Housing Benefit payments direct to landlords

You can only receive payments as a landlord directly under certain conditions. You can receive payments directly if:

Your tenant's claim doesn't come under Local Housing Allowance rules (most private tenants claiming Housing Benefit after April 2008), and they choose direct payments to you. They can ask us to stop paying directly to you, and we will write and tell you if this happens.
We think the tenant is unable to handle their own affairs or unlikely to pay their rent
You show us that the tenant is more than eight weeks in arrears with their full rent payments, and we don't think direct payments to you would be against their best interests. In these cases, we may temporarily stop paying altogether.

Direct payments to you will be paid into your bank or building society account every four weeks in arrears, which means for the four weeks that have just passed.

You must tell us about changes, for example, if your tenant moves out, and repay any benefit overpayments promptly.

Apply to have Housing Benefit paid to you directly

You will need to prove to us that your tenant is more than 8 weeks in arrears with their full rent payments. Future Housing Benefit payments may be paid to you directly.

You will have to resolve existing arrears with the tenant as normal.

Please contact us first to discuss.

Here is the form you will need to complete and return to us.

Appeal a decision

If you disagree with our decision you can appeal here.