You need to claim a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). Action 2: Carefully read the ‘Help Pack’ we have given or sent you so you know exactly what actions we want you to do The first thing to do is to carefully read the Help Pack we have given or emailed you so you fully understand how you can use it to help you, and what we want you to do next Tick Action 3: Fill out the “How much can I afford in rent” assessment form in your Help Pack This is so you and we have a much better idea about how much you can afford to pay towards the shortfall. This figures you provide can be checked when we see you Tick Action 4: Make contact with the landlord or agent You should try to speak to the landlord or agent within 24 hours of receiving this pack to ‘test the water’ on whether they will be willing to carry on with the tenancy if the shortfall can be sorted out. Whether or not you have been able to contact them you should write and email them a letter setting out how you want to sort things out. Use letter 2 in the pack to help you. This letter is titled “The landlord has ended the tenancy because of a shortfall in the rent”. You should send the letter regardless of your landlord or agent’s initial response as even if they have said they will not change their mind they might do so once they have had a chance to see from your letter that you are committed to trying to meet the shortfall. Don’t leave things - follow up the letter with a phone call or email within a week of sending it asking them for a response. If the landlord or agent wants to meet with you make sure that you show them the Council’s ‘Commitment to Help’ letter in this pack. Tick Action 5: Record the response from the landlord or agent If the landlord or agent has responded write down here what their response was and whether they want to discuss a possible solution. Keep copies of any email or letter they have sent back to you as we will want to see them. Tick
Action 2: Carefully read the help pack we have given or sent you so you know exactly what actions we want you to do The first thing to do is to carefully read the ‘Help Pack’ we have given you or emailed you so you fully understand how you can use it to help you and what we want you to do next Tick Action 3: Fill out the “How much can I afford in rent” assessment form in your Help Pack If we work out that the real reason for ending the tenancy is that the landlord wants a higher rent we need to work out how much you can afford to pay. This is also important if you are going to have to look for more affordable accommodation. Fill out the “How much can I afford in rent” assessment form in your Help Pack. This figure can be checked up when we see you. Tick Action 4: Make contact with the landlord or agent You should try to speak to the landlord or agent within 24 hours of receiving this pack to ‘test the water’ on why they have issued the notice to end the tenancy and whether they can be persuaded to carry on with the tenancy. Whether or not you have been able to contact them you should write and email them a letter setting out how you want to sort things out. Use letter 5 in the pack to help you. This letter is titled “The landlord has ended the tenancy because they claim that they want to sell the property”. You should send the letter regardless of your landlord or agent’s initial response as even if they have said they will not change their mind they might do so once they have had a chance to see you are trying your best they may be willing to compromise. Don’t leave things - follow up the letter with a phone call or email within a week of sending it asking them for a response. If the landlord or agent wants to meet with you make sure that you show them the Council’s commitment to help letter in this pack Tick Action 5: Record the response from the landlord or agent If the landlord or agent has responded write down here what their response was and whether they want to discuss a possible solution. Keep copies of any email or letter they have sent back to you as we will want to see them Tick