Social housing rent payments

[wales01man]

Have a question asked to me about Social housing rents .
Neighbour who is on benefits and has housing benefit when she took on the tenancy the Housing association ask for one weeks rent up front despite the fact she was on full benefit the HA insists that this is not returned until the tenant is no longer their tenant despitethe fact that ALL the rent is paid to them direct.

Question does she have the right to the money being returned now or is their any rules or laws that allows them to keep the money

[wales01man]

Re: Social housing rent payments

Anyone any ideas?

[Amethyst]

Re: Social housing rent payments

Morning Wales xx

It sounds as though they are treating it as a deposit that will be returned at the end of the tenancy. Has your neighbour looked in to applying for a discretionary housing payment from the council to help cover the deposit ?

If not a deposit is the tenancy agreement a week in advance or in arrears ?

[wales01man]

Re: Social housing rent payments

Its a week in advance it was never called a deposit

[Kati]

Re: Social housing rent payments

Its a week in advance it was never called a deposit

I've never heard of a housing association doing this (most private landlords do tho')

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_ad...ent_in_advance

[wales01man]

Re: Social housing rent payments

Her last HA returned the payment after they received the payment from the Benefits although this was in arrears