‘Untidy tenancies’ resetting when rent figures updated in April

This is just a heads up really - we’re coming across lots of cases where ‘untidy tenancies’ (sorry to use that term - have we collectively decided on a more appropriate description?) were resolved last year but appear to have reset in April when increased rent figures were reported. Given the amount that we’re seeing I’m sure it must be happening quite frequently so might be worth looking out for.

Didn’t they change it to ‘absent joint tenant’

I wanted to revive this thread as we have several instances where every year, a social tenant updating their April rent increase in UC, causes the HCE to revert to 50% where there is an absent joint tenant (AJT), and this has previously been resolved so that 100% of HCE is in payment.

Timothy’s helpful post at #4 on this thread - https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewreply/92993/- explains how there is now a fix on declaring housing costs whereby questions are asked to avoid the problem of HCE being cut to 50% where there is an AJT. 

We think that the April rent increase form is a short version of the Housing change of circs form, and doesn’t ask the questions detailed in Timothy’s post linked above to rule out the 50% HCE issue.

I have 2 clients where this is the THIRD YEAR in a row this has happened and a 3rd client where it’s I think the 2nd year in a row of it happening.

In one of the above cases, the tenant has an active SPO so this is putting him at risk of eviction every year until we assist to resolve the issue. And these are just people that we know about - there must be many more!
Is there any scope for getting the process updated so that detailed questions on the April rent increase update form also manage to avoid the problem of HCE being cut every April for these claimants?

Hiya - I’ll send this issue in via stakeholder forum to see if we can get a fix that way - will let you know when hear back…

Also just to add link in post above is wrong - I think it means this one https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/18891/#90791 :)

Thank Daphne - it really feels like fixing this is within reach!
Sorry yes wrong link - I meant this thread: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/18891

Meant to also say - I can provide names and NINOs for at least 3 clients if needed.

same here - i have a customer who reported in 2019 her partner had left and that HA wouldn’t amended tenancy into her own name due to arrears. UC sorted it (eventually - took until October 2020 but then in April 2022 it reverted to 50% of the rent . (presumably cos the rent proof is addressed to both tenants)
UC said “she didn’t report it was wrong/ask for a recon” - i pointed out that she’d told you she was on her own in 2019 and that hasn’t changed - so its clearly official error which doesn’t have a time limit to correct,.... They’ve gone away to think about it as we refused a DHP to compensate for a UC error…. meanwhile she has a NSP for accruing arrears….

HA weret much help as, even though they received managed payments, when asked why they didn’t query it, they said they said ” we don’t like to get involved in a customers UC claim”  ....yet they don’t mind querying a HB decision??