Landlord request for rent increase. Do I need to call housing benefit?

charlie79

Good Evening

I am currently on old legacy benefits ESA SDP and PIP awaiting to be transitioned.

I moved into my flat in 2017 and my rent was in alignment with housing benefit entitlement at the time £204 per week.

I received a letter today from my Landlord advising that in March 2022 my rent will increased to the the current entitlement and to inform benefits of the request.

I am housebound and unsure if I just need to call housing benefit. How do I approach this. I find it difficult to communicate on phone. 

To be fair I am relieved in a way because of covid people financial situation has changed. So asking for increase is fair and at least I know she wont be selling and she is happy to keep renting, which I am lucky.

I would be greatful of any advise on how to proceed

Thankyou

 

poppy123456

I can contact my local Authority through email, have a look on the website for yours to see if you can do this. You will likely be asked to send proof of the rent increase.

charlie79 said:

Good Evening

I am currently on old legacy benefits ESA SDP and PIP awaiting to be transitioned.

If this is in relation to being invited to claim UC then this could be a few years yet, unless a change of circumstances prompts a move in the mean time. PIP is also not part of UC.

charlie79

I am already on housing benefit would they just be able to adjust the amount to the current allowance. As I am with same landlord and isn't a change of circumstance. Or would I have to make a new claim

poppy123456

Yes, I know you’re already claiming housing benefit. You don’t make a new claim. They will adjust the amount they pay you because you’re already claiming it. 

charlie79

Thankyou sorry was a bit confused get mixed up with uc and information. The council moved me here and support services gp sorted all my housing and claims when first moved in, so not really done hands on my self with claims but through support services. Covid kind of limited services.

Thankyou Poppy nice to see your back. 

I panicked and my mind raced so thought may have to make uc claim. My minds at ease now. Have a lovely weekend whats left of it.

woodbine

You will usually be asked to provide a copy of the letter from your landlord outling the increase. They sometimes take time to do this but will always back date it, so if you have the letter I would send them a copy now,

charlie79

Thankyou i have got someone to post a copy for me and send it by recorded delivery for my landlords piece of mind and my info. We are also going to call them. Does anyone know relevent number need to call I cant seem to find benefits number for legacy benefits housing dept. Also she asked if anyone has a email address as to send them as this would be a legal document of evidence sent copy of landlords letter. 

Thankyou for info.

charlie79

They pay my landlord direct

woodbine

You will need to phone your councils benefits dept, number should be on their website

poppy123456

Google your local Authorities name and contact details of the housing benefit department will be on there.

calcotti

The contact number may also be on previous correspondence about your claim (I say ‘may’ because some councils have become remarkably adept at hiding their telephone numbers).

charlie79

Thankyou everyone

Tori_Scope

Have you been able to find the right contact details @charlie79?

kitx

Your local council's housing dept will have a designated email address, that you, or someone working on your behalf can send a copy of your landlord's corrospondence/new lease to- photographs of the docs are acceptable.  The housing dept will then update your details and inform you via letter when it's done. Just keep an eye on it and follow it up via email if you need to, as it can be a slow process depending on how busy they are. Hope that helps - good luck!

apple85

Bumping this thread:

my landlords just told me that all his separate properties will most likely get a rent increase in the autumn (he doesn’t know the exact amount or date but was kind enough to pre warn)

im currently on esa support group, pip and housing benefit via lha 

I’m already on the max amount for my circumstances on LHA so couldn’t get any extra housing benefit anyway (and should be able to find the extra from esa/pip I’m already getting)

I presume I still need to inform the local councils housing benefit increase via writing/email/phone?

do I need to also call and inform the dwp phone lines for esa and pip (even though hb and esa are separate benefits - I know that universal credit includes the housing element but as I’m esa I’d love to skip another stressful dwp phonecall if possible)?

also I know a rent increase is technically a ‘change of circumstances’ but it’s not one of the changes that would trigger off natural migration to universal credit is it?

bg844

apple85 said:

Bumping this thread:

my landlords just told me that all his separate properties will most likely get a rent increase in the autumn (he doesn’t know the exact amount or date but was kind enough to pre warn)

im currently on esa support group, pip and housing benefit via lha 

I’m already on the max amount for my circumstances on LHA so couldn’t get any extra housing benefit anyway (and should be able to find the extra from esa/pip I’m already getting)

I presume I still need to inform the local councils housing benefit increase via writing/email/phone?

do I need to also call and inform the dwp phone lines for esa and pip (even though hb and esa are separate benefits - I know that universal credit includes the housing element but as I’m esa I’d love to skip another stressful dwp phonecall if possible)?

also I know a rent increase is technically a ‘change of circumstances’ but it’s not one of the changes that would trigger off natural migration to universal credit is it?

Yes, you should inform your local council regardless. No, it’s not a change of circumstances that will move you to Universal Credit.

You do not need to notify ESA or PIP either.

apple85

And it won’t lower my housing benefit amount (more a curtesy call then anything else)?

poppy123456

Your housing benefit will not be decreased. In my opinion, you’re already receiving your maximum entitlement so there’s no need to report the changes. 

OverlyAnxious

Your local council may have a website that allows housing benefit changes to be managed easily online.  They'll just need a scan or photo of the rent increase from the landlord as proof.

Personally, I always did inform them of each rent increase, even though I was already getting maximum LHA for my circumstances. 

If the LHA rate ever increases, you would then automatically get more HB.

And in my case, when I was eventually awarded PIP and allowed the one bedroom rate of HB, they already had the current rent payment amount on file so there was no added confusion for that change.