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Post by katyr on Apr 8, 2011 9:15:58 GMT -1
Kez, Housing Benefit is all done through the council and you have to apply for council tax benefit simultaneously as it's on the same form. You can apply without your landlady knowing you've applied (you don't need to give permission for information about you to be shared, but make sure you make that clear on the form) but she'll get into shit if you do and she's been lying about where she lives. Do you have a tenancy agreement? That will be all you need for your claim. Personally I'd just do it, serves the tax evading money-grasping bitch right. Her tenants can't register to vote because she wants to avoid paying a few extra quid council tax? Fuck that. She'll only be getting 1/3 off as a single person rebate anyway, it's not going to make all that much difference to you. She's probably living somewhere more expensive, or shacked up with some rich bloke and claiming to be a single parent. I'd bet she's avoiding more than just that 1/3 extra council tax. Drop her the fuck in it. Oh, and JSA is £65.45 a week.
Karen, it's getting like that here as well. You have to be a head in a jar to claim any kind of disability.
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Post by Kez on Apr 8, 2011 10:30:14 GMT -1
Kez, Housing Benefit is all done through the council and you have to apply for council tax benefit simultaneously as it's on the same form. You can apply without your landlady knowing you've applied (you don't need to give permission for information about you to be shared, but make sure you make that clear on the form) but she'll get into shit if you do and she's been lying about where she lives. Do you have a tenancy agreement? That will be all you need for your claim. Personally I'd just do it, serves the tax evading money-grasping bitch right. Her tenants can't register to vote because she wants to avoid paying a few extra quid council tax? Fuck that. She'll only be getting 1/3 off as a single person rebate anyway, it's not going to make all that much difference to you. She's probably living somewhere more expensive, or shacked up with some rich bloke and claiming to be a single parent. I'd bet she's avoiding more than just that 1/3 extra council tax. Drop her the fuck in it. Oh, and JSA is £65.45 a week. Karen, it's getting like that here as well. You have to be a head in a jar to claim any kind of disability. Thanks Katy, I appreciate that. I emailed her to tell about my job situation hoping that she might be ok (probably shouldn't have done after reading what you said above and just claimed housing benefit anyway) and she said this: "Most Estate agents do not accept housing benefit due to the way they pay the monies in arrears each month and take up to 2-3 months to sort out the claims even though they stress they will pay on time. We have tried different housing options for clients in the past but they are a nightmare to deal with. Even if you did put a claim through my lender would not allow it and it effects my insurance on the property. I do not think i will be able to go through this option. I have had real issues with the lending and trying to get a new rate on a BTL and they are unable to offer me a better rate due to income and the fact when i got the mortgage it was on a self cert and now with 2 properties they will not reduce the rate and have put up instead due to them assuming this is high risk, That is why i wanted to sell and needed to sell but as it won't for the price i need this year i will hold off another year or so and the criteria for the mortgage is harsh. If you can meet this months payments for the rent on the 25th then we can look at next months and maybe use from the deposit if that helps? Or use the deposit this month for this rent and hopefully next month you will be sorted let me know if you need me top use the deposit this month?" Sounds like a load of shite to me. The weird thing is we signed the tenancy agreement with her not the letting agent and I've never gone through the letting agency that she works for. It's all a bit confusing. Funnily enough she has two properties that she rents out (one being the one we live in) and she lives with her bloke in a one bedroom flat taht he owns and her bloke doesn't want her registered as living there so he only has to pay council tax for one person. All her post is sent to our address and she says she needs to have an address to be registered at. It's just fucking wrong basically but I don't know what to do now. I'm moving out at the end of June but my flatmate is staying on and I don't want to fuck things up for her.
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Post by tc on Apr 8, 2011 11:29:20 GMT -1
Unless the agents manage the property (and therefore collect rent), she is bullshitting. She can accept whatever she likes. I wouldn't have told her, personally...
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Post by Kez on Apr 8, 2011 12:14:18 GMT -1
Think you're right tc.
I know that some landlords prefer not to take housing benefit but I claimed housing benefit before, years ago when I lived in London and yes it's true that it does take ages for the money to come through (think it took about 6 weeks) but it DID come through in the end.
I literally only have 8 weeks left of rent to pay. I might offer to pay the rent upfront myself (boyfriend said he'll help me out on that score if I don't find a job) and then set about claiming the housing benefit anyway so that even if she does get it in arrears she won't ever be out of pocket.
