I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but can't think where else to put it...
I have a tenant whos rent is paid by the dss.
They pay the equivelont of 12 months rent divided by 52 paid fortnightly.
Subsequently she is in arrears of about £45 for several months of the year until the dss money catches up.
Can I ask her to pay the shortfall each month or do I have to go short each month?
cassa333 Tue 23/09/08 12:23
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If the dss pays their full rent then it should catch up but everyones case is different.
eg rent is £500 pcm = £6000 per year
dss pay £360 every 4 weeks thats 13 x 4 week periods per year = £4680.
There for a short fall of £1320 per year so the tenant should pay that short fall.
You need to contact your tenant or dss to find out how much of the rent they pay. If it's all of it then it'll catch up. But i'm sure they pay in arrears not in advance.
Hope this helps.
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Yes it is paid in arrears, normally 4 weekly. If they pay the full rent then it should work out the same over a lengthy period as receiving monthly payments in the normal way.
But what is happening is that - if you have a normal tenancy agreement which specifies the rent is due monthly in advance - there are always arrears of rent, when compared with the agreement. When the tenancy ends the position should correct itself.
Theoretically you could demand that the tenant pays money to bring the payments up to date in accordance with the tenancy agreement, but if such payments are not made you would have difficulty doing anything about it. You would have to start a Court action for possession and it is by no means certain it would be granted, particularly as the amount you are talking about is small.
In my view, if you are otherwise satisfied with the tenant it is far better to let the present arrangement continue.
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I don't know the details of your tenants rent benefits,but I get rent benefit so maybe I can add a thought or two.
The DWP(the DSS no longer exists under that name),does NOT pay rent.
The Local Council pays rent in the form of rent benefit.
These are paid every 4 weeks,so I can't really see how she is in arrears,I never am.
If she is,then she is not budgeting for her rent(to you) correctly OR she is trying it on.
It is not up to you to be out of pocket,she is receiving rent benefit and should pay you accordingly.
Yes,she should pay you any shortfall,though how she has one I cannot see.
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PS:~
If the council is not paying her FULL rent,as is possible,that is also not YOUR problem.I do not get full rent benefit,I have to find £12.50 a week from elsewhere(it comes out of my Incapacity Benefit)
If she feels she should be getting more rent benenfit,she can apply for a "hardship payment" which will top up her present benefit.
You should not be out of pocket by this.
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Question Author
The rent is covered in full by benifits. However it is split into 52 weekly payments paid directly to the agent fortnightly in arrears.
Which means that she is up to date with rent on only about 4 months in the year. Yes it will get paid eventualy but in the times inbetween I am out of pocket. After a normal rent (full amount) when the agents fee and morgage is taken out there is only £21.75 buffer for maintenance and gas checks etc and as she is £44 short every month because of the way the benifit is paid it is rather draining.
I am happy with her. Although she has only been with me for a couple of months she has had new flooring put down in the whole of the downstairs. She knew that I wouldn't pay for it as the 'old' carpet was fine she just didn't like it.
So I will probably let it slide. However if things become too difficult I will have to maybe change it.
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