Rent Supplement Limits

rawn

My partner and I are both on BTEA. We're finding it extremely difficult to find anywhere (shared accommodation or 1-bed) that is within the rent supplement brackets. We're a couple with no kids looking for somewhere in the Fingal area. Just wondering, are they really rigid when it comes to the rent limits? For instance if I find a place that's over the limit (not by much, obviously) and pay the difference myself, will that be allowed on a discretionary basis? I have less than 1 month to find us somewhere to live and it's really hard, practically nowhere accepts rent allowance and they're all well above the rent limit. I don't care where we live as long as it's reasonably close or convenient for college. I've never gotten rent allowance before. Annoyingly, the place I'm living now is the first place I've lived in that is within the rent supplements limits, but the landlord wouldn't take rent allowance as we just moved in a month ago and she wants to take the house back herself at the end of the month.

Also, does anyone know if landlords are usually rigid on the "no rent allowance" front? Maybe if we spoke to them and they realized we're not scumbags or messers, we have 2 excellent landlord references...

Couple of things,

Do you not have a lease? She can't kick you out after one month.

Secondly, as my mam would say, don't ask don't get.

I've gotten RA in a few places that said in the ad they wouldn't accept it.

I still will never understand why a landlord wouldn't!

rawn

Shared accommodation, we just moved in but the lads are here nearly 2 years. They had a lease for a year then didn't sign a new one and she basically said she was happy for them to stay indefinitely. But unfortunately she's now really sick and this house is right beside the hospital so she needs to move back in. Can't argue with that y'know. Awful timing though, found out just before Christmas, and January is a tough month in college with thesis's/exams etc.

I've been told by a few people that landlords won't accept RS because a certain em type of people usually are the ones on RS. Was also told it works out better for them for tax reasons to accept get RS but I dunno how true that is. That's why I'm wondering if it's worth my while asking both a landlord and SW (or whoever handles RS) for a bit of leniency. We don't need anywhere fancy! But even the dumps that are available are beyond the RS limit, and most state they won't accept RS anyways. I genuinely don't understand how anybody can find a place within the limits that accepts RS.

fussyonion

Deleted User wrote: »

Couple of things,

Do you not have a lease? She can't kick you out after one month.

Secondly, as my mam would say, don't ask don't get.

I've gotten RA in a few places that said in the ad they wouldn't accept it.

I still will never understand why a landlord wouldn't!

It is very hard for people to find properties within the rent allowance limit but I *do* understand why Landlords won't accept Rent Allowance.

Every year the tenant is sent a review form and nine times out of ten, they're being told their allowance is being reduced.
They're then told to go and negotiate the rent with the Landlord, get him to reduce it, and if he won't, find somewhere else.
So the Landlord has to take a hit? Why should he?

He could have a crippling mortgage and needs to make his repayments every month; taking a hit on his rent is going to hurt him, so as unfortunate as it is, it's not the Landlord's fault if the tenant's Rent Allowance is being hit.

There are some exceptions to the rule, though, and Landlords with long-term tenants whom they're happy with might consider taking the financial hit if they don't want to advertise for another tenant.

There are far more cons, than pros, in my opinion, as to why a Landlord wouldn't accept Rent Allowance.