Can someone explain how me and my partner dont meet the financial criteria for a DSS property.
We are in serious desperate need of moving into a 3 bedroom and every landlord that accepts DSS have replied that we dont meet the financial criteria.
We dont apply for something we cant afford. We only apply for DSS as thats what we get.
Is it just us thats having this problem.
We need a house and this is straight discrimination, but I bet if we came in from another country and couldnt speak a word of English, we’d get offered one straight away
Massive shortage or social property. Can’t openly discriminate against DSS. Landlords will take lower risk option, as you would. Anti discrimination rules just waste everyones time. Most private landlords don’t want DSS and will never be forced to take on, and why should they, their property, their responsibility, their choice.
DSS accepted is a bit of a misleading term. It should say DSS considered. I have 2 tenants on benefits, however a lot of DSS applicants i get i wouldn’t let to on affordability or other grounds.
Landlords will go with the best applicant for them, this may or may not be a benefit claimant but as most properties get dozens of enquiries most people get rejected.
I think you will find the problem emanates originally from letting agents. When they do their number crunching they often leave out the anticipated UC annual rent payment in the maths…OR…between letting agents they have a set income which qualifies for a particular annual rent, the figure is actually totally unrealistic, far to high and ignores the fact that you might be able to comfortably manage a tight budget. when you see a property, check the rent price, give universal Credit a call (or email) and ask them can they cover it or how much are they likely to cover? Insist to the letting agent to factor that amount into your annual income-don’t take no for an answer. If they refuse with that ohh so polite fake smile, get the refusal from them in writing and get the Ombudsman to investigate and continue your search. There are seriously good landlords out there but letting agents advise what to charge while pushing up the rent level for their bigger cut of the money. My opinion is that letting agents are a huge problem and what they do sets the path for landlord tenant conflicts down the line. Letting agents and fair rent level setting are simply not compatible. they smile a lot, talk nicely while giving a huge contribution towards making families homeless. Another rental deal to avoid is Buy to rent landlords, they are not all bad of course but most of them have a monthly fee to pay to the bankers, a payment to those letting agents, often even a tenancy management fee to the very letting agent that steered them to go for the highest rent possible and of course they want a profit in their own pockets, it is a recipe for constantly pushing up rental charges and I think Buy to Rent should be stopped ASAP. Buy to rent landlords gave bankers a pathway into the private rented sector, can you think of anything worse than empowering bankers to get into the private renting market? They have destroyed the PRS while feeding out fake bullshit that they have increased the number of rental properties-they ignore that there contribution is generally properties with over the top rent prices…I recall the 80s and 90, property to rent in abundance, to let signs everywhere, rent prices were really normal and fair. Landlords and tenants mostly got along because there was not much to fight about and none payers could be hit with fast track evictions…The UK rental market will never recover from allowing bankers into it via Buy to Rent Landlords and those countless letting agencies in league with the banks who use application procedures to dehumanize any prospective tenant who looks for housing via them, ripping away the dignity and privacy of a person who simply wants to rent a home… Landlords mostly are great, their intentions are generally positive but its the abuse on rent level setting which sadly sets tenants and landlords onto a path of eventual confrontation. Take out the bankers and their buy to let, enforce fair rent level settings, remove the bizarre over the top oppressive legislation targeted at landlords would solve a lot of problems.
@Richard47 Why should a private landlord set his rent in accordance with what UC will pay for it, or what someone on UC can afford? Private landlords are not obliged to provide housing for them. Who determines what a “fair price” truly is? Government needs to solve the social housing issue, not the PRS.
There are alot of threads you have commented on which people have responded to on but you have not replied to.
Hi Mark, yes I have commented often. I need to explain to you why I ignore some comments? Where did I say private landlords must set their rent to the level UC will pay? it would be nice but they wont do it, even though in the long term they would have a problem free renting experience. I talk about fair rent levels as a benchmark for PRS landlords. In the PRS there are two types of landlords, those who own a property and simply like to rent it out. generally they charge close as can be to a fair rent, not all but a decent number. Then, there are the Buy to Rent Landlords, who are in hock to the bankers while at the same time looking for a monthly profit, it is a recipe for excessively high rent charges. Sling in the over the top regulation imposed on landlords and the market is a mess. When I comment it is to try and encourage landlords and tenants to work together and cut out those letting agents who are absolutely responsible for also pushing up rent levels. Give a struggling family on UC a chance, it can work out if the rent is set as affordable, the experience can be positive. If my comments bring together even one landlord and tenant to have a good rental experience, if my comments stop even one family from being made homeless because they can’t even get through the dehumanizing experience they meet when going via a letting agent, I’m fine with that.
