Information for landlords
As a landlord, you are an important stakeholder in the service that we provide. We aim to work with you to ensure that you receive payment promptly and also to ensure that any overpayment of benefit is minimised. In return we would ask you to respect our obligations towards claimant confidentiality and the Data Protection Act when you make enquiries about your tenants.
We can pay your tenants' Housing Benefit entitlement directly to yourself provided your tenant agrees or if they are more than eight weeks in arrears with their rent payments. Where a claimant is receiving Local Housing Allowance, this will normally be paid directly to the tenant (unless they are in arrears or 'vulnerable' under the Safeguards Policy).
Further information about Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance can be found on the Benefits Advice page of our website.
Please note that if you accept direct payment from us we may require you to pay back money if your tenant receives Housing Benefit to which they are not entitled.
When we pay Housing Benefit directly to you as a landlord and your tenant's entitlement changes we may ask you to repay the money that has been overpaid. Each case is decided on its own merits. If we decide that it is appropriate to recover the money from you, we will send you an invoice. The invoice will show the period of the overpayment the name of the tenant and the amount of the overpayment.
Derbyshire Dales District Council holds a regular landlord forum to which all landlords who have properties within the areas covered by those authorities are welcome to attend and at which topical benefit and housing issues are discussed. In addition, a landlord information sheet is produced which includes any changes in the law pertaining to Housing Benefit that may affect them.