Rent Allowance: Landlord's perspective

Hey, We're renting out an apartment, and have no problem accepting rent allowance, but I am unsure as to how it works out from our perspective.

Any info i can find is all about the tenant's side of things, so was wondering if anyone has a link to some info, or even from their own perspective on how it's paid, difficulties that might arise etc.

We're completely legit and registered with the PTRB.

MysticalSoul

My parents are in this situation, they had to register with the council, but is on condition that is for the current tenants only, and not going onto the social housing list or anything like that. The rent allowance is transferred to an account, and then the tenants have to pay the balance into this account (with the council), and then the balance is transferred to my parents account. I am not sure if it is the same everywhere, or if it varies depending on where in the country you are etc.

evogirl

just to let you know my side of things. i'm receiving rent allowance at the moment. It is paid into my bank a/c weekly and i pay my landlord the full amount then. i was surprised it was done this way, i always thought the allowance was paid directly to the landlord.

irlirishkev

I, as landlord, filled out a few bits of information (rent amount, ppsn etc), and then signed a form which my tenants then had to send off.

They get the rent allowance direct, and they give it to me.

The amount of rental properties that state 'No Rent Allowance' is mind boggling..

Little Miss Cutie

My parents are in this situation also, they receive the amount from the council each month, lodged directly to their account. Their tenant then pays them the balance each.
As the previous poster said I can't imagine why people say no rent allowance. My parents have had the single mother for 5 years and never had a single hassle.

Thanks for the replies everyone, we talked to the tenant and have sorted things out.

On a side note, We have no qualms about r/a as we'd prefer to judge people based on the impression we got from them rather than a social stigma/generalisation. Some of the people we interviewed who were paying full whack themselves were the last people on earth i'd rent to.

shoegirl

Cutie_pc wrote: »

As the previous poster said I can't imagine why people say no rent allowance. My parents have had the single mother for 5 years and never had a single hassle.

I've lived in houses divided up onto flats where I was the only working tenant, and saw a lot of either chronic weirdness or plain antisocialness. There was 5 other flats. 2 were evicted - one smashed up his place - and tried to kick in a door of another flat. Another was evicted for literally stinking the place out - you really had to see the state of the place to believe it. Landlord had to rip out the bathroom, floor, everything.

Last guy wasn't evicted but was kinda sad really. He lived downstairs from me and I used to hear "conversations" after about 6 months I realised that that he was playing out both sides of the conversation! Harmless enough though.

Where I live now my neighbours are Polish or other Eastern Europeans but there are 2 or 3 houses on the street rented to the RA tenants and some are really sound out, but the places are like a Shanty town in Zimbabwe the conditions are so poor. One house there seems to be evictions every few months and windows regularly smashed in, litter everywhere, doors just left open all day, etc. That place is increasingly only housing sub-Saharan Africans who are not working - maybe they can't get anywhere else? Its really really bad conditions these guys are living in.

I think the problem was a few years ago most people on social welfare had really major social problems rather than now where a lot of people are able to but cannot find work at all. Landlords may be less picky when there are fewer working tenants than non-working ones. I read some years ago that 1/3 to 50% of the private tenant population is on welfare so I suspect this may climb considerably.

katieboo

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks for the replies everyone, we talked to the tenant and have sorted things out.

On a side note, We have no qualms about r/a as we'd prefer to judge people based on the impression we got from them rather than a social stigma/generalisation. Some of the people we interviewed who were paying full whack themselves were the last people on earth i'd rent to.

I like your attitude and wish that more landlords felt like that. I'm currently looking for somehwere to live and have been on rent allowance since i lost my job in January. Up to that i was working and paid the rent myself. I am finding it impossible to find anything decent because the minute i mention that i am on rent allowance people just don't want to know. There are plenty of properties in my area that i could afford but because i am on rent allowance. I have been in my current house for 2 years now and can provide a reference. No fair

sudzy25

Hi guys,


I am the co-owner of the apt that $hifty was talking about. We have received a deposit from the tenants and they have moved in. I have signed two yellow forms for each tenant. My worry is that we have yet to recieve any actually rent from the tenant (who is paying a certain amount) and/or from the social welfare. How long does it usually take for RA to come thru? I have texted the tenants but no response as yet. Luckily we have a deposit of a months rent!

irlirishkev

sudzy25 wrote: »

Hi guys,


I am the co-owner of the apt that $hifty was talking about. We have received a deposit from the tenants and they have moved in. I have signed two yellow forms for each tenant. My worry is that we have yet to recieve any actually rent from the tenant (who is paying a certain amount) and/or from the social welfare. How long does it usually take for RA to come thru? I have texted the tenants but no response as yet. Luckily we have a deposit of a months rent!

I assume you mean that the tenant is forking something extra on top of what they're getting in Rent Allowance?
It can take a few weeks alright, it's not the fastest system around. But, it will/should be backdated to the date they moved in to the apartment so neither you or the tenant should be be left short.