Tenant Withholding Rent? Get UC Direct Payment | Guild of Residential Landlords
Tenant Withholding Rent? Get UC Direct Payment
Updated May 10, 2026
Question
I have a tenant on benefits and will be serving a notice. One of the problems is that she is withholding the rent (although she has not gotten beyond a month in arrears yet). She may likely attempt to pay no rent from now on. Do I have any authority to have rent payments made directly to me without her consent? I have contacted the housing benefit department at the local authority. Still, they can't help, and I cannot find what looks like a viable contact for Universal Credit or the DWP for landlords in my position. Would you have any advice on what to do or who I might speak to?
Answer
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