Hi All, hope you can help.
My DH and twin DDs are looking to move out of our 2 bed private rented house to somewhere with a bit more space! It's been 8 years since we last moved house and the lettings market has changed rather a lot in that time, not least all these costs for credit checks and references when going through an agent!
Our situation is that I work 30hpw whilst DH is fulltime stay at home dad and when the girls were born last year I applied for Housing benefit and we receive £33.61pw. Not a lot but it really does help.
When I contacted an agent they have asked for my annual salary as this had to be 3 times the annual rent. I said that our household income would meet this requirement so she asked how this was made up, so I said my salary, working and child tax credit and housing benefit. The moment I mentioned this she said they didn't accept this and said they couldn't help us. I was so angry I put the phone down, rather than questioning her.
And since we've been looking on Rightmove and Zoopla and seeing houses we like in the areas we like we then get disheartened when we see 'no housing benefit' or 'no DSS' (how old is that phrase?!).
My question is: As the housing benefit money comes straight to us and not to the landlord (our current agents are not aware we claim HB) and as our annual household income meets this 3 times annual rent calculation, without including the HB income, do I have to declare that we are on HB?
I am so worried we will not be able to move because of receiving this small amount of benefit, but it helps us out so much.
We are hopeful that Gumtree will come to our aid and that hopefully going through a good landlord directly will mean it shouldn't matter.
Any advice gratefully received, with thanks!
My DH and twin DDs are looking to move out of our 2 bed private rented house to somewhere with a bit more space! It's been 8 years since we last moved house and the lettings market has changed rather a lot in that time, not least all these costs for credit checks and references when going through an agent!
Our situation is that I work 30hpw whilst DH is fulltime stay at home dad and when the girls were born last year I applied for Housing benefit and we receive £33.61pw. Not a lot but it really does help.
When I contacted an agent they have asked for my annual salary as this had to be 3 times the annual rent. I said that our household income would meet this requirement so she asked how this was made up, so I said my salary, working and child tax credit and housing benefit. The moment I mentioned this she said they didn't accept this and said they couldn't help us. I was so angry I put the phone down, rather than questioning her.
And since we've been looking on Rightmove and Zoopla and seeing houses we like in the areas we like we then get disheartened when we see 'no housing benefit' or 'no DSS' (how old is that phrase?!).
My question is: As the housing benefit money comes straight to us and not to the landlord (our current agents are not aware we claim HB) and as our annual household income meets this 3 times annual rent calculation, without including the HB income, do I have to declare that we are on HB?
I am so worried we will not be able to move because of receiving this small amount of benefit, but it helps us out so much.
We are hopeful that Gumtree will come to our aid and that hopefully going through a good landlord directly will mean it shouldn't matter.
Any advice gratefully received, with thanks!