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Post by katyr on Apr 8, 2011 16:14:45 GMT -1
You can choose on your form to not inform your landlord you're putting in a claim. Usually they send the first payment direct to them, but if you tell them you don't want your landlord knowing you're claiming, they just give it straight to you. Why don't you let her take this month's out of your bond? Then by the time the HB comes through (in Leeds it takes about 6-7 weeks but it'll depend on the backlog of your authority - ring and ask) you'll be all set with a new bond. Oh, and that bit about insurance is absolute bullshit. It fucking infuriates me that these people evade paying the right amount of tax. She will probably get into shit, but she deserves it. And if she takes it out in any way on your flatmate (which is unlikely as she'd have nothing to gain, and a rent-paying tenant to lose), she could be liable for a lawsuit. Oh, and bear in mind that since you will last have claimed HB they have introduced LHA (local housing allowance), at least I think that is rolled out in London now, where they don't give you what your rent is, they give you a set rate depending on how many rooms you 'need'. If ya google 'LHA rates London' it'll tell you how much you'd get per month. If you're claiming JSA you'll get the full amount. Oh AND put a claim in the same day you lose your job as housing benefit is non-backdateable unless in very exceptional circumstances.
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Post by Kez on Apr 8, 2011 16:55:31 GMT -1
Ooooh really? Interesting...that is all very helpful Katy, nice one. Will definitely pursue the housing benefit so. That is a weight off my mind. Was pissed off at how eager she was to take my rent out of the deposit. Sounds like basically she doesn't want the hassle and can't be arsed to help out with the alternative.
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Post by kwacky on Apr 8, 2011 20:04:42 GMT -1
Cheers Karen. Realised today I'll have to apply for housing benefit next week and my landlady is doing a dodgy thing where she's registered as living at our property but we aren't so the council tax isn't more. We found this out when we tried to arrange to vote in the UK parliamentary elections. She said we could vote but that our council tax would go up if we did as we would then have 4 people registered as living in the property (her, her daughter, me and my flatmate). Ridiculous. So now I'm wondering what she's going to say now that I'm going to have to claim housing benefit. I would have to be registered as living at the address if I was claiming housing benefit. Fucking mess. Why wouldn't they not approve your disability benefit? That's terrible.[/quote Like Katy said,you'd have to be a head in a jar to get approved. But people my ma knows have been through this and with the help of advocate they got the social security benefits . It is taking forever to even get a reply though !
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Post by Kez on Apr 11, 2011 8:25:36 GMT -1
Well hope you get it sorted Karen.
My last day tomorrow. Just got turned down for another job, although it was between me and someone else. Got some great feedback and it seems I'm managing to blag confidence so that's a good thing:
"She was a strong candidate who clearly had a lot of experience and came across in a warm / professional manner/ very confident. She clearly had a strong sense of rigour which would be invaluable in any setting. I would certainly recommend her to others. However, the competition between her and the other candidate was very strong and the line manger decided to go for the other candidate."
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Post by Dave G on Apr 11, 2011 9:23:52 GMT -1
Ack sorry to hear you didn't get it Kez. Chin up, as you can see from that feedback, it is only a matter of time before you land something.
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Post by Kez on Apr 11, 2011 9:39:08 GMT -1
Thanks Dave. It's a real exercise in peaks and troughs. One day you're coming out fighting thinking "fuck yeah today's the day!" then the next day you melt into a puddle of a blubbering mess.
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Post by kwacky on Apr 11, 2011 15:07:57 GMT -1
You'll get something soon kez , I know it!
