Housing Association Secures Refunds for 788 Bedroom Tax Tenants

A Kent housing association has used its unique ‘unregistered’ status to secure 788 tenants bedroom tax refunds worth in total more than £500,000. MHS Homes, which owns 8,500 homes, used a loophole to persuade Medway Council to reverse the benefit cut imposed on tenants deemed to have spare rooms. MHS was able to exempt its tenants from the bedroom tax because although it is a large scale voluntary transfer (LSVT) association, it is unusual in not being registered as a provider with the HCA. Because of MHS’s LSVT status, its tenants are also exempt from local housing allowance restrictions (LHA). It is the only landlord in the country whose tenants are exempt from both bedroom tax and LHA limits. Read more on Inside Housing.