West Berks Council breaks a record Options

[absolutebounder]

Is it not truly amazing the speed at which Gordon lundy and Nick Carter managed to get on their knees to bow scrape and grovel to our hopeless MP? Their reaction time in responding to their **** up must be a record. Its not like West Berks ever get anything right first time is it but when there is MP after your name it will get corrected very fast.

[NWNREADER]

A tenant in receipt of housing benefit is indeed not known (in advance) to the Landlord. First Landlord will know is when the rent comes as a payment direct from the Local Authority. The amount is exactly the same as if the tenant was paying, so the only 'story' is that Mr Benyon is renting out Estate houses.
Should they be demolished? Stand empty? Maybe he should declare they are only available to non-benefit claimants?

Non story...

[Rachel]

A tenant in receipt of housing benefit is indeed not known (in advance) to the Landlord. First Landlord will know is when the rent comes as a payment direct from the Local Authority. The amount is exactly the same as if the tenant was paying, so the only 'story' is that Mr Benyon is renting out Estate houses.
Should they be demolished? Stand empty? Maybe he should declare they are only available to non-benefit claimants?

Non story...

I beg to differ; a landlord would know where a tenant's payments were coming from the initial references & many landlords choose not to accept tenants on housing benefit as there are some differences in deposit, payment terms etc. Other landlords prefer housing benefit tenants as, once set up, it can be more secure than relying on a tenant to pay. Of course, a tenant might start off by paying rent from earnings then, due to circumstance, become in receipt of housing benefit; in this case I guess the landlord might not know.

Back to the story. If a landlord has a housing stock, it makes good sense for him to rent out the houses he doesn't want to live in-he gets an income, people get a home without the need to build, everyone's a winner. Isn't that what housing associations do, & should they be frowned upon for taking tenants on housing benefit? In which case anyone renting a property better look out, because if you loose your income you won:t be able to find a house to rent!
I agree, this is a non story