Backdated Housing Benefit decision over 4 years ago!

Backdated Housing Benefit decision over 4 years ago!

11:59 AM, 30th November 2018, About 5 years ago 21

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I have just received a letter from the Council dated 21 November 2018, advising me that a tenant’s Housing Benefit claim has been terminated with effect from 25 April 2014 – Yes, that’s right, 4 years 7 months ago!!!!!

How can it possibly take the Council 4 years 7 months to make a decision?

Thankfully I evicted the tenant a long time ago, otherwise I guess the Council would want back 4 years 7 month’s worth of Housing Benefit to be repaid. – With Council actions like this, it is no wonder that very few landlords will even consider letter to tenants on benefits!

Still, looking on the bright side, they have given me the former tenants new address (in breach of GDPR, DPA 1998, confidentiality, and their own policies)!

Have any other landlords had backdated Housing Benefit decisions going back longer than this?

Robert


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Comments

Kate Mellor

14:05 PM, 5th December 2018, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mike at 05/12/2018 - 12:59
My strong suspicion is that the government has no true belief that any of these changes in legislation will have any genuine benefits to society. They are purely a cynical means of sucking extra tax out of a small and unpopular sector; scapegoating us to appease the angry disenfranchised masses; and giving the appearance of taking hardline action on a big & growing problem without spending any real money.

They know as well as we do that there is plenty of existing legislation to tackle rogue landlords, but it would cost a fortune to enforce it. They want to keep the funds in central government coffers. They also know that taxing us to death doesn’t create more homes or available social housing & they know that not everyone can buy so rentals are essential. Like I said cynical & above all dishonest!

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