LHA freeze since April 2024 raises arrears risk for older renters — three checks London landlords should make now

Independent Age says older private renters are cutting back on essentials to keep up with rent because Local Housing Allowance has been frozen since April 2024. That freeze is confirmed. Any change at the next Budget is not confirmed; at this stage it is a policy ask, not law.

For landlords, the issue is not a new statutory duty. It is a higher operational and legal risk around arrears, vulnerability and property condition. Independent Age says average one-bedroom rents have risen by about 18% since the freeze, two-thirds of older renters on Housing Benefit faced a rent increase in the last 12 months, and six in 10 have cut back on heating, socialising or food. It also reports that more than a quarter of older private renters live in homes that fail the Decent Homes Standard. Those figures are from the charity’s reporting; the material does not provide a borough-by-borough London breakdown.

That matters in London because the gap between benefit support and market rent is often wider than elsewhere in England. In boroughs such as Westminster, Camden, Wandsworth, Haringey and Newham, lower-quartile rents can move quickly when supply is tight. If you let to an older tenant who relies partly or wholly on Housing Benefit, even a modest rent increase can create a persistent monthly shortfall. The practical response is to treat this as an arrears-prevention exercise now, not a possession problem later.

Audit at-risk tenancies before arrears harden

Start with a file review this week. Pull a list of tenants who are of pension age, receiving Housing Benefit, or showing early warning signs such as part-payments, repeated late payments, cancelled direct debits or requests to delay rent. If you use a managing agent, ask for a report covering the last six to 12 months of payment history. The aim is to identify who is one rent cycle away from hardship, not just who is already in formal arrears.

Then make contact in writing and by phone. Ask whether the tenant’s benefit still covers the same share of rent as it did in spring 2024, whether they have applied for a Discretionary Housing Payment, and whether they need signposting to Citizens Advice, Age UK, Independent Age, the council housing team or the DWP/Housing Benefit section. Keep a dated note of each conversation and each referral offered. If possession action is later needed, that record can help show that you acted reasonably and took vulnerability into account.

If a tenant is struggling, offer a documented repayment arrangement before escalating. There is no prescribed form here, so keep it practical: amount outstanding, weekly or monthly top-up, review date after 28 days, and what happens if circumstances worsen. For smaller landlords, that can be the difference between recovering arrears over three months and paying for a void, legal fees and re-letting costs. For larger portfolios, the process should be standardised so staff do not default to automated arrears letters where vulnerability is obvious.

Check condition issues where older tenants may be more exposed

Property condition is the second risk point. Independent Age says over a quarter of older private renters live in homes that fail the Decent Homes Standard. That standard is not currently a universal direct enforcement regime across the private rented sector, but the legal exposure for landlords is still real through the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, repair obligations under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and local authority enforcement under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.

In practice, older tenants may be more exposed to harm from cold, damp, mould, trip hazards and poor heating. If you have not inspected an older tenant’s property in the last six months, arrange a condition check and prioritise heating performance, ventilation, window defects and any signs of condensation or mould.

Be especially careful where arrears and disrepair sit together. If a tenant has complained about mould, heating failure or unsafe electrics, do not let your arrears process run on autopilot. London borough enforcement teams take different approaches, but councils including Newham, Southwark, Camden and Haringey have historically been active on private rented sector standards. The current position will vary by borough, so check the local PRS enforcement pages before taking a hard line.

A possession route handled badly where vulnerability and disrepair are in play can become a defence issue, a council referral or, in the worst cases, lead to allegations of harassment or unlawful eviction.

Brief staff on vulnerability triggers

Front-line staff need a short briefing, not a policy document no one reads. Train them to spot basic vulnerability indicators: a tenant saying they have stopped using heating, signs of self-neglect during inspections, repeated requests for more time because benefit no longer covers rent, or family members raising concerns.

The practical response is to escalate internally the same day, pause standard chasing letters where appropriate, and consider a referral to the council’s homelessness prevention or adult safeguarding teams if the facts justify it.

Budget for the freeze to continue unless policy changes are confirmed

Do not assume the Budget will solve this. An LHA increase might be announced; it also might not. Until there is a confirmed Treasury or DWP announcement, landlords should work on the basis that the April 2024 freeze remains in place. That means checking whether any proposed rent increase on renewal is realistically affordable for a tenant whose income is largely fixed, especially in higher-cost London postcodes.

Three steps to take now

Within seven days: run a rent-account audit for older tenants on Housing Benefit and flag anyone with missed or short payments since 1 April 2024.

Within 14 days: contact those tenants, offer referrals to benefits and hardship support, and put any repayment plan in writing.

Within 30 days: inspect any property occupied by an older tenant where there has been no recent condition visit and fix heating, damp, mould or safety issues before winter pressure increases.

This article is general information, not legal advice; take case-specific advice before serving notice or starting possession proceedings.