Help for your Tenant to pay the Rent
If your tenant is on a low income, they might be able to get benefits to help them pay their rent. This could be through one of two: Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. For more information about Housing Benefits for Landlords, please click the link.
Landlords should be aware that data protection regulations mean the council cannot share information about a Housing Benefit claim with a landlord, unless they have clear and up to date permission from the tenant to do so. Landlords should talk to their tenant about any issues concerning Housing Benefit or unpaid rent before trying to approach the Housing Benefit team.
If a landlord believes that a tenant in Sandwell has started to receive Housing Benefit, but is not using it to pay their rent, they can report this directly to the council on an online form.
Landlords who receive direct payment of Housing Benefit can access information about their payments on the landlord portal.
Most tenants making new claims for benefit should apply for the new benefit called Universal Credit, which can include an element for housing costs, instead of Housing Benefit. Universal Credit is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions and the council is not involved in how it is paid or administered. There is more information for landlords about Universal Credit and what to do if something goes wrong .
Landlords should always remember that if there is a shortfall between the amount of benefit paid to a tenant and the rent that is being charged, it is the responsibility of the tenant make sure the rent is paid in full.