Our income team recently had success with a longstanding rent arrears case.
Resident Mr H* was referred to Wandle in November 2019 to help reclaim personal independence payment (PIP) and apply for discretionary housing payments to clear his rent arrears. In addition, he had a legacy benefit overpayment of £100 per month being taken from his Universal Credit. Due to the deduction and being reliant on a small private pension, he was finding it very difficult to manage rent and bill payments which was causing him to fall further into arrears. To make matters worse, if the arrears were not resolved, he was at risk from having his home repossessed.
It was a complex case, and the income team had a challenge on their hands. To begin with, they challenged the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decision not to consider Mr H’s health issues and their insistence that he could work full time. He suffers from severe arthritis, which causes constant pain and discomfort and understandably leaves him suffering with his mental health. He also struggles to retain complex information, so the income team worked with his daughter to complete a budget sheet, locate bank statements, and contact his GP for supporting evidence of health issues to try and resolve the issues.
This was made more complicated by the pandemic, the lack of face-to-face appointments, and further delays in responses from DWP. Due to this, his rent arrears increased to three and a half thousand pounds.
Eventually, life returned to normal, and we were able to re-engage with Mr H’s daughter, the local council, and the DWP. We made a successful claim for PIP, and for discretionary housing payments. Mr H’s income has increased, his rent arrears are greatly reduced now, and will soon return to zero. Mr H can start living debt-free again and feel secure in his Wandle home.
“My father and I would like to pass on our gratification for your amazing member of staff Rob. We are eternally grateful for all he’s done for us.”
Mr H’s daughter
If you are struggling with your finances and paying your rent, please do not ignore rising debts and contact us. We can help with advice on paying your arrears. Any arrangements made will depend on the amount of the arrears and how much you can pay. We will try and make an agreement with you to clear any arrears, taking into consideration for income and other priority payments you must make.