£400 energy payment: Fears landlords to keep renters' rebate

[Paddy]

What's that got to do with the energy rebate?

I totally agree. It seems like a council trawling exercise for information

[ladymuck]

And some councils are making it very difficult to claim.

You will need the following to complete the application form:

• Name
• Address
• Council Tax Reference Number (You will need to enter the first 7 digits – this number begins with 5)
• Property Reference Number
• Bank Account Details
• Completed application form
• Photographic ID

The council will carry out a Counter Fraud Identity and Bank Check with a credit reference agency. These checks are used to speed up the decision process. These checks will leave the following footprint on your credit file:

Please allow 3 weeks from completion of the application for the payment to reach your bank account.

What's that got to do with the energy rebate?

[d000hg]

I'm surprised there at that many rentals with bills included. I don't think I've ever had that arrangement when renting and I don't do it when letting. Is it because there are certain situations that require it, like multi person rentals or is it seen as a money grab where a landlord can a make a bit extra over egging the bills?

It has become a lot more common in the last year, partly driven by the increasing prices meaning tenants value stability. All the landlords who went in to it thinking they could make a big extra are probably now getting reamed (or soon will be) but I think it was more a case that customer demand drove more landlords to offer it.

I quite like the idea personally. Changing suppliers every time a tenant changes is a lot of overhead for tenant and landlord and means you get silly bills for the place being empty a few weeks, or whatever. A bit 'neater' that the landlord provides services (or the building owner perhaps) and tenants simply pay a fee. But then tenants can't find a cheaper provider, etc.

[d000hg]

There is a list somewhere on MSE, the site found by Martin Lewis, of how different councils will pay the £150 rebate.

THe £150 rebate is a separate thing. As I already said, this was done based on council tax band and distributed via the council as a one-off CT rebate. The payment this story about is not anything to do with council tax, it's specifically for energy costs and everyone is getting it.
However there is another part alongside the £400 only for the poor and I haven't see how that is handled.

[northernladuk]

I'm surprised there at that many rentals with bills included. I don't think I've ever had that arrangement when renting and I don't do it when letting. Is it because there are certain situations that require it, like multi person rentals or is it seen as a money grab where a landlord can a make a bit extra over egging the bills?

[SueEllen]

I know three councils plus another in London (K&C) and they all do it differently. One of them insist on claiming on-line.

There is a list somewhere on MSE, the site found by Martin Lewis, of how different councils will pay the £150 rebate.

[Paddy]

In most cases it will be automatic. From the link I posted:


This is done via the energy supplier, unlike the previous rebate which WAS council-tax linked.

I know three councils plus another in London (K&C) and they all do it differently. One of them insist on claiming on-line.

[vetran]

If you have put up the tenant's bills, then yes, you should be passing it on to them. If you have not increased their bills then there shouldn't be an issue.

Many landlords will be putting up the rent to cover the rise in energy costs, and then choosing to pocket the extra cash, so it's just more profit for them, and not actually helping to address the issue.

Do you see the difference?

Possibly missing something but the rent can only be changed according to the contract. I doubt most contracts include the right of the landlord to put up the rent willy nilly. The student ones for my daughters didn't and they included bills.

Now if you entered into a new contract that raised because of new bills you may have a point.

[d000hg]

They can just put it on the council tax bill.

In most cases it will be automatic. From the link I posted:


This is done via the energy supplier, unlike the previous rebate which WAS council-tax linked.

[d000hg]

If you have put up the tenant's bills, then yes, you should be passing it on to them. If you have not increased their bills then there shouldn't be an issue.

Many landlords will be putting up the rent to cover the rise in energy costs, and then choosing to pocket the extra cash, so it's just more profit for them, and not actually helping to address the issue.

Do you see the difference?

If a scummy landlord puts up rent and pockets the cash, that's a separate problem to be solved. If I'm paying the bill, I should get any rebate on the bill.
Landlords cannot keep changing the rent every 3-6 months as the price cap goes up (or down). They are going to be trapped by contracts losing them money the way prices are rocketing, so surely they should get the rebate.

[SueEllen]

And some councils are making it very difficult to claim.

You will need the following to complete the application form:

• Name
• Address
• Council Tax Reference Number (You will need to enter the first 7 digits – this number begins with 5)
• Property Reference Number
• Bank Account Details
• Completed application form
• Photographic ID

The council will carry out a Counter Fraud Identity and Bank Check with a credit reference agency. These checks are used to speed up the decision process. These checks will leave the following footprint on your credit file:

Please allow 3 weeks from completion of the application for the payment to reach your bank account.

They can just put it on the council tax bill.

[Paddy]

And some councils are making it very difficult to claim.

You will need the following to complete the application form:

• Name
• Address
• Council Tax Reference Number (You will need to enter the first 7 digits – this number begins with 5)
• Property Reference Number
• Bank Account Details
• Completed application form
• Photographic ID

The council will carry out a Counter Fraud Identity and Bank Check with a credit reference agency. These checks are used to speed up the decision process. These checks will leave the following footprint on your credit file:

Please allow 3 weeks from completion of the application for the payment to reach your bank account.

[WTFH]

If I am a landlord paying the tenant's energy bills, why would they get the payout as my costs soar? Seems crazy to the point I wonder if I have missed something. Are landlords supposed to pass on the payment and then put the rent up?

If you have put up the tenant's bills, then yes, you should be passing it on to them. If you have not increased their bills then there shouldn't be an issue.

Many landlords will be putting up the rent to cover the rise in energy costs, and then choosing to pocket the extra cash, so it's just more profit for them, and not actually helping to address the issue.

Do you see the difference?

[d000hg]

Tenants whose bills are included in their rent could miss out on the government's £400 energy rebate because it is paid to their landlord, warn charities.

Housing charity Shelter said this group were "at the mercy of their landlord passing on this much-needed support".

An estimated 585,000 households - 13% of private renters - have energy bills included in their rent.

The government said it expected landlords to pass on the discount.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) also said that where a landlord was acting as an energy reseller, "they should be passing on the savings to their tenant in line with [the regulator] Ofgem's requirements".

If I am a landlord paying the tenant's energy bills, why would they get the payout as my costs soar? Seems crazy to the point I wonder if I have missed something. Are landlords supposed to pass on the payment and then put the rent up?