Im homeless, disabled, I have the deposit money for a flat but the estate agents need a "worker"!?
Hi all
Whats the situation, the estate agents dont seem to even be considering someone on disability and housing benefit, they seem to be looking for professionals infact there's not even an option I can select for housing benefit.
This wasnt the case a few years ago, has renting changed or is it me mind reading, and I should just keep applying often?
Ive applied to about 20 flats, some get back to me ask if I work then dont have anything for me after asking.
So is it next to impossible or am I getting negative too soon?
I cant share it has to be a studio flat.
Do they accept part time workers, im not sure I could manage part time work but maybe if I worked for 1 day a week I could manage it (Im easy to tip over the edge into a very severe depression or a panic attack) I have a host of other problems too.
Comments
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Hi,
Sadly, this is the reality for private rental nowadays.
There are far more people needing to rent affordable homes than there are affordable homes for them to rent. So the landlords can pick and choose who they want. Obviously they will choose the person with the most reliable and highest income, and that is people with a full time job in a safe sector.
Part time work and self employment are often no better than benefits for this. Many even ask to have income of 3 times as much as the yearly rent on the property.
There was a law passed a few years ago, saying that landlords and letting agents cannot legally state 'no housing benefit' on adverts any more. However, all that means is that we don't know which ones will accept it until we ask. Personally, I have been looking for over 5 years, and declined every property I enquired about because of benefits, but they won't specifically say that due to the law. (As usual, a new law completely backfires because it wasn't thought out properly).
The best option for people on benefits, and particularly for homeless people, is to go on the list for council housing or Housing Association, depending on your area. I can't speak for others, but my local Housing Association give priority to homeless people. Although, as a single male, you will still be a long way down the list compared to the people who they deem more vulnerable.
Sorry, I know that's not particularly positive, but that is the reality of rental housing for everyone in the UK at the moment.
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What caused it to be this way? Whats changed over the past 5-20 years? Thanks mate!
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BTL landlords and greed i would say. The system is worse than broken.
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I have to wonder what hasn't changed in 20 years!
Short answer is there are too many people and not enough housing or jobs.
Successive governments have failed to build affordable housing at the rate we need.
Covid, Brexit, wars around the world, have pushed company running costs up so high they've had to get rid of even well trained and educated staff. Mortgage rates are so high that people are having to sell their homes and move into cheaper rented accommodation.
The UK is in a mess, and it'll take years to get out of it. So we just have to try and make the best of a bad situation for now.
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Nothing has changed, mate. It was the same as now even 30 years ago. You simply don't recall it.
Estate agents used to even display "No DSS" signs on some of their properties and their front doors even 30 years ago.
Estate agents don't necessarily dislike or discriminate against people on benefits, but because some landlords refuse to accept tenants receiving housing benefit. And such landlords don't necessarily dislike people on benefits either, but because there's a clause in their mortgage and/or insurance that disallows them to rent out their properties to people on benefits.
"No DSS" adverts have lately been challenged as unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 because they can indirectly discriminate against women and disabled people who are more likely to rely on benefits. However, the practice of refusing benefit claimants still persists.
The only thing that has changed is that the housing crisis has worsened.
Have you tried to approach your council, councillors, and MP for support for a council property?
All the best.
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The whole UK system is broken.
Anyway, I don't know if it'lll be any help but you could also try open rent.
OpenRent deals directly with landlords, it cuts out the estate agent and you communicate directly with landlords on there.
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Try shelter and CAB, I know in my town CAB offer flats for those on benefits , someone I know had one
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I think some or most insurance policies taken out by landlords mention in their terms of agreement that they can’t rent out their property to people on DSS or something on those lines.
Some estate agents mentioned that to me, wether that’s the case, I am not 100% sure as I haven’t read the policy myself.
as mentioned above, housing association or contacting the council is your best bet in afraid.
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From what I've just read, it seems major mortgage and insurance policy providers have lately removed restrictions against renting to benefit recipients.
Nowadays, many estate agents are also asking three months deposit. and that you're earning at least three times of your rent amount.
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My only tip, coming from meeting a few landlords via family/friends, is if you can find a property where your housing benefit covers the rent in full*
In those situations, many of the landlords I've known of prefer a benefits claimant, because they will receive their income every month, directly from the DWP
The issue lies in the fact that the vast majority of properties cost way less than the housing benefit you receive, so the DWP doesn't act as "guarantor" and they're reliant on the tenant paying up each month
*not that there are many, I know down south the cheapest flats are over £1,000 a month meaning most people would have to add at least £400 a month from your own money… which is a commitment that a landlord, understandably, will struggle to trust the tenant to stick to
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That hasn't been my experience in the last few years. I don't even get as far as telling them how much income I have before being refused.
I've never missed a rent payment in 10 years and have more spare income than people with social lives/partners/kids/pets/etc. So they'd struggle to justify a lack of trust in me continuing to pay the rent on their property…
I do agree that Housing Element no longer covers the rent on most places though. Rental prices have shot up this year, £50-£100 more per month than the same properties last year. Part of that is due to lack of rental supply at the lower end. Part of it is due to landlords mortgage costs and maintenance costs costing more. But I also understand the gov't can't just keep increasing the LHA every year as it'd cost them millions to do so. I don't know how we get out of this situation all honesty. I've given up on moving to a more accessible place to allow improvements to my health and quality of life now.
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