Overdue Rent in Blackpool

[Snorkerz]

Just a heads-up for any landlords in the Blackpool (Lancashire) area.

The general rule is that LHA can only be paid direct to LL if the rent is 8 weeks behind, but if you contact the 'Landlord Line' at Blackpool Council after just 2 weeks, their policy is to suspend LHA, give T 7 days to respond and then pay to LL.

Obviously, theres a bit more to it than that, but that's the essense.

I'd heard that Blackpool was 'good' to private landlords (lack of council housing stock?) but thought this was an excellent bit of information to stick in the back of the memory should problems occur.

[teeps]

if only all local authorities were like that! when i contacted mine to say tenant was not passing on the benefit to pay rent i was told it was his benefit and he could do what he liked with it!after 10 weeks they started to pay it directly to me then he told them he wasn't living there anymore and they stopped payment

[ryouga]

if only all local authorities were like that! when i contacted mine to say tenant was not passing on the benefit to pay rent i was told it was his benefit and he could do what he liked with it!after 10 weeks they started to pay it directly to me then he told them he wasn't living there anymore and they stopped payment

Well worded bluntly it is his money, just like how wages from a job are a persons money, so its his money that is supposed to become your money.

It is intended to be paid though and ironically I had the reverse of a situation you had, I was getting LHA but it was helf up for a week because a change in circumstances and LL didnt believe me so phoned council and said I moved out and they stopped payment to me then he tried taking me to court saying I made no effort to pay debts! And another LL before LHA came in got paid an extra weeks cash from council as they backdated my claim instead of starting it from the following week and LL refused to give me the cash or credit it to my account saying it was his cash since it was paid to him.

[tom999]

Good to hear that some local authorities (LA) are seeing sense, after 18 months of a system that is clearly not working for LHA LL's.

The majority of LA's still do not seem to be pro-active or willing to work with private LL's. After 8 weeks rent arrears, my LA said they would investigate the LHA claim; 2 weeks later they were still looking into it; finally, after numerous calls and letters, LHA was paid direct (after '12 weeks' arrears).