DSS Tenants / we are not all the same

Tenant Discussion Property Search
1

I am feeling very disheartened by the comments im reading in the open rent community regarding renting to people who claim housing benefit as a means to help pay their rent.

I have been privately renting for over 24 years now with housing benefit helping to pay my rent which has always been paid directly to my landlord. I am a working person who just wants to live a quiet life. I have never fallen into rent arrears and have always improved the property which i have lived in. Now i am looking to downsize and i am finding it extremely difficult as there is such a stereotype and stigma attached to us DSS tenants that noone will offer me a viewing or respond to emails.

With this new law coming into play I do hope we see some attitudes change towards those claiming DSS, as i am seriously feeling the struggle myself trying to find a respectable landlord willing to even give me a chance to see the property let alone rent it out to me because of my income.

If there are any landlords out there willing to accept dss in the south west london area i would love to hear from you.

1 Like
2

It has been “unlawful” since the 2010 Equality Act. If you have had issues, you can follow the advice on the Shelter website, who will support you and tell you how to take landlords to court.
This latest change is making it illegal, not unlawful. It’s theater, a move by the government to try and enforce the law that already exists.
(The difference between unlawful and illegal is simply wording. Unlawful means you can’t do it, because it is not on a list of things you can do. Illegal says this is on a list of things you definitely can’t do)

3

there is nothing wrong in claiming help, . I receive a pension. tho have never claimed sickness or HB. Affordability is the key. Many years ago i had DSS rent paid direct to me as was the norm, the tenant said to me “good job you are getting the rent direct or I would spend it on other things” That one statement changed my attitude

1 Like
4

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.