Workshop Details

Housing Benefit - Liability For Rent, Commerciality & Contrived Lettings

Liability for rent, contrived tenancies and commerciality, and various related matters, have come to the fore in recent years and are covered comprehensively in this Workshop. The course takes account of both traditional concerns (such as renting from relatives) and more modern ones (such as the exploitation of the new higher rents available under LHAs). ___________________________________________________________________________________________

No Regional Workshop dates currently planned. 
 
IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS - Do you have a lot of staff needing this training and would you like us to arrange this Workshop at your own training venue just for the staff from your own organisation? We would be pleased to arrange this - please contact us for further details and availabilty of dates.

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Introduction: The first part of the course looks at the relationship between the rules, which should be considered first, and why they were put into the law in the first place. It also covers the list of items that do and do not count as ‘rent’ for HB purposes.

Liability: The second part concentrates on when there is a genuine liability for rent and when there is not, including:
• what the concept of ‘liability’ means, and who can be treated as liable;
• that someone owed money usually tends to know that fact and to chase it up;
• the relationships between the parties;
• people with less power to manage their affairs;
• when landlords do not collect the shortfall;
• how liability can be created as a result of a change of circumstances.

Commerciality: The third part looks at when a letting is commercial and when it is not, including:
• what the concept of ‘commerce’ is;
• how an arrangement can start and stop being commercial;
• the concepts of an arm’s length relationship;
• friendliness and religious elements in lettings;
• fostering and disability-related lettings.

Specific exclusions: The fourth part goes through the slightly more straightforward situations in which HB cannot be paid, including:
• lettings from close relatives;
• companies, trust and tied accommodation;
• former owners and former non-dependants.

Contrived lettings: The fifth part of the course covers the idea of lettings created to take advantage of the HB scheme, including:
• what it means to take advantage of the scheme;
• establishing what went on in the parties’ minds;
• their means, circumstances and intentions;
• charging a low rent;
• letting to vulnerable groups;
• how landlords seem to be taking advantage of the higher rents available with Local Housing Allowances (LHAs).

The course is fully referenced to the Regulations and will cover all known case law, including older cases and the most up-to-date. To get full benefit from the course delegates should already be aware of the main rules – although this only needs to be in fairly straightforward cases so far. By means of presentations, discussions and exercises our presenter, John Zebedee, will provide a fact-filled day covering the most up-to-date information available. Extensive course notes and helpful examples will be provided. 

IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS - Do you have a lot of staff needing this training and would you like us to arrange this Workshop at your own training venue just for the staff from your own organisation? We would be pleased to arrange this - please contact us for further details and availabilty of dates.