An expert has warned that a court's decision to allow tenants to challenge landlord-requested rental arrears deductions from their UC payments will see more landlords shun tenants in receipt of benefits.
The High Court has ruled that the Department of Work and Pensions acted unlawfully by making deductions from a tenant’s Universal Credit payments to his landlord without first consulting him – a decision which could impact thousands of other claimants.
Claims by the new Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) minister of state Stephen Timms that the transfer of remaining housing benefit claimants to Universal Credit is being done ‘as smoothly as possible’ have been questioned by a leading expert.
Landlords have been warned that thousands of tenants face losing their housing benefit and may struggle to pay the rent as changes brought in by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) take effect.
