Government vows to tackle rental discrimination in PRS

I have this covered. I will never let a property to tenants again. I’d sooner allow my family move in and live rent-free in 3 and 4 bed properties even if they have no children.

All my prospective tenants are professionally referenced. I have never had a benefit tenant pass, or get anywhere near a pass.

They are bringing in new data collection for the PRS so they can assess the impact of the RRA. But they haven’t collected the data from prior to the RRA, so how can they assess the impact?

Don’t these ministers love gaslighting tenants. Reality would suggest the biggest obstacle to those on benefits is frozen LHA meaning they can’t compete with workers on above inflation pay rises

I rented to a guy, who had most of his rent paid direct to me (low income support), and he paid me the rest.
Then one day, I got a letter from the DHS saying I owed them £3500
I asked them why, and they said because they had been over paying his rent benefit. He had been working more hours than he told them. So they were changing his benefit, and backdating it.
So I asked the tenant to pay me the shortfall.
But he was already broke (that’s why he was on benefits) and couldn’t pay me.
I had to pay it.
A perfect example of why it sucks to take people on benefits.

I have several tenants who receive UC top ups. As long as they are working and have children their incomes are usually ample.
Single childless claimant’s are incredibly short of money, so can only afford to rent properties that are significantly below market rent. If the property was incredibly cheap to buy and the tenant is hassle free it can work. However, there aren’t many incredibly cheap properties to buy and conveyancing, SDLT, lease extension and refurb costs add significantly to the set up costs. Also we don’t know the hassle factor of someone until after they move in.

Realistically the LHA needs to realign with 30th percentile rents for the system to have a chance of working. Very few landlords understand exactly how UC works, what disregards exist and what extra discounts and freebies go hand in hand with a UC entitlement.
I ran one of my single parent tenants through a benefit calculator a few days ago, just out of curiosity. She receives wages (over £400 per month is completely disregarded), rent from her eldest son (completely ignored), child support (completely ignored), Child Benefit for 2 children, UC top up, small Council tax contribution. In total she has an income of over £4000 per month plus discounts and freebies. Her rent is less than £1300. Even if she was paying market rent of £1600 she would still clear affordability referencing if all income sources were taken into account.

It’ll be the firing squad next and we’ll have to pay for the bullets!

Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 24/06/2026 – 10:32
You just highlighted the problem with the whole benefit system. Your tenant has an income of £4000 a month, and yet she is on benefits!!!!!!
Disgusting.

Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 24/06/2026 – 10:32
I would then check her credit rating. Benefit tenants rarely have a good credit score, in my experience never an even moderate score. Also check CCJs, even a satisfied CCJ will deter me.

Reply to the comment left by The_Maluka at 24/06/2026 – 10:46
Why would I? She’s been a perfectly good tenant since 2009.
Also I would need her consent to perform a credit search.