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    • Thanks for all the suggestions so far I will amend original WS and send again for review.  While looking at my post at very beginning when I submitted photos of signs around the car park I noticed that it says 5 hours maximum stay while the signage sent by solicitor shows 4 hours maximum stay but mine is related to electric bay abuse not sure if this can be of any use in WS.
    • Not sure what to make of that or what it means for me, I was just about to head to my kip and it's a bit too late for legalise. When is the "expenditure occured"?  When they start spending money to write to me?  Or is this a bad thing (as "harsh" would imply)? When all is said and done, I do not have two beans to rub together, we rent our home and EVERYTHING of value has been purchased by and is in my wife's name and we are not financially linked in any way.  So at least if I can't escape my fate I can at least know that they will get sweet FA from me anyway   edit:  ah.. Sophia Harrison: Time bar decision tough on claimants WWW.SCOTTISHLEGAL.COM Time bar is a very complex area of law in Scotland relating to the period in which a claim for breach of duty can be pursued. The Scottish government...   This explains it like I am 5.  So, a good thing then because creditors clearly know they have suffered a loss the minute I stop paying them, this is why it is "harsh" (for them, not me)? Am I understanding this correctly?  
    • urm......exactly what you filed .....read it carefully... it puts them to strict proof to prove the debt is enforceable, so thus 'holds' their claim till they coughup or not and discontinue. you need to get readingthose threads i posted so you understand. then you'll know whats maybe next how to react or not and whats after that. 5-10 threads a day INHO. dont ever do anything without checking here 1st.
    • I've done a new version including LFI's suggestions.  I've also change the order to put your strongest arguments first.  Where possible the changes are in red.  The numbering is obviously knackered.  Methinks stuff about the consideration period could be added but I'm too tired now.  See what you think. Background  1.1  The Defendant received the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) on the 06th of November 2020 following the vehicle being parked at Arla Old Dairy, South Ruislip on the 05th of December 2019.  Unfair PCN  4.1  On XXXXX the Defendant sent the Claimant's solicitors a CPR request.  As shown in Exhibit 1 (pages 7-13) the solicitors helpfully sent photos of 46 signs in their evidence all  clearly showing a £60.00 parking charge notice (which will  be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of issue).  There can be no room for doubt here - there are 46 signs produced in the Claimant's own evidence. 4.2  Yet the PCN affixed to the vehicle was for a £100.00 parking charge notice (reduced to £60 if paid promptly).  The reminder letters from the Claimant again all demanded £100. 4.3        The Claimant relies on signage to create a contract.  It is unlawful for the Claimant to write that the charge is £60 on their signs and then send demands for £100.   4.4        The unlawful £100 charge is also the basis for the Claimant's Particulars of Claim. No Locus Standi 2.1  I do not believe a contract exists with the landowner that gives MET Parking Services a right to bring claims in their own name. Definition of “Relevant contract” from the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4,  2 [1] means a contract Including a contract arising only when the vehicle was parked on the relevant land between the driver and a person who is-  (a) the owner or occupier of the land; or  (b) Authorised, under or by virtue of arrangements made by the owner or occupier of the land, to enter into a contract with the driver requiring the payment of parking charges in respect of the parking of the vehicle on the land. According to https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/44  For a contract to be valid, it requires a director from each company to sign and then two independent witnesses must confirm those signatures.  2.2  The Defendant requested to see such a contract in the CPR request.  The contract produced was largely illegible and heavily redacted, and the fact that it contained no witness signatures present means the contract has not been validly executed. Therefore, there can be no contract established between MET Parking Services and the motorist. Even if “No Parking in Electric Bay” could form a contract (which it cannot), it is immaterial. There is no valid contract. Illegal Conduct – No Contract Formed  3.1 At the time of writing, the Claimant has failed to provide proof of planning permission granted for signage etc under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Lack of planning permission is a criminal offence under this Act and no contract can be formed where criminality is involved.  