Does a landlord have to accept rent allowance.

Barr

Hi All

A lad I know at work is being let go from his job. He is currently renting a room in a house share.

To help pay for his accommodation he is has applied to the Dept of Social Protection for a rent supplement whilst looking for another job.

He took the form to his landlord who was reluctant to sign it.

What is the position in this type of case , is the landlord obliged to sign the form for an existing tenant who is looking to claim rent allowance ?

Thanks
Barr

Cuddlesworth

If it covers the current rent, the landlord cannot refuse it. And its not tenant law that says that, its discrimination law.

Wabbit Ears

This case would generally set precedent that the landlord cant refuse

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2017/0821/898813-housing-assistance-payment-case/

Barr

Thanks the responses , looks like the landlord is stuck with him

Why would a landlord be reluctant to take someone that is receiving rent allowance as a matter of interest?

Bredabe

My last landlord said it was because "they were all s*&mbags and caused more trouble than they were worth" and the extra paperwork was more trouble than they were.

BUT I suspect it's not actually that, other landlords say they want working ppl as they more "respectable".

Barr

There can't be much extra paperwork , all the landlord was asked to sign was one form.

Samuel T. Cogley

It's the possibility of the rent being cut off at anytime also. Along with stuff happening in arears and deposit issues.

Barr

Barr wrote: »

Thanks the responses , looks like the landlord is stuck with him

Why would a landlord be reluctant to take someone that is receiving rent allowance as a matter of interest?

Is he currently paying rent in cash or by bank transfer. If its by cash then its likely the LL doesn't want to accept RA as it will have a paper trail.

Barr

Saoirse Hollow Reactor wrote: »

Is he currently paying rent in cash or by bank transfer. If its by cash then its likely the LL doesn't want to accept RA as it will have a paper trail.

Good point , it is in cash , so maybe he doesn't want the information going back to revenue.

BronsonTB

Is the landlord registered with the PTB?
They may not be, hence the reluctance.

jahalpin

If your friend is only renting a room in somebody's house he is not a tenant but a licensee, the normal rental rules do not apply

The licensor (not landlord) cannot be forced to do anything in this case

Hack12

There is not enough information provided. Is he living with the landlord on the rent a room scheme? If this is the case it is has different rules to a house share in the sense 3/4 friends living in a house together.

Barr

BronsonTB wrote: »

Is the landlord registered with the PTB?
They may not be, hence the reluctance.

The Landlord told him he was registered when he moved in initially.

Would there be a connection between the PRTB and the department that issue the rent allowance ?

Barr

Hack12 wrote: »

There is not enough information provided. Is he living with the landlord on the rent a room scheme? If this is the case it is has different rules to a house share in the sense 3/4 friends living in a house together.

It a 3 bed house and there are 3 separate tenants.

The landlord lets out each room separately and does not live there himself.

ted1

Saoirse Hollow Reactor wrote: »

Barr wrote: »

Thanks the responses , looks like the landlord is stuck with him

Why would a landlord be reluctant to take someone that is receiving rent allowance as a matter of interest?

Is he currently paying rent in cash or by bank transfer. If its by cash then its likely the LL doesn't want to accept RA as it will have a paper trail.

Rubbish.

ted1

It can take time for rent allowance to kick in.
Can your friend afford to pay the rent in the interim?

The_Conductor

ted1 wrote: »

It can take time for rent allowance to kick in.
Can your friend afford to pay the rent in the interim?

+1
Depending on the local authority- 2-3 months- is not unusual.
Also- the local authority can cut it or stop it- with no warning.
Its a bit of a nightmare really.

Barr

ted1 wrote: »

Rubbish.

Could you expand on this a little

He has enough to tie him over for next months rent so he should be ok , surely the whole rent supplement will be sorted by then(provided the landlord plays ball)

mrslancaster

ted1 wrote: »

It can take time for rent allowance to kick in.
Can your friend afford to pay the rent in the interim?

Does the tenant have to continue paying the rent until the HAP application is sorted or is there some temporary payment made by the council?

