countryman Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 My insurance company will no longer insure a house that i rent out to someone who is on Housing Benefit. The Tenant in question has been no trouble at all and no claims have been made. I think this must be something a lot of insurance company's are now doing as every one i have called have said the same. Do any of you have tenants that are on Housing benefit and have an insurance that is ok with this.If you could give me there details i would much appreciate it. Thanks Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 What are the reasons for not insuring the house? As my insurance have never queried the tenants I have in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Our insurer also states no benefits, this is through an agent, I have no idea why or questioned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Simply go to 'Go compare' or any of the other insurance comparison web sites. You will see at a glance which companies insist on no benefit claimants and those that allow them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryman Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 What are the reasons for not insuring the house? As my insurance have never queried the tenants I have in the house. You may want to check you policy as i have only just found this out to day after running through the renewal with them. I am waiting for a call back from some one higher up to find out more. I think it is going to be down to all the claims made. My Tenant is very good and i have had no problems at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryman Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Simply go to 'Go compare' or any of the other insurance comparison web sites. You will see at a glance which companies insist on no benefit claimants and those that allow them. I will do this but if someone can recommend a company they use it would be help full. It would be nice to find a good insurance company if they exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 (edited) I have always used Towergate Insurance, their premiums are reasonable and always found them helpful, although I have no housing benefit tenants they do offer policies for such tenants....https://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/landlord-insurance Edited December 29, 2016 by old'un Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryman Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 I have always used Towergate Insurance, their premiums are reasonable and always found them helpful, although I have no housing benefit tenants they do offer policies for such tenants....https://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/landlord-insurance Thanks i will try them and see what they have to offer. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 That's ok mate, glad to help, you may find the premiums are higher for housing benefit tenants as they are looked at as higher risk, but give them a call they are really helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 (edited) Try direct line for landlords insurance not sure on the benefits element but price was very good. From DL site. https://www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk/landlord-insurance Important statements about your Property/Properties: Your property/properties: are built solely of bricks, stones or concrete and roofed solely of slates, tiles, asphalts, concrete, metal or other incombustible materials other than flat roofs are maintained in a good state of repair are not Grade 1 Listed in England and Wales, Category A in Scotland, Grade A in Northern Ireland, or the equivalent within the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not used as holiday homes are not sub-let Your property/properties is not occupied/let to: halfway houses bedsits housing associations Local Authorities asylum seekers Important statements about your tenants: only those individuals who have signed the tenancy agreement with you shall permanently reside at the property unless they are: members of the same family the partner of the tenant individuals under the age of 18 for whom the tenant is the legal guardian at least one of the individuals who have signed the tenancy agreement must be either employed, in full time education, retired or in receipt of a disability benefit at the point of signing the tenancy agreement. Edited December 29, 2016 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Direct line here as well, seem reasonable but haven't needed to check for benefits exclusions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickS Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 DL does say that at least one has to be employed but it does not say whether that has to be full-time so they could also be in receipt of benefits, also that those loans bing just on disability benefits are permissible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon69 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Try http://www.flintinsurance.co.uk/ they are brokers and will do all the hard work for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Try http://www.flintinsurance.co.uk/ they are brokers and will do all the hard work for you +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Seems like a little more social cleansing of the great unwashed, I don't believe it's intended that way but with the lack of social.housing and now this where are the less fortunate supposed to live now? Maybe they could find a nice shoebox on the side of the M1? Tent in a field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Seems like a little more social cleansing of the great unwashed, I don't believe it's intended that way but with the lack of social.housing and now this where are the less fortunate supposed to live now? Maybe they could find a nice shoebox on the side of the M1? Tent in a field? There is Stigma of renting to being on benefits. However, if someone with a good job and decent credit rating doesn't pay then you can go to court, have charges etc and they can either pay up or take the mark against their file, affecting their own chances of getting a mortgage car loan etc and so on. If your on benefits, can't get credit or a loan because of no income and you trash a rental when taken to court you can show that you are on benefits and it won't effect