Use and occupation charges until succession finally decided on

Tenant dies with no rent arrears, landlord takes 5 months to confirm that client can succeed the tenancy.  (It was an Assured Tenancy started in 2014, no previous succession)

Client paid nothing during that 5 months and now seems to be starting as the tenant with 5 months arrears.  Can a period of ‘Use and Occupation’ be added to the new tenancy?  We are struggling to find a useful independent source to confirm this.

Hi Gcrow,

If this is someone who’s been getting UC then this can be fixed by reporting the housing costs and requesting an extension of time of the late notification of the housing costs due to illness/confusion/anything at all. I generally advise that clients claim UC ASAP in this context so that housing costs can be backdated. Use and occupation is definitely liability for rent for benefit purposes.