If it takes 2/3 months to finalise, and the tenant does not pay the rent directly in that time, could that result in a tenant getting a notice to leave? how can the council stand over that?

ted1

mrslancaster wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

It can take time for rent allowance to kick in.
Can your friend afford to pay the rent in the interim?

If it takes 2/3 months to finalise, and the tenant does not pay the rent directly in that time, could that result in a tenant getting a notice to leave? how can the council stand over that?

There in lies the problem.

Graces7

The_Conductor wrote: »

+1
Depending on the local authority- 2-3 months- is not unusual.
Also- the local authority can cut it or stop it- with no warning.
Its a bit of a nightmare really.

In all my years on RA in several counties I never had this happen. The only delay was over an inspection re the housing list when they got it wrong re renting privately for the required time OR being on the list.

Mrs OBumble

Barr wrote: »

Could you expand on this a little

He has enough to tie him over for next months rent so he should be ok , surely the whole rent supplement will be sorted by then(provided the landlord plays ball)

Why doesn't he just go and get a new job?

GGTrek

mrslancaster wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

It can take time for rent allowance to kick in.
Can your friend afford to pay the rent in the interim?

Does the tenant have to continue paying the rent until the HAP application is sorted or is there some temporary payment made by the council?

If it takes 2/3 months to finalise, and the tenant does not pay the rent directly in that time, could that result in a tenant getting a notice to leave? how can the council stand over that?

Of course his/her tenancy can be terminated for non payment of rent regardless of HAP. First a 14 days warning notice is served and then a 28 days termination notice followed by RTB adjudication if tenant overholds. If more landlords did this, the councils and social welfare employees would stop playing the system.

Homer

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Why doesn't he just go and get a new job?

THIS ^^^^^ all the posts about whether or not landlord will accept welfare as the tenant has lost their job and not a mention of finding another one quickly in a country at nearly full employment. The mind boggles!!!

PucaMama

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Barr wrote: »

Could you expand on this a little

He has enough to tie him over for next months rent so he should be ok , surely the whole rent supplement will be sorted by then(provided the landlord plays ball)

Why doesn't he just go and get a new job?

Why are you assuming he wont?

GGTrek

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Barr wrote: »

Could you expand on this a little

He has enough to tie him over for next months rent so he should be ok , surely the whole rent supplement will  be sorted by then(provided the landlord plays ball)

Why doesn't he just go and get a new job?

The OP in his initial post actually said that HAP should just be temporary solution while "looking for another job". Problem is that if the job of this lad is low paid, he might decide to stay on HAP for a while, since in a country like Ireland there is no hard time limit on how long an employable person can receive state benefits. In less generous countries, they give you between 5 to 24 months and then you are on your own, this focuses the mind of the people on finding a job.

syndrome777

GGTrek wrote: »

The OP in his initial post actually said that HAP should just be temporary solution while "looking for another job". Problem is that if the job of this lad is low paid, he might decide to stay on HAP for a while, since in a country like Ireland there is no hard time limit on how long an employable person can receive state benefits. In less generous countries, they give you between 5 to 24 months and then you are on your own, this focuses the mind of the people on finding a job.

don't you have to be on social housing list for cca 6 months or something to be able to get HAP?

Graces7

syndrome777 wrote: »

don't you have to be on social housing list for cca 6 months or something to be able to get HAP?

EITHER get on to housing list OR be renting privately for 6 months

Graces7

GGTrek wrote: »

Of course his/her tenancy can be terminated for non payment of rent regardless of HAP. First a 14 days warning notice is served and then a 28 days termination notice followed by RTB adjudication if tenant overholds. If more landlords did this, the councils and social welfare employees would stop playing the system.

You can apply for an interim./emergency payment to tide you though this

runawaybishop

Homer wrote: »

THIS ^^^^^ all the posts about whether or not landlord will accept welfare as the tenant has lost their job and not a mention of finding another one quickly in a country at nearly full employment. The mind boggles!!!

Because this is the accomodation forum, not the dolebashing forum.

syndrome777

Graces7 wrote: »

EITHER get on to housing list OR be renting privately for 6 months

this is true for rent supplement.

For HAP from their site..

Who is eligible for HAP?
You must be on the local authority’s housing list – which means that you qualify for social housing support.