3.4        I also do not believe the claimant possesses this document.  No Keeper Liability  5.1        The defendant was not the driver at the time and date mentioned in the PCN and the claimant has not established keeper liability under schedule 4 of the PoFA 2012. In this matter, the defendant puts it to the claimant to produce strict proof as to who was driving at the time.  5.2 The claimant in their Notice To Keeper also failed to comply with PoFA 2012 Schedule 4 section 9[2][f] while mentioning “the right to recover from the keeper so much of that parking charge as remains unpaid” where they did not include statement “(if all the applicable conditions under this Schedule are met)”.    5.3        The claimant did not mention the parking period instead only mentioned time 20:25 which is not sufficient to qualify as a parking period.   Protection of Freedoms Act 2012  The notice must -  (a) specify the vehicle, the relevant land on which it was parked and the period of parking to which the notice relates; 22. In the persuasive judgement K4GF167G - Premier Park Ltd v Mr Mathur - Horsham County Court – 5 January 2024 it was on this very point that the judge dismissed this claim. 5.4  A the PCN does not comply with the Act the Defendant as keeper is not liable.   Interest 6.2  It is unreasonable for the Claimant to delay litigation for four years in order to add excessive interest. Double Recovery  7.1  The claim is littered with made-up charges. 7.2  As noted above, the Claimant's signs state a £60 charge yet their PCN is for £100. 7.3  As well as the £100 parking charge, the Claimant seeks recovery of an additional £70.  This is simply a poor attempt to circumvent the legal costs cap at small claims. 29. Since 2019, many County Courts have considered claims in excess of £100 to be an abuse of process leading to them being struck out ab initio. An example, in the Caernarfon Court in VCS v Davies, case No. FTQZ4W28 on 4th September 2019, District Judge Jones-Evans stated “Upon it being recorded that District Judge Jones- Evans has over a very significant period of time warned advocates (...) in many cases of this nature before this court that their claim for £60 is unenforceable in law and is an abuse of process and is nothing more than a poor attempt to go behind the decision of the Supreme Court v Beavis which inter alia decided that a figure of £160 as a global sum claimed in this case would be a penalty and not a genuine pre-estimate of loss and therefore unenforceable in law and if the practise continued, he would treat all cases as a claim for £160 and therefore a penalty and unenforceable in law it is hereby declared (…) the claim is struck out and declared to be wholly without merit and an abuse of process.” 30. In Claim Nos. F0DP806M and F0DP201T, District Judge Taylor echoed earlier General Judgment or Orders of District Judge Grand, stating ''It is ordered that the claim is struck out as an abuse of process. The claim contains a substantial charge additional to the parking charge which it is alleged the Defendant contracted to pay. This additional charge is not recoverable under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 nor with reference to the judgment in Parking Eye v Beavis. It is an abuse of process from the Claimant to issue a knowingly inflated claim for an additional sum which it is not entitled to recover. This order has been made by the court of its own initiative without a hearing pursuant to CPR Rule 3.3(4)) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998...'' 31. In the persuasive case of G4QZ465V - Excel Parking Services Ltd v Wilkinson – Bradford County Court -2 July 2020 (Exhibit 4) the judge had decided that Excel had won. However, due to Excel adding on the £60 the Judge dismissed the case. 7.7        The addition of costs not previously specified on signage are also in breach of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Schedule 2, specifically paras 6, 10 and 14.  7.8        It is the Defendant’s position that the Claimant in this case has knowingly submitted inflated costs and thus the entire claim should be similarly struck out in accordance with Civil Procedure Rule 3.3(4).  In Conclusion  8.1        I invite the court to dismiss the claim. Statement of Truth I believe that the facts stated in this witness statement are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth. 
    • Scottish time bar: Scottish appeal court re-affirms the “harsh” rule (cms-lawnow.com)  
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Housing benefit


