Huddersfield landlady hits out at new housing benefit policy

Jun 13 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A LANDLADY who was cheated out of £900 of rent has warned that the new system for tenants on benefits isn’t working.

Following new Government legislation last year, tenants on benefits are now given their rent money.

Previously it was paid directly to landlords.

Now Beaumont Park landlady, Anne Mallinson, has spoken out after she missed out on 10 weeks’ rent at her rental property in Marsh.

She said: “They changed it so it’s paid to the tenants in the hope that they would take responsibility.

“When I didn’t receive the money I complained to the council and they said it would take six to eight weeks to resolve.

“In the meantime I’m getting no rent and the tenant did a moonlight.

“There’s something wrong with the system that the tenant can use and abuse it.

“This is not a one-off, how many other landlords have missed out?”

Ms Mallinson said she would no longer be taking any tenants on benefits and would be speaking to her MP.

A DWP spokesperson said: “The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was introduced in April 2008. It introduced greater transparency, personal responsibility, flexibility and choice when compared with the old Housing Benefit scheme and generally the scheme has been working well, but we are acting to iron out a specific issues of concern.