Renting.

[themalster]

Hi guys.

I am looking at renting my house out and the woman who wants to rent it is on benefits.

She has said that she can't afford a deposit on top of the months rent for when she moves in.

Is it necessary for her to give a deposit?

Obviously, if she doesn't then she can't claim any money back at the end of her tenancy.

I'm new to this so just wanted some advice

Thank you in advance

[joannewatson]

Deposit/bond..same thing. The deposit has to be registered with a Tenancy Deposit Scheme and not necessarily held by them. Some councils do a deposit guarantee scheme if the tenant cannot afford it. This means they would guarantee to pay for any damages up to a certain amount on vacation

[Twenty20]

No offence, but as you don't seem to know what you are doing, why don't you go along to an agent and let them manage it for you, at least in the short term?

[enfable]

I think you should consider this; if someone rents a property / room who is on benefits and they are found to have undertaken paid work of any kind or for any period without claiming it to the DSS. The DSS will decide what period of time the person has worked for and they will then go to the landlord of the property for the monies they believe has been paid. Doesn't seem fair to me. I was once approached by a council offering to give me some money to renovate an old property I had on the priviso that they could decide who lived in it, when completed. When I asked them if the above was true they said yes.

[danchip]

Your best bet would be to go to your local councils housing office and register your property for them to rent off you, they generally pay more than you will get on the open market! They cover deposits etc and cover liability for any damage caused! It is also a guaranteed income as they will pay even if the property is empty!

Fair enough you may get people in it that you necesarrily would if you were renting it out privately but you can specify that you dont want a single man etc! I've rented out a house to a solicitor before and when he and his family left it cost thousands to return it to a habitable condition!