Am I misguided in this assumption about rent allowance tennants?

[murphaph]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

The amounts you've quoted can differ from county to county. The maximum rent limits are included in the following DSFA document. If a person applies for Rent Supplement (which is the proper term for the payment - Rent Allowance is a different scheme altogether), and the rent ceiling for their family size is below what a landlord is charging, then the tenant doesn't qualify (there may be odd exceptions to this - e.g. large family requiring extra bedrooms). Might be of use to landlords and tenants reading the thread.

The Maximum Rent Limits, set by the Dept of Social & Family Affairs are reviewed every 18 months. The next review (and new limits) is due in July 2008.

So (correct me if i'm wrong) I have a 3 bed house I'll soon be letting and having spoken to a landlord with lots of property, she tells me you can have disastrous tenants from any background and sw can be fine-everyone's uniqe so I have nothing against sw in principle but if I set the rent at 1200 I can get a 2 child family in but if I set it at 1201 or more I can't? Is that right?

 

[nimbus]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

hi
I really need your help, it is very difficult to get landlord's who accept rent allowance. I have a good references from 2 landlord's, both have sold up and moved abroad, I llive in cork with my mother and brothers and I have a toddler. Is there anybody out there in douglas, grange, blackrock who would rent me a two bed or three bed house. I am a very careful tenant and would appreciate any replies. thank youvery much.
nimbus

 

[gipimann]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

So (correct me if i'm wrong) I have a 3 bed house I'll soon be letting and having spoken to a landlord with lots of property, she tells me you can have disastrous tenants from any background and sw can be fine-everyone's uniqe so I have nothing against sw in principle but if I set the rent at 1200 I can get a 2 child family in but if I set it at 1201 or more I can't? Is that right?

In a nutshell, yes, you're right. If the rent charged is greater than 1200 per calendar month (assuming you're in the greater Dublin Area), the tenant will not qualify for Rent Supplement. Bear in mind that the tenant may be refused Rent Supplement for reasons other than the amount of rent charged by you (e.g. their income).

The maximum rent limits will be reviewed from July 2008.

 

[murphaph]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

In a nutshell, yes, you're right. If the rent charged is greater than 1200 per calendar month (assuming you're in the greater Dublin Area), the tenant will not qualify for Rent Supplement. Bear in mind that the tenant may be refused Rent Supplement for reasons other than the amount of rent charged by you (e.g. their income).

The maximum rent limits will be reviewed from July 2008.

I presume this is open to abuse and landlords often sign the RS forms to state the rent is (say) 1200 when it's actually (say) 1300?

 

[gipimann]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

Yes, it has been done, although it is an offence to give false or misleading information (stated on the application form for rent supplement).

CWOs will have a good idea of the levels of rent in their area so may well spot an artificially lowered amount fairly quickly.

If a landlord were to reduce the amount on the form (using your figures as an example rent 1300, stated 1200), any rent supplement the tenant receives is based on 1200 and the tenant would have to make up the €100 pcm difference. If the tenant is on Social Welfare, this might be difficult for them to do and lead to rent arrears.

 

[murphaph]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

Yes, it has been done, although it is an offence to give false or misleading information (stated on the application form for rent supplement).

CWOs will have a good idea of the levels of rent in their area so may well spot an artificially lowered amount fairly quickly.

If a landlord were to reduce the amount on the form (using your figures as an example rent 1300, stated 1200), any rent supplement the tenant receives is based on 1200 and the tenant would have to make up the €100 pcm difference. If the tenant is on Social Welfare, this might be difficult for them to do and lead to rent arrears.

Yes, fair points indeed. Unfortunately for RS recipients it appears difficult to find accomodation in many areas that can be covered solely by the RS payment.

I would like to get on the RAS scheme. I know it has its disadvantage but my own circumstances would benefit from the guaranteed 'bankable' income for the term of the contract. I believe the best way onto the scheme is to have a SW tenant in your place already in receipt of RS.

I may just have to let the house for the 1200 which isn't far off the market rate and I suppose with the glut of rentals available in D15 it will rent out that bit faster.

 

[AHEN]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

I have a property up for rent at the moment and about 70% of the calls I'm getting to view it are from people asking do I take rent allowance. I'm not sure what to tell them as I don't fully understand how much these tennants are entitled to from the state and where does the rest of the money come from.

My present point of view is that these tennants would be less desireable due to the fact that -

- If they are on rent allowance, they don't work, and therefore, where do they get the balance of the money, over and above what the state pays them.
- Whilst I'll certainly get the state portion of the rent, I could end up chasing the balance every month from the tennant.

Am I misguided in this assumption about rent allowance tennants?

Any experience/advice greatly appreciated.

 

[S.L.F]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

What are you trying to say?

 

[cleverclogs7]

Re: Rent allowance Tennants

A friend of mine who rents out some property told me that a single mother with 2 kids can get 1187 per month in rent allowance. He charges 1200 so the woman only needs to make up €13 of a shortfall.

Id say a lot of the cases the woman isnt a single mother anyhow so there'll be another income there to help her out.

Im on r.a with 2 kids.you get 1,147 a month from s.w and depending on the area(dublin for example) you are alowed 1,200 so...you put the rest to it. just because a person is on r.a doesnt mean the person isnt working.a loan parent can work but only a certin amount of hours. we...loan parents (most of us anyway) DID NOT CHOOSE TO BE LOAN PARENTS.and i really hate it when perople look down on us as if we are scum.

i have my r.a paid into my landlords account directly.thats optional.

 

[anntionette]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

If it helps I will give you my experience of RA tenants. I have never discriminated and think everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves in their own right, but its a risk you take i guess with any tenant. You have to reduce your risk from the start. I have had 2 single moms with kids on RA 1 was a absolute dream tenant and the other an complete nightmare. Really has made me think twice about letting to another SW recipient. I actually wanted a SW mum after the first girl and I knew this next girl was finding it hard to find someone to take her on with RA I did feel for her and thought she would be a good tenant. I have had to threaten to evict twice in one year for non paymnet of rent and now her renewal is up i have told her I'm not renewing. I made a few calls she owes the ESB 900, the gas (stupidly still in my name, Bord Gais didnt change it as I requested and I never checked up on them , my own fault) nearly a grand she got cut off in aug, moving next month, she owes back rent couple hundred euro, NTL cut her off last month. I will have to pay the gas bill to reconnect for next tenant. and most likely she will not pay next months rent as she will ask the community welfare officer for the payments returned directly to her. I just rang them and they said she can cancel the payments into my account any time she wants and then pay me or not. and although I got a deposit from her you can work out I will be substancially out of pocket. A lesson well learnt and a bad tenant well rid off. I consider myself lucky to be rid of her. She lived with her boyfriend and he was working all year. None of my business but it makes it a little more difficult to be compassionate when your struggling yourself to make mortgage repayments and paying your own bills. In the heal of the hunt I would accept another RA tenant they would have to really impress me tho and I would do a much more detailed back ground check I wouldn't contact their present landlord as they will lie to get rid of them. I would only accept them if they paid 2 months deposit and set up a standing order for their part of the rent. Harsh I know but I am a v fair and good landlord but once bitten twice shy or put another way once bitten twice the deposit please!

 

[Steve D]

Re: Rent allowance Tenants

The most important thing is to ensure that you do not get scumbags who do not pay the rent and mess up your place. You can get these in all walks of life whether they are rent allowance tenants or not!