Jump to content


Please help with housing or advice


style="text-align: center;">  

Thread Locked

because no one has posted on it for the last 4028 days.

If you need to add something to this thread then

 

Please click the "Report " link

 

at the bottom of one of the posts.

 

If you want to post a new story then

Please

Start your own new thread

That way you will attract more attention to your story and get more visitors and more help 

 

Thanks

Recommended Posts

Hi all I'm new here so be patience with me,

 

I'm having huge problems with my housing benefit claim, it's been almost eight months and I've had no answer from the appeal department, I call them everyday and keep being told it will be dealt with soon. Is there any way of them speeding things up? As my landlord is on my case 24/7 for outstanding rent

 

I will try and fill you guys in as much as possible; after losing my job and house I got a place on rent with my family, I was given housing and the landlord was paid monthly ect.. On a review from the council they stopped my housing fully and I had to appeal. Once the FIRST appeal was sent they declined it and informed I could appeal again which is did.

On the SECOND appeal they took ages but agreed to start my housing again, and was told to provide landlord payment information so a pay,net could be issued, for me to do this I had to go into the council when I showed up to provide the information I was told "your claim is being reviewed and no payment will be issued" this was back in June, since then I have been asked to provide more information which I have done so on time. After a very long wait and no answer I made a complaint to the council in December in regards to the length of time it is taking to process my claim only to be asked for more information about myself and family, again this was provided on time and I was informed that a answer will be provided within 10working days, which did not happen.

 

What can I do to make the council speed things up?

I am on my knees begging the Landlord to wait,

I feel like I should make another complaint but this time to the local ombudsman,

Will that help?

I just don't know what to do, I am stressed out unable to sleep because of the council not helping me with the rent

I'm worried the landlord will kick us out

 

Ps there is a lot more but I think I've forgotten to add, going nearly 3am

Please feel free to ask anymore questions as I may have missed things out

Link to post
Share on other sites

From the ionformation you have provided, it is difficult to understand what the issue is in relation to your Housing Benefit.

 

Normally Housing Benefit issues relate to one or more of the following: -

 

  1. your household income
  2. your household capital
  3. your rent/tenancy agreement
  4. other members of your household

To allow people to advise you better, it would really help if you could clearly explain what the issues are.

 

Did you get any response to your complaint?

If you have found my post useful, please click on the star at the bottom of my post and add some reputation points.

Link to post
Share on other sites

the main issue with the housing is the tenancy agreement, i was denied housing due to the council thinking that the tenancy agreement is not commercial, as the house i rent is from my step brother, who is a property developer. i have provided the council with all rent invoice to date, which have been paid to the landlord via bank transfer

the response i got from the complaint is that "they will review my appeal within 10 working days and will get back to me" this was back in dec2012/jan2013

i just want to know what i can do to make them speed the decision up, as the landlord is not willing to wait any longer and has issued a "section 21" eviction notice, i have informed the council about this and the answer i got was "we are trying to deal with your appeal please wait"

Link to post
Share on other sites

the main issue with the housing is the tenancy agreement, i was denied housing due to the council thinking that the tenancy agreement is not commercial, as the house i rent is from my step brother, who is a property developer. i have provided the council with all rent invoice to date, which have been paid to the landlord via bank transfer

the response i got from the complaint is that "they will review my appeal within 10 working days and will get back to me" this was back in dec2012/jan2013

i just want to know what i can do to make them speed the decision up, as the landlord is not willing to wait any longer and has issued a "section 21" eviction notice, i have informed the council about this and the answer i got was "we are trying to deal with your appeal please wait"

 

My situation is similar to yours and I've just finally been awarded HB.

 

I drafted a statement, signed by myself and my landlord (my son-in-law) retrospectively confirming all the details of our verbal tenancy agreement. The problem seems to be that the council only view those tenancies having a formal tenancy agreement to be on a "commercial basis". Nonetheless, our arrangement was on a purely commercial basis: rent was paid on a monthly basis, at the going rate - with rent reviews and increases over the years - and I was totally aware that if I didn't pay the rent when due, that I would have to look for alternative accommodation. He would seek legal advice etc,. etc.

