Renting Property out.
Discussion
Just putting my old house up for rent as I'm not in a position to sell it.
The Estate agent have just called to say they are having a number of enquires from people on Benefits.
My understanding is DSS?
Is it jumping into fire by letting to DSS, will I be left with a destroyed house?? or is it quite handy to let it to DSS as guaranteed rent paid each month?
The Estate agent have just called to say they are having a number of enquires from people on Benefits.
My understanding is DSS?
Is it jumping into fire by letting to DSS, will I be left with a destroyed house?? or is it quite handy to let it to DSS as guaranteed rent paid each month?
If its your own house I'm guessing its decorated quite nicely with "all mod ons", in which case I wouldn't risk letting it to DSS tenants.
I have let properties to DSS tenants in the past but they have tended to be barebones properties that could be repaired/reinstated quite easily and cheaply if the tenants turned out to be scrotes.
I have known DSS tenants to steal entire central heating systems before doing a midnight flit
I have let properties to DSS tenants in the past but they have tended to be barebones properties that could be repaired/reinstated quite easily and cheaply if the tenants turned out to be scrotes.
I have known DSS tenants to steal entire central heating systems before doing a midnight flit
Ade07 said:
DSS tenants can be fine, I've had some for the last 7 years in the same properties with no problems at all. I've also had some nightmare DSS tenants BUT I've also had some really good private working tenants and some very bad ones too!
You just never know.
Agree, no different than private tenants, some good, some bad. Also some local councils operate special Deposit Bond Schemes, where a check is carried out both when the tenant moves in, and when the tenant vacates the property, with any repairs being covered,paid for by the council. This same scheme allows for the rent to be paid direct to the landlord, which for obvious reasons is better than the DHSS tenant receiving the rental money direct from the council.You just never know.
I wonder how many people advising against DSS are actualy landlords?
People on DSS/sickness benefits can make very good tennants. Proffesional or full time workers can make great tennants. They both get payed then hopefully pay you. You can only help make sure of this with references and meeting them personally if your a good judge of character.
People who dont make good tennats from my experience are as follows.
:Young men.
:People on benefits who talk about finding work. (it's either benefits or working, a mixture always means gaps in payments, excuses, arrears).
: Old single men.
Thats just from my experience. A perfect tennant to me would be a slightly unatractive woman in her late 40's who is very clean and tidy but has a slight disability or illness therefore is unlikely to move on quickly, have parties, knock me for rent or trash the the house.
If she happens to be on DSS it would not bother me one bit.
People on DSS/sickness benefits can make very good tennants. Proffesional or full time workers can make great tennants. They both get payed then hopefully pay you. You can only help make sure of this with references and meeting them personally if your a good judge of character.
People who dont make good tennats from my experience are as follows.
:Young men.
:People on benefits who talk about finding work. (it's either benefits or working, a mixture always means gaps in payments, excuses, arrears).
: Old single men.
Thats just from my experience. A perfect tennant to me would be a slightly unatractive woman in her late 40's who is very clean and tidy but has a slight disability or illness therefore is unlikely to move on quickly, have parties, knock me for rent or trash the the house.
If she happens to be on DSS it would not bother me one bit.
Stu R said:
DSS tenants can be fine, in much the same way that a revolver with only 1 bullet in can be safe for russian roulette. Tell them to FO and find you some proper tenants.
Not true at all. 'Proper tenants'!! Very funny.You never know what a 'proper tenant' is. You can do all the checks in the world, all the references, employers refs, tenant earning top money, etc, etc.
The thing is that tenants circumstances change, couples split up, tenants lose their jobs, etc, etc.
As I said, we have some brilliant DSS tenants, been with us for years, some of them do the general repairs themselves. Some of them we receive the rent direct from the council so a win win situation.
hmmm general consensus is to avoid DSS.
FWIW I rented the house out last year for 12 months. after 4 he was 1 month behind, after 8 months 2 months and then stopped paying. Left the house dirty, with cracked windows & broken doors.
That was a young guy who was working.
According to estate agent today they take a guarantor earning 30 times the rental. First payment is deposit & first months, then council pay the rest. if they stop getting the benefit, then they go to the guarantor.
FWIW I rented the house out last year for 12 months. after 4 he was 1 month behind, after 8 months 2 months and then stopped paying. Left the house dirty, with cracked windows & broken doors.
That was a young guy who was working.
According to estate agent today they take a guarantor earning 30 times the rental. First payment is deposit & first months, then council pay the rest. if they stop getting the benefit, then they go to the guarantor.
I've mostly rented out to so called private professionals and IMHO they are the worst. The amount of sob stories you get for not paying on time, then they leave it in a filthy state. As it is your own house and one day would like to sell I would be very wary of renting. You've already had one bad experience but that's not to say all tenants are the same. I've just let a flat out to someone on benefits under the guarantor scheme and fingers crossed it will be ok. At the end of the day you have a mortgage to pay, so at least some money coming in is better than the place sitting empty?
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff