Private Landlords Snubbing Tenants on Benefits

More than half of private landlords are refusing to accept tenants on benefits with many claiming people not receiving welfare support were more reliable. Flat and house share website SpareRoom.co.uk said that a survey of more than 1,000 UK landlords showed that 59 per cent were stating ‘no housing benefit tenants’ on their adverts. Landlords were asked why they would not rent out their property to housing benefit tenants and 30 per cent said non-benefit tenants were more reliable, while 47 per cent said they did not want the hassle of dealing with payment problems. SpareRoom.co.uk called for changes to the way Local Housing Allowance was paid, saying that moving back to a system of direct payments to landlords could increase the number of homes being let to tenants on benefits. Read more on Inside Housing.