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Landlord holding up UC

jolito

I received my migration from ESA and HB letter on 11th September and made a UC journal right away.

I had no problems filling in all my details but I didn't have the forms of ID required, which were confirmed via "biographical" appointment over the phone. I was then informed UC had all the details to begin my claim and that I would get the same money as I had been recieving in ESA (support & two disability add ons), and full housing benefit...AS LONG AS MY LANDLORD RESPONDED TO MY HOUSING DETAILS.

That week my landlord did respond but they disagreed with what I'd put, they were claiming my one bedroomed flat was two bedroomed.

I phoned them, left a voicemail message, and emailed my housing officer about their mistake, I got no response but once again my UC journal had another message that stated my landlord disagreed with what I'd put. I put my details in again.

My first UC payment came through on 17th October £214.36. Plus I was still surprised to be receiving £281.10 a fortnight ESA, which UC took off my total. I found out why online - New style ESA because I have enough contributions.

No housing element, no transitional protection.

Then another UC journal message that my landlord had disagreed again.

On 29th October, I contacted my MP who contacted my landlord and almost straightaway I got an apologetic phonecall from my landlord saying there had been a glitch that kept saying my one bedroom flat had two bedrooms.

Once again I filled in my housing details and waited for my November payment. No more messages on my UC journal, I thought all was well...but -

13th November I check my UC "statement", only £214.36 again, still no housing element or transitional guarantee, so I left a message on my journal asking why not...reply was - YOUR LANDLORD STILL HASN'T RESPONDED TO THE HOUSING QUESTIONS.

I emailed my housing officer and MP...not had a reply from either yet.

What can I do to get my landlord to reply?

Will I forfeit my housing element if they don't reply before my 12th December deadline?

I can't keep paying everything with just my new style ESA and low care PIP.

I was recieving £377.64 in ESA & HB a week now I'm only getting £190.02 a week ESA & UC.

I'm beginning to think it's personal, although I have always paid my rent in full and on time, I have often had issues with them such as when my bathroom got flooded with upstairs neighbours excrement and another time when my window had been vandalised and wouldn't shut and they weren't answering my calls & emails and I ended up going to the housing ombudsman who sorted both problems. Plus I refused to sign their version of the tenancy agreement when the original one is still valid.

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Comments

Rosie_Scope

Hi @jolito, welcome to the community. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this, it sounds incredibly frustrating. You've done an awful lot to chase them up already, and it's good that you've included your MP to help fight your corner.

Do you know which part of it UC are still waiting for your landlord to confirm? Have you explained to them that it's difficult to get confirmation from your landlord? Perhaps there's another way they can confirm things if the landlord isn't being helpful.

I'm not sure what else could help, unfortunately. It sounds like you've tried many of the main avenues. Hopefully your housing association or MP will get back to you soon and can try again at getting your landlord to comply.

You could try speaking to your council about whether there are any grants they could offer to help you financially while this gets sorted out. And it may be worth having a look at the grants search in case there's something there you could be eligible for:

https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/

Sorry that I can't be of more help. Our members may have some ideas too, so I hope they'll share their thoughts. Fingers crossed it all gets sorted for you soon.

jolito

Thanks for your reply!

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1084638#Comment_1084638

UC won't give me Housing Element or Transitional guarantee until ARHAG housing association return and agree with the three housing questions. I've answered those questions on my Journal four times now.

ARHAG replied to the MP with acknowledgment of their mistake but they still haven't sent it back to UC.

I'm now waiting for UC to send me a link so I can give them a copy of ARHAGs letter to the MP. which acknowledges their mistake over the number of bedrooms; the amount of rent and people on the tenancy agreement aren't being disputed, just the number of bedrooms.

I still get a bit of UC, they take the new style ESA off the total which I understand, so I have enough to keep paying my rent but not sure for how long. I don't really want to have a loan as my financial brain is already in turmoil about what I'm getting when!

jolito

Also, I was told by Citizens Advice today that UC can bypass the HE and just give TG up to the amount I was getting on ESA&HB but it may cause problems if/when ARHAG do respond.

Rosie_Scope

@jolito What a huge pain! I can totally understand not wanting to get a loan while all this is going on.

Some councils run household support funds that are separate from housing benefit and most you won't need to pay back. If you have a look at your local council's website they usually have a page for it. The support can vary depending on where you live, so it may not cover everything but it might help with some essentials if you're struggling.

OverlyAnxious

Is it possible for you or a family member or friend to physically visit the housing office in person? Then just stay there until they sort the problem.

I absolutely hate having to resort to this kind of thing, but it does seem to get things done when we get repeatedly ignored and fobbed off through distance communications.

jolito

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1084805#Comment_1084805

Thanks for the suggestion...unfortunately, I'm on my own and I don't drive; no family or friends to lend a hand plus the Housing Association office is in Stratford, east London and I'm in Hertfordshire and I don't travel well! Plus, it seems that most of the people who I've spoken to ARHAG work from home ("work remotely"), so the chances are there'd be no one in the office who had a clue what do!

Any way, I've been down to my local Jobcentre this morning where they've taken a copy of my tenancy agreement which shows how many people on the tenancy (2, although I've lived here on my own since 2008) and how many bedrooms (1), also a copy of my housing associations response to the MP confirming they made a mistake, and my rent amount letter from this year. This has been sent directly to the housing people at UC which will hopefully bypass the need for then to wait for ARHAG to reply.

If this doesn't work, it's back to CAB and MP, possibly the papers or a solicitor. sigh