N
Norma
Guest
Back in August, my partner and I moved house.
I decided that I'd put the Rent Supplement in my name, it was previously in my partners. So I filled out all the relevant forms and handed them up to my Community Welfare Officer, presuming that she knew that we moved because on the landlord's part of the form was the date we moved in.
Yet my partner's rent allowance was still being paid. So seeing as it was there, he collected it and we thought that once the payment in my name was processed the one in his would be stopped. Then last week, she called us and asked both of us to meet her, and questioned her about still drawing the rent supplement.
And she was basically saying, how was she meant to know we had moved etc., so I said because it was written on the form, the date we moved into the new house. Then she asked why was my name on the rent supplement now, and my reasoning for it was in case my partner and I ever split up, that I wouldn't have to wait ages getting this letter and that letter and filling out forms just to get it in my name. A good reason I think.
We were not trying to con them or be deceitful in anyway, it was just bad judgement on our side. I know there would be people out there who would do it, but we're not like that.
Then she expected us to have a letter from the local county council by the next morning, which is completely impossible because we don't have a car to go back there and it's around 30 miles away from us.
Is it not up to them to read the forms they get, and then stop rent supplement for a previous address? Also, I am really worried now about what the outcome will be, because we really cannot afford to have that stopped, we're struggling enough as it is. And I know how stupid and naive we seem so I would really appreciate if people didn't point that out.
Is there anything my partner and I can do, or should we just sit it out and wait for them to decide what they will do?
Any (genuine) advice is greatly appreciated.
I decided that I'd put the Rent Supplement in my name, it was previously in my partners. So I filled out all the relevant forms and handed them up to my Community Welfare Officer, presuming that she knew that we moved because on the landlord's part of the form was the date we moved in.
Yet my partner's rent allowance was still being paid. So seeing as it was there, he collected it and we thought that once the payment in my name was processed the one in his would be stopped. Then last week, she called us and asked both of us to meet her, and questioned her about still drawing the rent supplement.
And she was basically saying, how was she meant to know we had moved etc., so I said because it was written on the form, the date we moved into the new house. Then she asked why was my name on the rent supplement now, and my reasoning for it was in case my partner and I ever split up, that I wouldn't have to wait ages getting this letter and that letter and filling out forms just to get it in my name. A good reason I think.
We were not trying to con them or be deceitful in anyway, it was just bad judgement on our side. I know there would be people out there who would do it, but we're not like that.
Then she expected us to have a letter from the local county council by the next morning, which is completely impossible because we don't have a car to go back there and it's around 30 miles away from us.
Is it not up to them to read the forms they get, and then stop rent supplement for a previous address? Also, I am really worried now about what the outcome will be, because we really cannot afford to have that stopped, we're struggling enough as it is. And I know how stupid and naive we seem so I would really appreciate if people didn't point that out.
Is there anything my partner and I can do, or should we just sit it out and wait for them to decide what they will do?
Any (genuine) advice is greatly appreciated.