnt pay any of this rent arrears to the landlord.
i dont know why they do not stop any of tenant payments and stop only the payments of the housing costs while the reason is that the tenant does not hand in or delays in handing in the documents required to his universal credit on purpose
I do not know why the universal credit carry on paying more than two month rent arrears to the tenant even thought the landlord informing universal credit many times that the tenant does not pay the rent or the rent arears to the landlord. paying to the tenant more than two month rent arrears while he does not pay any to the landlord encourage the tenant to make problems to the landlord and encourage him to spend the rent arrears money on cigarette, drinking, drugs and inviting people for drinking and making a lot of problems to the neighbours and to the landlord
onukauyka73 answered 1 year ago Universal credit will only consider rent arrears or rental payments direct to landlords when possession action is not being taken. As soon as they become aware of the possibility of a possession order, direct rental payments or rental arrears payments will cease. Legislation is designed to exploit the private landlord to provide collateral for DWP tenants so that government & councils do not have to.
It is difficult to take any degree of a humanitarian position with respect to DWP tenants.
Universal credit will only consider rent arrears or rental payments direct to landlords when possession action is not being taken. As soon as they become aware of the possibility of a possession order, direct rental payments or rental arrears payments will cease. Legislation is designed to exploit the private landlord to provide collateral for DWP tenants so that government & councils do not have to.
Rent arrears are paid back to a maximum of 20% of a tribute April universal credit award In practice means payments towards rent arrears are are typically a maximium of £80 per month but usually £40 p.m.
Rental payments have to be at least 2 months in arrears which means a pay back period to the landlord of:
E.g. rent of £500 per month
( 2x £500) / £80 = 12 months to pay back rent arrears
Experienced DWP tenants will easily generate several months if not a year of rent arrears being equivalent to a 10 year pay back period to landlords. Practical to expect to be able to take a deposit to cover the likely rent arrears.
DWP claimants exist for a reason: either mentally challenged or welfare parasites. They won’t have any money they won’t pay rental top ups and they won’t be able to pay back rent arrears.
Taking Court action is detrimental to the landlord who then loses their Direct rent payments generating further rent arrears and even if a court award in their favour but hey that’s great might be £4 a week comma because the tenant has spent their universal credit award on drugs, booze and crime.
Even a slum landlord should not rent to DWP. landlords who accept DWP tenants are simply ill-informed.
If you use lawyers who delay to exaggerate costs, the rent arrears will accumulate further making the situation much worse.