Paul hopes to educate them on how the system works and how to make the system work for them.
Paul explains:
“Since the Labour government made changes to the Local Housing Allowance system in April 2008, we have been inundated with calls from landlords who have suffered at the hands of a tenant who has withheld the rent. On average we deal with 300 tenant eviction cases per month and around 15% of these are directly linked to Local Housing Allowance.
"The changes were brought in to empower tenants, however, it seems that it has only succeeded in frustrating and alienating landlords who let to tenants in receipt of Local Housing Allowance.”
Paul is so alarmed at the way the current system works that, at the end of 2008 he wrote to Tony McNulty who was Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for Work and Pensions. It took nearly three months for a simple acknowledgement of the letter and then Mr McNulty’s response was to insist that safeguards were in place to ensure the system worked properly.
Paul begs to differ:
“The situation is becoming so dire that many landlords are refusing to let to Local Housing Allowance tenants, regardless of the incentives that are being offered to take them on. There are many good tenants that are honest and pay their allowance to the landlords.
"Unfortunately, there are still a large number who are not so conscientious and it’s the increase in these cases that is putting landlords off letting to this sector of the rental market.”
Paul welcomes the news that the Conservatives have pledged that, should they be elected to government this year, they will reinstate the tenant’s choice and has invited Grant Shapps MP, Shadow Minister (Housing), to attend any one of his seminars to give his views.
Subjects covered at the seminars will include the latest government guidelines on direct payments to landlords; cash incentives for Local Housing Allowance landlords; advice on how to get housing benefit rent paid quicker; protocol for managing claims; the role of the letting agent and the latest updates on Local Housing Allowance.
Experts on hand to answer questions include Alan Elborough and Jim McLaughlin from Settled Housing Solutions. Alan has previously held a senior and high profile position in a London local housing authority and Jim has held a senior position within the housing sector. Delegates will receive a full education pack, speaker’s notes, three course lunch and all day refreshments.
Paul’s first seminar is being held in London on 26th February 2010 and will be followed with venues in Manchester and Birmingham with additional locations being added later in the year. Further information can be found here or by calling Landlord Action on 020 8906 3838.
