Universal Credit – First Experiences?

Universal Credit – First Experiences?

15:02 PM, 6th October 2014, About 10 years ago 4

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After being concerned about Universal Credit “UC”, I have just spent nine weeks going back and forth with housing benefit and the UC helpline

What a nightmare! Universal Credit - First Experiences?

When you phone the UC the message at beginning is blunt – “if you are not the tenant or their appointed representative we cannot speak to you.”

Obviously I filled the forms in with tenant and made sure my name was on there so that UC can speak to me about the claim as a result of my tenant having given them the authority to do so.

It took three calls to get someone who would speak to me about claim “because I am the landlord” and the tenant wasn’t with me.

My tenant was very vulnerable so all this was put on the form, however it took nine weeks from going from Housing Benefit office to UC to actually finally get paid. Even after getting through to the right people it took the decision makers two weeks to say they would pay me direct and then, only because in the last week I told them I would evict if they didn’t give me an answer.

I am an experienced landlord with 50+ housing benefit tenants. Most of them are on direct payment and if Universal Credit is so badly run now, god knows what it will be like when it’s fully rolled out?

Landlords will evict UC tenants, most adverts already say no LHA/DSS ……. soon it will be no UC.

Lord Freud need to wake up!

RANT OVER.

Thoughts?

Jason Kinsey


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Comments

Mick Roberts

18:33 PM, 6th October 2014, About 10 years ago

Oh dear, I'll comment to get emails (yes Mark, I know I can fill in box), but to also let other Landlords know, I too am similar position to u, loads of HB tenants, & am not looking forward to it.
I imagine u too, can speak to people at the current HB council, but this was one thing I was fearing, starting fresh with new people at DWP who ain't gonna' listen to us.

Fed Up Landlord

18:51 PM, 6th October 2014, About 10 years ago

I know a lot of landlords do well out of DSS tenants and base their business model on it. The socialist in me (occasionally) feels that I should be diverse in my approach. But if this is the way its going to go then I am afraid that more and more landlords will opt out of the sector. Politicians are so stupid.

Jay James

20:25 PM, 6th October 2014, About 10 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gary Nock" at "06/10/2014 - 18:51":

Love the final sentence!

All BankersAreBarstewards Smith

9:44 AM, 11th October 2014, About 10 years ago

I have housed many benefit tenants in the past and have now started repossession proceedings against my last younger one. I am retaining disabled and pensioners who generally know how to budget. This sounds harsh, but UC will ruin many small landlords and cause massive homelessness and I want no part of it. It is a sad day.

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