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Hi all, its been awhile since I last needed your help but here goes..

 

..I am a private tenant and back in February the boiler in my property became very poorly.

I contacted the landlord to arrange a replacement.

 

We came to an agreement for me to pay for the new boiler and installation and for the rent to be reduced over a two year period for me to recover the cost.

All was going well until recently.

 

We receive Housing Benefit and recently the local council decided to do a financial assessment and needed to know why the rent had been reduced.

I sent them all the paperwork including the agreement with my landlord and explained why the rent was reduced and for how long.

 

The council took this as the rent that I now pay and reduced the housing benefit accordingly.

They also now want me to pay back the overpayment back to February, even if the landlord now puts the rent back to the original payment the council want proof that the boiler has been paid for, this leaves me out of pocket.

 

Has anyone any idea where I go from here.

Trevor

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Why does it leave you out of pocket?

 

 

You have been getting more housing benefit than you were entitled too, were you expecting that housing benefit would replace what you spent on the boiler or for the reduction in rent to cover the cost?

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We were getting housing benefit on the normal rent.

I paid for the boiler and the landlord agreed to reduce the rent so that I could recoup the cost.

In theory I paid the boiler value in rent up front so I don't see why the council think that my rent has been reduced.

Edited by dx100uk
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HB doesn't work like that.

 

You can't expect the LA to continue paying you the same amount of HB when the LL has reduced the rent, it is after all tax payers money.

 

This raises the question as to why the LL doesn't have insurance for this exact event, are they legit LL's?

Who ever heard of someone getting a job at the Jobcentre? The unemployed are sent there as penance for their sins, not to help them find work!

 

 

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So where you paying less to the landlord and keeping the extra housing benefit?

 

I don't get how you could have paid the boiler value in rent up front, as you wouldn't have known about having to replace the boiler.

It is also unclear why the landlord didn't just fund the boiler replacement as they are legally/contractually bound to.

 

What was your initial rent amount,

how much was the boiler replacement,

how much was the rent reduced to as part of the new agreement,

how much housing benefit did you get before the change and

how much do you get now?

 

Was a new tenancy agreement created for this change?

Edited by dx100uk
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What tomtom said.

 

You need to argue that the rental amount has stayed the same but that you have paid x amount of that in advance.

Say you pay 6 months rent up front - although no money changes hands over that 6 month period your still liable for the rent so.... eligible for housing benefit for that period.

 

See here https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forum-archive/index13b3.html

 

I suggest contacting shelter for advice as it's unclear what arrangements you made with your landlord

 

As long as your contract says x amount then that's what should be paid

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Surely a simple way around this would be to keep the rent the same, but get your LL to credit you a set amount each month.

Treat the boiler issue separately..

. maybe if housing benefit wasn't involved it would make sense to do this deal,

but even then I personally wouldn't agree to replace a boiler for my landlord.

 

The amount some of these landlords get away with is crazy.

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What tomtom said.

 

 

You need to argue that the rental amount has stayed the same but that you have paid x amount of that in advance. Say you pay 6 months rent up front - although no money changes hands over that 6 month period your still liable for the rent so.... eligible for housing benefit for that period.

 

See here https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forum-archive/index13b3.html

 

I suggest contacting shelter for advice as it's unclear what arrangements you made with your landlord

 

As long as your contract says x amount then that's what should be paid

 

Thankyou, this is the point that I have tried to get over, in theory I have paid 2 years rent up front even though no money has changed hands.

 

I have already been in touch with shelter but they were unsure as to the best thing to do even after about 50 mins on the phone.

 

The rent agreement states that I should pay £x per month and the reduced rent was only a personal agreement between myself and the LL.

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The rent agreement states that I should pay £x per month and the reduced rent was only a personal agreement between myself and the LL.

 

So how did the LA know about the agreement between you and the LL?

 

Im confused as to how or why anyone pays two years rent in advance?

 

Something isn't right?

Who ever heard of someone getting a job at the Jobcentre? The unemployed are sent there as penance for their sins, not to help them find work!

 

 

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The LA did an assessment which included bank statements and all other income and outgoings.

The bank statement shows the monthly rent payments (at the reduced rate).

The LA wanted to know why the rent was reduced so I provided copies of the agreement with the LL.

 

Not all tenants treat the LL as an enemy, we have been on excellent terms since we started and we agreed that a new boiler was necessary.

We agreed that I would pay for the boiler and he would reduce the rent to pay me back, this suited both of us.

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Potentially, what you have done is akin to benefit fraud, as you are expecting the tax payer to purchase the boiler by keeping the extra housing benefit you would have been receiving whilst paying less rent, unless I am missing something.

 

You should have just gotten the landlord to fulfill his legal obligations and have him pay for it.

