大象传媒

Vincent Duggleby and a panel of guests answer calls on renting and letting.

Do you have a question about your rights or your responsibilities as a tenant or a landlord?

There's a shortage of properties to rent, according to the latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and this is driving up rents.

Meanwhile, there have been big changes in the way tenants claiming housing benefit are now assessed. Since April this year new claimants face caps on the maximum weekly rate of local housing allowance they are entitled to. The calculation is based on the number of bedrooms in the household. The new weekly limits are: 拢250 for a one bedroom property; 拢290 for a two bedroom property;拢340 for a three bedroom property; and 拢400 for a four bedroom property. If you are already claiming more than this, your local housing allowance will be gradually reduced.

If you are struggling to find somewhere to rent what are your best options?

If you're thinking of becoming a landlord how do you prepare a property?

Who is responsible for house repairs and maintenance?

If you are a tenant and claiming benefits how will you now be assessed for local housing allowance?

What are the rules for landlords and tenants when a deposit is paid at the start of the let?

What are reasonable grounds for a landlord or letting agency to refuse to hand back a deposit at the end of a let?

Phone lines open at 1.30pm on Wednesday afternoon and the number to call is 03700 100 444. Standard geographic charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher. The programme starts after the three o'clock news.

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