Mosconebailbond
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Looking for some advice please.
My elderly Aunt has rented a flat from a housing association since 1974, she initially paid rent weekly in advance and sometime in the 80’s she switched to paying monthly.
So far, all good.
In January this year she received by letter the rent would increase in April like is has done every year so the HA advise to change the standing order to reflect the increase and it can be paid weekly or monthly. This years rate is £663, an increase of £20 odd a month
My Aunt decides to change to paying weekly so sets up a new standing order to commence from the date from when the last month was paid so on 13 March she paid £643 and on April 13 she paid £165.
On Friday she receives a terse letter from the HA saying the rent is in arrears by over £700 which almost gave my aunt a heart attack.
I looked at the statement the HA sent with the letter. Because they had not received the usual £643 they claim she was a month behind and also added that she had always been paying monthly rent in arrears.
I checked her original tenancy agreement from 1974 of which she had a paper copy, it was clear that to move in rent was always paid in advance and she was always under the impression she had paid in advance.
What I want to know is who’s responsible for confirming the accuracy of what the HA say is owed? My understanding would be the HA would have to prove via factual documents of charges and payment received that what they claim in that rent has been paid in arrears is correct and she is behind.
I have not heard of a landlord who allows a renter to live a month and then pay, I always thought you pay in advance.
I asked her neighbour yesterday who also moved in the same day 1974 and she advised she has always paid in advance and several years ago they tried the same with her, claiming she was in arrears when she switched from monthly to weekly payments.
I have spoken with the HA before on her behalf about separate incidents and due to high staff turnover and lack of care they have proven to have mediocre processes so this rent issue has annoyed me but I’m not surprised and I know for a fact they do not have the original tenancy agreement, they lost decades of paperwork during a office move several years ago due to incompetence.
I am going to call them Monday to discuss this, is there any advice someone can give me on how to help handle this in regards to where the onus lies on exactly who needs to provide what in regards to what they say is owed is accurate?
Thanks
My elderly Aunt has rented a flat from a housing association since 1974, she initially paid rent weekly in advance and sometime in the 80’s she switched to paying monthly.
So far, all good.
In January this year she received by letter the rent would increase in April like is has done every year so the HA advise to change the standing order to reflect the increase and it can be paid weekly or monthly. This years rate is £663, an increase of £20 odd a month
My Aunt decides to change to paying weekly so sets up a new standing order to commence from the date from when the last month was paid so on 13 March she paid £643 and on April 13 she paid £165.
On Friday she receives a terse letter from the HA saying the rent is in arrears by over £700 which almost gave my aunt a heart attack.
I looked at the statement the HA sent with the letter. Because they had not received the usual £643 they claim she was a month behind and also added that she had always been paying monthly rent in arrears.
I checked her original tenancy agreement from 1974 of which she had a paper copy, it was clear that to move in rent was always paid in advance and she was always under the impression she had paid in advance.
What I want to know is who’s responsible for confirming the accuracy of what the HA say is owed? My understanding would be the HA would have to prove via factual documents of charges and payment received that what they claim in that rent has been paid in arrears is correct and she is behind.
I have not heard of a landlord who allows a renter to live a month and then pay, I always thought you pay in advance.
I asked her neighbour yesterday who also moved in the same day 1974 and she advised she has always paid in advance and several years ago they tried the same with her, claiming she was in arrears when she switched from monthly to weekly payments.
I have spoken with the HA before on her behalf about separate incidents and due to high staff turnover and lack of care they have proven to have mediocre processes so this rent issue has annoyed me but I’m not surprised and I know for a fact they do not have the original tenancy agreement, they lost decades of paperwork during a office move several years ago due to incompetence.
I am going to call them Monday to discuss this, is there any advice someone can give me on how to help handle this in regards to where the onus lies on exactly who needs to provide what in regards to what they say is owed is accurate?
Thanks