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Informal lodgers… Use & Occupation agreements
I thought I’d pass this by the hivemind.
A case manager has just told me that without a tenancy agreement they won’t pay housing costs and although I don’t believe them it’s got me thinking, so…
UC claimant, lodging with a friend, no formal or documented agreement, just a handshake and regular rent payments.
I plan to provide bank statements showing those regular rent payments and maybe a copy of the tenant’s AST agreement.
That’ll do won’t it? The Housing costs guidance discusses alternative evidence where there’s no U&O contract; I can’t find any additonal evidence requirements. Evidence that they’re paying rent is surely evidence that they’re liable when they’re obvs living there.
Of course the AST will probably be an off the shelf version with a “no sub let” clause which I shall look for closely and might yet skip it as the landlord is well aware they’re there. Even if that’s so; where she’s crashing there, a liability still arises under common law… doesn’t it?
Thoughts would be appreciated.