What safeguards exist for landlords?
The Local Housing Allowance scheme has a range of safeguards to protect the interests of tenants and landlords. Some of these exist now, for example, we can make direct payments to a landlord where the tenant is eight weeks or more in arrears with their rent. In addition, the Local Housing Allowance scheme allows us to make direct payments to the landlord if we consider the tenant is unlikely to pay their rent. The Local Housing Allowance scheme also recognises that some tenants will not be able to successfully manage their own affairs, including paying their rent, because they are vulnerable in some way. In these circumstances, we will have discretion to pay the tenant’s Housing Benefit to the landlord. In order to be considered vulnerable, a tenant must meet certain criteria, for example, learning difficulties, medical conditions, illiteracy, an addiction to drugs, alcohol and gambling. We will be developing a Safeguard Policy setting out all the circumstances when we will apply the
