LOL. 
Twenty charactersssssssssss
I know the feeling. After paying only half of the rent now the tenant decides not to pay at all.
2 Likes
Start eviction proccedings , It can only get worse
4 Likes
The landlord technically does not need to know as long as you have a contract you can supply to your benefit office, they are not at liberty to share the landlords information with any third body (ie mortgage provider or tax man)
Maybe you will need a guarantor for the rent as is often necessary without a financial history.
2 Likes
Landlords do not have any ālegal obligationā to accept an HB tenant applicant over / in priority to any other applicant, that would be discriminatory against the other applicants.
Nonsense!
How you would prove a case for discrimination is beyond me, when the landlord has the right to choose whichever applicant he deems preferable in his business interests, unless he openly admitted he rejected an applicant because he/she was on HB.
I had an applicant via my agent who supplemented his application with 3 pages of the Equality Act, perhaps it was you, alongside another applicant who had no such chip on his shoulder. Which do you think got the property? I for one will not be dictated to in my choice of tenants.
The applicant did sue the agent for discrimination, but they have since retired and sold on their business so Iām not aware of the outcome. Although I told them not to entertain it and simply state that the landlord had the choice of a few applicants and chose someone else from personal preference.
For the record I have HB tenants in my properties, but only with guarantors, which is my right to demand if I feel the applicant is a risk.
If you feel so strongly about the issue, why donāt you campaign for the Local Councils to stand guarantor for the tenants they are so determined to foist upon the PRS. I can assure you they never will, and do you know why? It is because the risk and subsequent drain on their budgets is insupportable.
Therefore, in spite of all your so-called legal precedents and statistics, I would suggest the truth lies closer to home with the councils policies. I suggest you redirect your ire on the councils and see how far it gets you.
8 Likes
This is so heartbreaking and unacceptable. Discrimination is not to be justified for whatever reason.
3 Likes
You sound so rude but anyway itās not my place. However I feel discrimination of oneās physical state is so wrong. The laws were not drafted properly.
1 Like
Have you read the entire thread? This is not a straight forward issue and reasons for rejection are typically down to the massively increased risks with those tenants on benefits.
The so called discrimination is not down to the person being disabled but usually affordability and payment complications from councils.
A landlord will always have the right to choose who lives in their house. Do you think they should choose groups proven to far more likely create problems when there are low risk alternatives?
Believe me it will get even worse for high risk tenants soon when the laws change re section 21. These tenants will not have a chance of getting anywhere as landlords will be even more cautious.
3 Likes
I donāt have time to read all the comments and maybe this has already been said.
JMA seems to have a strong sense of his/her entitlement.
Without ever mentioning the source of income a LL may think that this could be an objectionable T.
Thumbs down.
3 Likes
3 Pages of the equality act will get nowhere with me as a tenant Attitude.
5 Likes
Its a long judgment and I havenāt read all of this, but the sections Iāve noted about insurance seem very vague. Appendix 2 - parts 16 & 17 do not mention the type of insurance.
It says 36% have no insurance. I suspect that this does not refer to Landlords building insurance, as would be surprised if this was the case.
I know from experience that Landlord Buildings Insurance can costs more for some policies for DSS tenants, but Iām not sure these appendices are referring to building insurance.
Iām surprised a legal judgment would be so vague.
2 Likes
Hi Sue, I donāt understand this. Do you mean the LL doesnāt need to know where a tenants income comes from ?
2 Likes
As I understand it Openrent do not allow a āno DHSSā condition. With many landlords in Ipswich where I am wanting Ā£600 pcm inclusive for one person no person on DHSS can afford this
2 Likes
Insurance also has a higher premium for tenants on benefits (true). I was told years ago that this was because being at home during the day there was more opportunities for claims. I do wonder though with so many home workers why the question now isnāt āis the tenant a home workerā.
2 Likes
Before commenting Caleb, read the thread otherwise your comments are unfounded and devoid of substance. Comments like yours carry no value as you do not know what are commenting on.
Next thing you know, you will be accused of being racist.
3 Likes
We let one property. We have our third set of tenants in 7 years, the previous tenants left to buy their own homes. I interview all prospective tenants, since 2020 we have been overwhelmed by applications. The latest time was really hard, we narrowed it down to a young couple on low incomes, a couple with a 5 year old who came to the UK as part of a scheme to employ more care workers and an older couple who are landlords in the north but renting locally because of his job. He was in employment, she had her own business. None of the applicants on benefits could prove that they could afford to pay the rent plus the other bills, never mind put food on the table. The tenancy went to the couple on a low income because I really liked them and his parents came to the viewing and I knew they would help out financially if necessary. They were so pleased to meet the owners rather than agents. The tenants have been brilliant although on paper they were probably the weakest.
I cannot comment on whether Openrent is discriminatory, but as a landlord I want tenants who can pay the rent and look after the property. Itās not just about Ā£Ā£Ā£ for some of us, itās about finding the right āfitā.
15 Likes
great experience . Like that a lot
1 Like
I am sure someone will pop up to say that by favouring someone who could bring their parents along then you were discriminating against those with no parentsā¦
2 Likes
I had a similar experience with a married couple from Hong Kong. When referenced, their income came up slightly short and the referencing agency advised that I should proceed with a guarantor. I went ahead without one anyway. What impressed me about them was the wife was a teacher back in Hong Kong (not sure what the husband did as he had very little English) and she was in the process of setting up a private tutoring business. In the meantime they both worked low paid menial jobs. They were moving from a shared house with other Hong Kong nationals. What impressed me about them was they were obviously not here to mess about, they wanted to make a new life for themselves in the UK and were prepared to work hard for it. 11 months on and no issues.
4 Likes