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A TENANT HAS BUILT UP MORE THAN £10,000 IN RENT ARREARS AFTER THE DWP REFUSED TO ACCEPT HER LANDLORD’S WORD THAT THE RENT HAD INCREASED. 06:46, 01 Jun 2025 A landlord has been left £10,000
out of pocket after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rules complicated payments. A tenant has built up more than £10,000 in rent arrears after the DWP refused to accept her
landlord’s word that the rent had increased. Brian Southern’s tenant twice failed to report changes during the last five years when he issued a Section 13 notice. The complicated rules mean
Mr Southern is still only receiving direct payments based on the pre-2020 LHA rate of £499. The rate was increased to £750 in April 2020 and £950 in April 2024. Bill Irvine, of UC Advice
& Advocacy, told LandlordZONE: “Some tenants, for a variety of reasons, don’t update their journals when circumstances change. READ MORE UK SET TO SIZZLE IN 'GLORIOUS' 27C
MINI-HEATWAVE WITH 33 COUNTIES IN ENGLAND HIT "This tenant thinks her benefit will be reduced if she does, however, the DWP’s stance is allowing this woman to put herself in jeopardy.”
Article continues below “Although the claimant has a legal responsibility to report changes, so has a landlord, like Mr Southern, who is receiving direct payments, he said. “The same
legislation applies to both social and private landlords, so by not applying the rules equally, DWP is guilty of unfair discrimination.” “My tenant’s rent has never been more than the LHA
rate,” the Manchester-based landlord said. “She’s never paid the full rent since moving in. I’ve reported it several times to either housing benefit or later Universal Credit but always been
told that the tenant needs to inform them, and not the landlord. Article continues below “I have asked repeatedly for an arrears payment off DWP using the correct form but it’s not
payable.” In response to the story, a spokesperson for the DWP said: “We are aware of the concerns landlords have raised about reporting changes when they receive direct rent payments. When
these difficulties arise, we recommend landlords contact their local Partnership Manager.”