Residents will ultimately bear the brunt of changes to benefit legislation say local Lib Dems as it forces landlords to stop taking tenants on benefits. Haringey Liberal Democrats present at the Private Landlords Forum on the 17th September 2007 have voiced their concern over changes to the payment of Housing Benefit and have highlighted its unfair bias against private landlords and its inevitable effect on residents as landlords decide not to house tenants on benefits.

Haringey Council announced that from April next year, private landlords will not be paid Housing Benefit for their tenants directly. Instead the new Local Housing Allowance, as it will be renamed, will be paid directly to tenants. Landlords attending the forum were concerned that rents due to them may not be paid by tenants unable to manage their finances, or by those tempted to spend large back payments rather than pay it to the landlord. Lib Dems have criticised the government for not applying an approach that adequately safeguards payments to private landlords and has called on the Council to set out clear plans how they will protect landlords in Haringey and ensure that access to accommodation for benefit claimants is available.

Cllr Catherine Harris, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, comments:

“I am very concerned that the good will of local private landlords will be eroded by this irresponsible change to the Housing Benefit legislation by the Labour Government. Residents will ultimately bear the brunt of this change as landlords decide not to take tenants on benefits.

“What is also concerning is the lack of continuity in that the changes does not apply to council tenants – Haringey Council will still be paying itself Housing Benefit directly. Landlords are very critical of at this blatant unfairness. These landlords provide decent housing for those in need but they have been let down by a policy that the Council does not have to follow itself. It’s again a classic Labour policy of do what I say and not as I do.”