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Post by Kez on Apr 27, 2011 8:32:02 GMT -1
Well you were right Karen! Just an update. Have been internetless as I was on a temping job for a week with no internet access eeeeek. Thank fuck I was very very lucky and managed to blag a job that started the next day after my old job finished working in probably what was the most boring job I have ever done in my life but a job nevertheless! Was sweet relief as I was dreading signing on and having to tackle the housing benefit situation. I have finished that assignment now as I managed to get an interview with another bank in Canary Wharf and holy fuck managed to get through the interview and get it. I couldn't believe it. It's better money than I was on in my old job and I don't have to change my route to work at all. Also sounds quite a bit like my old job. Woohooooo. It's for 3 months initially with a chance to continue on if it all goes to plan so fingers crossed. If not it's fine as I might be looking for a job in Surrey cos I'll be moved out there by the time 3 months is up. Haven't got a start date but have signed the contract so I'd say it'll be after this bank holiday that I start. Bit nervous but very very relieved at the same time. Everyone has been saying it to me for so long but I didn't quite believe it, that these things always work out for the best Phew! Thanks everyone anyway for the kind words and help
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Post by dfw on Apr 27, 2011 8:33:54 GMT -1
NICE ONE that's brilliant! Work in Surrey maybe you can Rob can start a farm in the back garden a la Tom and Barbara from The Good Life
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Post by Kez on Apr 27, 2011 8:39:45 GMT -1
lol! Well he cracked me up cos he was saying there are walks where you can pick your own vegetables and he was really excited about it. He's mentioned it about 5 times now
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Post by Kez on Apr 27, 2011 8:40:55 GMT -1
Ahahahaaaaa no wonder! It's called Fanny's Farm Shop! He probably thinks it's something else fannysfarmshop.co.uk/
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Post by tc on Apr 27, 2011 8:47:00 GMT -1
Well done, Kez!!! Happy to hear it.
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Post by dfw on Apr 27, 2011 8:51:55 GMT -1
*snigger* Fanny's Farm Shop, the Lady Garden of Surrey
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Post by Kez on Apr 27, 2011 8:59:43 GMT -1
It has an "adults only" section???! Wtf ;D
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Post by Karo on Apr 27, 2011 9:08:42 GMT -1
He might be right after all then hehe. Congrats Kez!
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Post by Dave G on Apr 27, 2011 9:22:00 GMT -1
Result !!! Way to go kezster.
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Post by Sara on Apr 29, 2011 2:43:04 GMT -1
Hooray!
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Post by macca on Apr 29, 2011 11:01:59 GMT -1
Fannys farm shop. Hilarious
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Post by debyvr on May 1, 2011 6:39:26 GMT -1
Well done kez! When do you move towards me?
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Post by Kez on May 2, 2011 14:04:34 GMT -1
Well I officially move out at the end of June but this flat is falling apart by the day and landlady plans to rip up the floor in my room while I'm still here (nice) because apparently there is damp underneath. So floor gets ripped up and apparently has to be left to dry out for 2 weeks (while I'm still living in it) so I will probably be spending a lot of time at the new flat when it's ready in a few weeks.
Can't believe the landlady. I did ask her what exactly she plans to do with my room but she ranted on at me by email saying "I don't know when the builders are coming in and it's really stressing me out and I'm the one taking time off work to get all this work done" which makes me laugh. I'm moving out at the end of June, and definitely do not want anyone to pull up the flooring in my room between now and then and it's her flat so her responsibility to sort it out if she does want renovations made. I just said I'd speak to her about it again another time.
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Post by kwacky on May 2, 2011 15:45:29 GMT -1
How annoying, you should get a partial refund on this month's rent since part of the flat will be unusable.
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Post by Kez on May 3, 2011 8:03:03 GMT -1
Yeah I was thinking of saying that actually. Not unfair really especially seeing as she's getting it all done on insurance.
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Post by tc on May 3, 2011 8:12:10 GMT -1
Too right. Legally, you are still entitled to what's called 'quiet enjoyment of the property', she cannot actually do this without giving you a partial refund.
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Post by Kez on Jun 24, 2011 9:47:01 GMT -1
Back looking for a job again! My time here ends at end of July. booooo. Really liked it here actually. Really friendly bunch, really get on with the 2 girls I work with and my boss is gas. It's only a 3 month project though so he's returning to the States afterwards and I shall be surplus to requirements once more.
Might look to move near Surrey now I'm living there but I think my priority is permanence! Can't do with this temping crap anymore.
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Post by tc on Jun 24, 2011 10:27:16 GMT -1
Tsk, sorry, Kez, that does suck. Yeah, time to get a long term job eh. Try applying to Apple? I know they're hiring (not a sales floor job, something to do with a new project they're launching and training will be given on the job) and my friend Petra who is only trained to be a junior school teacher, has just been offered a position with them! She's not taking it as she's been given an amazing job at a private school but she was so torn.
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Post by Kez on Jun 24, 2011 11:24:07 GMT -1
Ooh sounds intriuging. Maybe they'd give me an iPhone lol
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