 

Confirm that you had looked for other rental accommodation in the area, the rent he was charging was the same/or similar to those you had looked at, but that this property offered you safe and secure accommodation. You didn't use a rental agency as you could not afford their very signficant fees at the time. Your step-brother knew that you and your family would respect and look after the property and be reliable tenants.

 

I confirmed that if my rent was late or in arrears that my landlord could and would take whatever legal steps were necessary to evict me. (Your step-brother has already started to take this action - so, in my opinion, that confirms that the tenancy is on a commercial basis, otherwise he wouldn't have taken this action.)

 

If you're still able to talk with your step-brother, ask him to provide you with a formal, signed tenancy agreement - available from Smiths for about £12.99. Both sign it and take it to the council offices asap --- this is like crossing the t's and dotting the i's.

 

I hope this of help. Additional information/support can be sought from Shelter.

 

 

Good Luck!

 

 

Impecunious! :|

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for your advice

I have been in touch with the council again today and they keep on saying that my case is with the appeal officer and we don't know how long it wil take it get a decision from them,

I have provided agreements, invoices of rent paid and statements, number of times but the appeal office are taking ages and I don't want to be evicted as I cannot afford to look for another place

I just want to know how can I speed the appeal process up and make them see that I am on my knees, I've been waiting for about 5months for a decision

Link to post
Share on other sites

Make a Formal Complaint to the Chief Executives Office of the Local Council involved this way the council have to log the complaint.

How to Upload Documents/Images on CAG - **INSTRUCTIONS CLICK HERE**

FORUM RULES - Please ensure to read these before posting **FORUM RULES CLICK HERE**

I cannot give any advice by PM - If you provide a link to your Thread then I will be happy to offer advice there.

I advise to the best of my ability, but I am not a qualified professional, benefits lawyer nor Welfare Rights Adviser.

Please Donate button to the Consumer Action Group

Link to post
Share on other sites

To be honest I don't feel like making another complaint to the council as when I made the last complaint I was asked to provide further information e.g. Statements, rent paid invoices, bank statements, agreement etc. etc. this same information had be provided before three times. I feel if I make a complaint to the council again they will want more documents which I am willing to supply but it just looks like their doing that to drag the case on further and cause me more problems

Link to post
Share on other sites

To be honest I don't feel like making another complaint to the council as when I made the last complaint I was asked to provide further information e.g. Statements, rent paid invoices, bank statements, agreement etc. etc. this same information had be provided before three times. I feel if I make a complaint to the council again they will want more documents which I am willing to supply but it just looks like their doing that to drag the case on further and cause me more problems

 

You should not be asked to supply documents like bank statements as part of an official complaint to the council - by complaining, you're asking them to look at the handling of your case, not the facts of it.

 

Or to put that another way, there are two issues: 1) Should you be paid HB; and 2) How has the council conducted itself when making a decision about 1). These are separate issues.

PLEASE HELP US TO KEEP THIS SITE RUNNING. EVERY POUND DONATED WILL HELP US TO KEEP HELPING OTHERS

 

 

The idea that all politicians lie is music to the ears of the most egregious liars.

Link to post
Share on other sites

did you complain to the actual department in the council i.e. housing benefit dept, council tax dept etc or

 

did you actually write a 'Formal Complaint' to the Chief Executives Office?

How to Upload Documents/Images on CAG - **INSTRUCTIONS CLICK HERE**

FORUM RULES - Please ensure to read these before posting **FORUM RULES CLICK HERE**

I cannot give any advice by PM - If you provide a link to your Thread then I will be happy to offer advice there.

I advise to the best of my ability, but I am not a qualified professional, benefits lawyer nor Welfare Rights Adviser.

Please Donate button to the Consumer Action Group

Link to post
Share on other sites

... did you actually write a 'Formal Complaint' to the Chief Executives Office?

Indeedy. This is the only type of complaint a council will log for statistical purposes. They don't like to receive them and will try and faff people off within their own complaints procedure. This is why councils seem to have so few complaints. Anything not clearly a Formal Complaint to the CEO isn't logged for statistical purposes.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 Caggers

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Have we helped you ...?


×
×
  • Create New...