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Why do you think I have been paying less rent, the cash plus the monthly portion of the boiler still adds up to the full monthly rent for which I am entitled to HB.

If I had paid cash up front instead of purchasing the boiler would the same argument hold?

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Housing benefit doesn't work like that and I think you have been paying less rent because you said you have, as the landlord agreed to reduce the rent as you were paying for the boiler.

 

Say you pay 6 months in advance on rent of £850, you will still be entitled to whatever HB pays towards that £850, as long as you had a genuine reason for paying 6 months rent in advance.

 

However if you are paying £850 rent and you then enter into a personal arrangement with the landlord to buy a boiler at say £3,000 and he reduces the rent to £700, your eligible rent for benefit purposes becomes whatever you are entitled to of that £700 rent, regardless of what agreement you have with the landlord, as this now becomes your contractual rent agreement, which is what is used to calculate your housing benefit award.

 

Housing benefit cannot be claimed to cover boiler payments if you are paying it monthly, which it sounds like you could be, as it is the landlords legal requirement to have a fully working boiler, it is not down to the tenant to pay for a replacement boiler, no matter what arrangement you have with the landlord or how well you get on. What would you do if he suddenly decided to evict you?

 

You cannot expect benefits to pay you back for the boiler or to pay any monthly contract you have for the boiler replacement as this is not a contractual obligation under your tenancy agreement.

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No, any changes in rent have to be notified to whomever is paying the benefit if it could affect the benefit entitlement.

 

 

If you read your award letter it will say something along the lines of changes include an increase or decrease in rent.

 

 

So if you had paid rent in advance for six months and claimed HB and the rent was subsequently reduced during that six months, you would still have an overpayment, as benefit is awarded on the initial contractual rent agreement and not just on what is declared. That's why they do these checks every now and again to make sure benefit is being paid correctly.

 

You would have also signed a claim form declaring that you would notify them of any changes that could affect your entitlement.

 

 

I am not sure what you aren't getting about how HB works?

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I think what you need to do is go into the LA offices and have a face to face meeting with someone from the HB department and go through all your docs including your i&e, that way then youll get it from the horses mouth.

 

 

Plus they may be able to explain what constitutes benefit fraud.

Who ever heard of someone getting a job at the Jobcentre? The unemployed are sent there as penance for their sins, not to help them find work!

 

 

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Potentially, what you have done is akin to benefit fraud, as you are expecting the tax payer to purchase the boiler by keeping the extra housing benefit you would have been receiving whilst paying less rent, unless I am missing something.

 

You should have just gotten the landlord to fulfill his legal obligations and have him pay for it.

 

I disagree somewhat as they are not expecting the tax payer to buy the boiler but the landlord. The landlord who indirectly is being paid by the Council.

 

Say I have a plumbing emergency or the couch breaks..... if when I phone my landlord and they go pay for the plumber or buy a couch and take it off the next rental payment. I wouldn't bat an eyelid as I've done it before.

 

In your example/view I would be committing fraud if I didn't tell the Council that I was paying less that month and the Council then reduced my LHA payment too me for that month.

 

Which is silly as all I've done imho is pre pay that part of the rent in advance with the balance due as normal.

 

Granted where this gets complicated is the reduced rental payment overtime to recoup that outlay but the principle is exactly the same.

 

I'd be looking to appeal any decision on the rental amount and any overpayment if it was me and I'd also try to find help with that challenge.

 

Not that long ago my Council were offing grants for disabled people who privately rented for a free new boiler amongst other things.

 

As for £3000; a new Vokera Vision 30c Combi Gas Boiler (which my plumber raves about and fitted last year in the flat I rent) is just under £700

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I disagree somewhat as they are not expecting the tax payer to buy the boiler but the landlord. The landlord who indirectly is being paid by the Council.

 

Say I have a plumbing emergency or the couch breaks..... if when I phone my landlord and they go pay for the plumber or buy a couch and take it off the next rental payment. I wouldn't bat an eyelid as I've done it before.

 

In your example/view I would be committing fraud if I didn't tell the Council that I was paying less that month and the Council then reduced my LHA payment too me for that month.

