Legal News
GMB calls for councils to name landlords profiting from housing benefit tenants (6 March 2014)
Date: 06/03/2014
The GMB union has called on 62 councils which pay private landlords housing benefit for tenants to declare the amount paid to each.
Currently, 318 councils declare how much is paid to private landlords in housing benefit.
The GMB is calling for councils to publish the top 20 names of private landlords which derive income from housing benefit tenants across England, Scotland and Wales.
Publication would also mean more transparency in the tax declarations of private landlords who derive a substantial income as a result of leasing out properties to housing benefit claimants.
The GMB has named all 62 councils which have failed to publish the amounts paid to the Top 20 private sector landlords which receive housing benefit.
The GMB says that in the year to November 2013, a total of £9.028 billion in housing benefit was paid to private sector landlords, covering 1.65m households rented out to housing benefit claimants.
Housing benefit for Local Authority tenants is paid directly to landlords who lease out properties to housing benefit claimants.
In February, it was revealed that property millionaire and UKIP housing spokesman Andrew Charalambous was a private sector provider of rented properties to tenants in receipt of housing benefit – and so far has received £745, 351 from local councils for housing benefit tenants.
Mr Charalambous said he was an ethical landlord, after GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny accused him of hypocrisy for benefiting financially from migrant tenants in receipt of housing benefit, while UKIP “blames foreigners for Britain’s housing crisis”.
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors
Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of housing solicitors and can advise tenants in rented accommodation on issues such as housing benefit, disrepair of rented property, delays in Local Authority processing, Landlord & Tenant problems and unlawful eviction.
Duncan Lewis is also one of the UK’s leading providers of Legal Aid services.
For expert help with housing law contact Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.