Chantel P
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I have 3 tenants who reside in my property and all claim Universal Credit. They are all in arrears. One of the tenants who has a tenancy agreement is actually claiming UC from another address but clearly living in my property. A direct to landlord payment has been approved for the other 2 tenants and for the arrears to be paid directly to me. However, there is a process in the system whereby the tenant is able to reverse this decision on their journal and the Housing Element payment is reverted back to them. These tenants then do not pay their rent and keep the money. This should not be allowed to occur. It is clear that the system is flawed as claimants are knowledgeable in how to reverse the decision to make a payment direct to landlord.
I also was refused direct to landlord payment on 3 occasions for no valid reason.
I have contacted Universal Credit helpline on numerous occasions to explain what the tenants are doing. I constantly am told that a case manager will return my call, however this does not happen, and I have to call again. I have been given conflicting advice a) that should the tenant move out of the property and still owes arrears that this will continue to be paid direct to me b) that if the tenant moves out no arrears can continue to be paid. On 2 occasions when I managed to speak to the Case Manager that one tenant had informed them of a change of address and therefore direct rent payments were stopped despite him continuing to reside at my address. The tenant then sent me a text message stating he had a meeting with DWP and requested that I confirm that he had ended the tenancy when he had not and still owed me arrears.
I will take the legal route to evict them but I would be grateful of any help or campaign against the DWP to stop such tenants making fraudulent claims. I have written to my MP 2 months ago to inform of this scam but have not received a reply.