Clearly not but some replies to your comments illustrate inaccuracies in some of your statements, so an informed debate can be far more productive.
I understand your agenda, its clearly to be helpful towards a certain group, not a problem. I dont use letting agents but they clearly have a place for those landlords who cant or dont want to manage the property themselves. Not every landlord is comfortable in dealing with 50 plus applications that is typical on each property, never mind staying on top of legislation, repairs etc.
There are so many compounding reasons for increased rent over the last 5 years, estate agents play a small part in this. In its simplest form its a case of government meddling and supply and demand which truly sets the price, as with everything else.
I want to borrow more money but my lender says i cant afford it, but i think i can. They are discriminating against me as they deem me as a high risk against that amount of repayment.
i understand where you are coming from with buy to let and agents. I save up and buy, but have switched to commercial properties tho not in a huge way, Buy to let cannot be funded 100% the landlord has to chip in a decent amount. The problem of non payers would be lessened if landlords were paid direct to the landlord ,with the u c tenant not able to veto it. Even housing associations are owed millions
As long as it remains difficult to remove problem tenants and UC is paid direct to tenant, UC tenants will be way down my list. (I do rent to someone on UC).
Those that work and in stable jobs and savings and clear credit will always come first. I will protect my investment and take the low risk route, theres simply too much choice.
I do not feel a need to house those who have made poor life choices.
You guys are probably wondering why I’m commenting a lot right? Don’t assume I’m anti landlord, that’s simply not true. Am I anti bankers using Buy to rent landlords to get control of the PRS, yes I am. Look at the following formula and lets assume UC only give me 800 pounds towards monthly rent, now lets assume I top up monthly with 300 pounds. I’m on over 29,000 pounds a year disposable income, even some landlords don’t have that right? My daughter was registered as disabled 9 months ago, I’m trapped on UC as her primary carer but I find myself with more money then when I was allowed to work. It is insane right? I’m certainly very much against the behaviour of most but not all letting agents, I’m on the receiving end of subtle clever discrimination. I’m a professional person, you me, we have paid a fortune into the tax system to finance the UC system and when I look at the UC system I get frustrated. Why? Because an intelligent renter and landlord can sit down together, make an agreed plan and both have a problem free experience. But sitting between me and landlords sits those letting agents? Because i took working contracts abroad (is that a crime?) I’m encountering letting agents who use criteria that simply blocks me. It is frustrating and insane. Its ironic but my daughters disability outcome has put me on a higher disposable income than the letting agent sat behind the desk in front of me…I’m not here to insult, be rude, I’m looking for realistic approaches but everywhere I look I see nothing of the sort? Am I looking in the wrong places? So, yes, here I am arguing that landlords can find tenants on UC/DLA that will be fine, it just requires working together to create a problem free experience. I will keep talking, debating, trying to persuade landlords to look closer, not everyone on UC wants to be on it, not everyone on UC is a rogue tenant…I’m intelligent, honest and with a B.A Hons but I’m forced onto UC. I sat down, I studied the UC system and found myself asking why do so many also ask for housing benefit? Rent levels in many cases are to high? it does seem so. I have seen landlords here comment that UC pays to the tenant first, yes, I agree that is very bad gov administration. With the right landlord and UC tenant, it can be a long trouble free experience. But, I see landlords getting ripped off, and I sense they lose trust in tenants…I will keep debating here, I will push for landlords and tenants to communicate, put in place a plan together that works, it can be done.
Stereotyping is ultimately a huge cause. There are certain groups I will not touch because by far the overwhelming majority of encounters I have had has been negative. IE under 25 males. My opinion will not change on this.
I have a tenant on UC who is registered disabled. I weighed it up on balance given the fact he was previously in full time work and credit worthy. I take a completely different approach to disabled to those that just don’t work.
There should be a different category for disabled almost on application. I feel as though many landlords wouldn’t see this as an issue, but they need to be aware of in advance. Falling within the UC bracket could unnecessarily exclude them.
Being a landlord is about risk and a judgement .That’s why I say to tenants bring a folder of information and it can help a landlord in his judgement ,I’ve seen many tenants turn up with nothing no payslips , references etc .Well it doesn’t end well.