Landlords are important stakeholders in the service that we provide. We aim to work with landlords to make sure that they receive payment promptly.
In return, we ask landlords to respect our duty to keep claimant information secret. They must follow the rules about sharing information when they ask about their tenants.
Landlord portal
The landlord portal allows you to access information about your tenant’s housing benefit claim, if the payments are made directly to you.
To access the landlord portal you need to fill in an online declaration.
Apply for access to the landlord portal
After you apply, we will email you the details you need to use the landlord portal.
Once your account has been set up, you will be able to:
- check payments
- view individual cases
- report a change in your tenant’s circumstance
Private tenants and safeguarding
For private tenants who we make local housing allowance payments to, we would normally only make payments direct to the tenant.
However safeguards can be put in place to protect the vulnerable and in certain cases we can pay tenants’ housing benefit entitlement directly to landlords.
To request this, fill in the safeguard application form. A request for payment to a landlord needs to be supported by evidence from a third party.
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Send your completed form to benefits@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
If your tenant is in arrears by 8 weeks or more
Benefit can still be paid to a landlord if a tenant falls into arrears of 8 weeks or more. Written proof of arrears will be required. Make sure you keep detailed records of the rent account.
You can tell us if your tenant is in arrears by filling in the 'direct payment of housing benefit to landlords form' below.
Housing Association tenants or private tenancies with claims before 7 April 2008
You must fill in the 'direct payment of housing benefit to landlords form' and return it to us for rent to be paid directly.
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Send your completed form to benefits@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
Obligations of a landlord
If you accept direct payment from us, you may be required to pay back the money if your tenant receives housing benefit to which they are not entitled.
You also have a duty to inform us if a tenant for whom you are being paid benefit leaves your property.