you, then just on to do the same to the next rental. Then there are some who have the housing benefit paid into their bank but don't pay the landlord (happened to a friend and my own family). It's a bigger risk with benefit tenants and as always a small bunch of people ruin it for the genuine people who are in an unfortunate situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon69 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 (edited) There is Stigma of renting to being on benefits. However, if someone with a good job and decent credit rating doesn't pay then you can go to court, have charges etc and they can either pay up or take the mark against their file, affecting their own chances of getting a mortgage car loan etc and so on. If your on benefits, can't get credit or a loan because of no income and you trash a rental when taken to court you can show that you are on benefits and it won't effect you, then just on to do the same to the next rental. Then there are some who have the housing benefit paid into their bank but don't pay the landlord (happened to a friend and my own family). It's a bigger risk with benefit tenants and as always a small bunch of people ruin it for the genuine people who are in an unfortunate situation. Spot on. But if a tenant(on benefits)"intentionally makes them self homeless" (doesn't pay rent) the council has NO obligation to re-house them, so they could be on the street! However for this to happen the landlord has to give this as a reason(in court) for eviction. By giving a reason (rather than a section 21 notice to quit for no reason) the landlord is leaving him self open to the tenant contesting the non payment due to certain reasons and the eviction dragging on for many more months! Unfortunately its easier, cheaper and quicker (3-4 months) for the landlord to issue a S21 for no reason and the tenant has to be re-housed, having pocketed 3-4 months rent!!! There is no point trying to claim the owed rent back any way as the court will award the landlord a £1 a week repayment plan (that the tenant will stop paying!) (the council advise the tenant to stay in the property as long as possible and will not re-house them until the court has issued an eviction order and will then move them on the last day of the order! They will also check all the documents issued to the tennant to see if they can catch the landlord out and delay the process.) We had one tenant, who the Police and the Anti-social department in the council said we must evict (even said i should issue an ASBO on her and not them issue it???), they were almost phoning me on a daily basis (they even threatened me with a closure order), yet she was on benefits (council tenant) and that department in the council was telling her to stay as long as possible and wait for an eviction order!! (in the end the Police and Anti-social dept were threatened with legal action for harrassing me, especially after the Police officer stupidly left a threatening voice mail on my phone! I received an apology by telephone from his Inspector!) We issued a S21, a month later the council offered her a "behaviour contract", which she agreed to, but they didn't inform me, luckily i found out from the tenant. It would have been quite difficult in court, when i turned up, with the reson being that the Police and council had basically ordered me to evict her and then given her this contract? The council make it very difficult for landlords and even when they pay directly to you, constantly mess up the payments. They also pay every 4 weeks, not monthly. So you receive 13 payments a year, with all payments on different dates as opposed to 12 payments on say the 1st of every month? Edited December 30, 2016 by silver pigeon69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningB525 Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 (edited) Seems like a little more social cleansing of the great unwashed, I don't believe it's intended that way but with the lack of social.housing and now this where are the less fortunate supposed to live now? Maybe they could find a nice shoebox on the side of the M1? Tent in a field?If some of them looked after properties better. Insurers would be happy to insure the properties. Unfortunately a minority spoil it for the majority. It's hardly a conspiracy. Just business. Edited December 31, 2016 by BrowningB525 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul hart Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 (edited) i have a few propertys that I rent out, ive never had any problems with insuring them I have mine on a block cover and some of them are let to DHHS but not them all, Edited December 31, 2016 by paul hart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 If some of them looked after properties better. Insurers would be happy to insure the properties. Unfortunately a minority spoil it for the majority. It's hardly a conspiracy. Just business. My brother is one of those nasty lazy nightmare benefits tenants who wrecks houses and doesn't payable rent and I'm not in Any way suggesting they should get an easy ride but there are an awful lot of genuine people down on there luck on benefits who will suffer because of things like this, where are they supposed to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Axa for my landlords insurance.. He never even asked about the Tennant just if I'd made a claim or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 My brother is one of those nasty lazy nightmare benefits tenants who wrecks houses and doesn't payable rent and I'm not in Any way suggesting they should get an easy ride but there are an awful lot of genuine people down on there luck on benefits who will suffer because of things like this, where are they supposed to go? In Bristol they have a home choice system, people are rated and can bid on properties. The demand is huge and unless your badly disabled or something people know they aren't going to get anything. Unfortunately people like your brother ruin it for those people, not only is that landlord unlikely to rent to benefit claimants again, but word get round to other landlords or potential landlord who also blacklist them! In Bristol I am renting and we had to jump through hoops with credit checks and employer references etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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