 

Which is silly as all I've done imho is pre pay that part of the rent in advance with the balance due as normal.

 

Granted where this gets complicated is the reduced rental payment overtime to recoup that outlay but the principle is exactly the same.

 

I'd be looking to appeal any decision on the rental amount and any overpayment if it was me and I'd also try to find help with that challenge.

 

Not that long ago my Council were offing grants for disabled people who privately rented for a free new boiler amongst other things.

 

As for £3000; a new Vokera Vision 30c Combi Gas Boiler (which my plumber raves about and fitted last year in the flat I rent) is just under £700

 

Thanks for the argument. I am still trying to find someone to give me exact advice, which is proving difficult.

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I disagree somewhat as they are not expecting the tax payer to buy the boiler but the landlord. The landlord who indirectly is being paid by the Council.

 

Say I have a plumbing emergency or the couch breaks..... if when I phone my landlord and they go pay for the plumber or buy a couch and take it off the next rental payment. I wouldn't bat an eyelid as I've done it before.

 

In your example/view I would be committing fraud if I didn't tell the Council that I was paying less that month and the Council then reduced my LHA payment too me for that month.

 

Which is silly as all I've done imho is pre pay that part of the rent in advance with the balance due as normal.

 

Granted where this gets complicated is the reduced rental payment overtime to recoup that outlay but the principle is exactly the same.

 

I'd be looking to appeal any decision on the rental amount and any overpayment if it was me and I'd also try to find help with that challenge.

 

Not that long ago my Council were offing grants for disabled people who privately rented for a free new boiler amongst other things.

 

As for £3000; a new Vokera Vision 30c Combi Gas Boiler (which my plumber raves about and fitted last year in the flat I rent) is just under £700

 

But that's not what he has done though is it, unless I misunderstand it.

 

Tenant has paid for new boiler and from the sounds of it on credit and is paying for it monthly with the extra HB he gets as landlord has reduced rent, ergo, landlord has not forked out a penny for the boiler and replacement is being covered by benefit payments.

 

I can guarantee thats how the local authority see it.

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Hi

 

The Agreement you arranged between Yourself (Tenant) and the Landlord is exactly that it is between You and the Landlord. (Not Housing Benefit)

 

Housing Benefit takes into account notification from the Landlord of any change in the property.

 

The Landlord correctly notified the Local Authority of a 'Change in Circumstances' i.e. the Rent Reduction.

 

Do you have it in writing your Agreement between Yourself and the Landlord?

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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.

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No I don't misunderstand it then, the situation is still the same, the rent has been reduced and housing benefit can only be claimed on the actual rent charged and not to repay you for the boiler.

 

I now what people say about a reduction in rent etc, but that is not how housing benefit works.

 

What you should have done is left the rent at the normal amount and then gotten the landlord to make the boiler payment as a separate transaction, this would have been fine, as any checks conducting by the LA would show that the full rent was still being paid. Should they then have asked why the landlord was transferring money back to you, you could then have explained the boiler situation and as the full rent was being paid they would/should not have reduced your housing benefit.

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Hi

 

The Agreement you arranged between Yourself (Tenant) and the Landlord is exactly that it is between You and the Landlord. (Not Housing Benefit)

 

Housing Benefit takes into account notification from the Landlord of any change in the property.

 

The Landlord correctly notified the Local Authority of a 'Change in Circumstances' i.e. the Rent Reduction.

 

Do you have it in writing your Agreement between Yourself and the Landlord?

 

Yes, I have all the paperwork.

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No I don't misunderstand it then, the situation is still the same, the rent has been reduced and housing benefit can only be claimed on the actual rent charged and not to repay you for the boiler.

 

I now what people say about a reduction in rent etc, but that is not how housing benefit works.

 

What you should have done is left the rent at the normal amount and then gotten the landlord to make the boiler payment as a separate transaction, this would have been fine, as any checks conducting by the LA would show that the full rent was still being paid. Should they then have asked why the landlord was transferring money back to you, you could then have explained the boiler situation and as the full rent was being paid they would/should not have reduced your housing benefit.

 

Yes, I know how we should have done it, but this leaves us with this situation. (If we had hindsight)

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