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Pre-Tenancy Determination

If you are thinking about moving to a privately rented property that is exempt from Local Housing Allowance and you will be claiming Housing Benefit you can apply for a Pre-Tenancy Determination (PTD).

This will tell you how much of your rent would be used to work out Housing Benefit. It will help you to decide if you can afford to rent the property or not before you make an agreement with the landlord.

A PTD does not tell you how much Housing Benefit you will get.

How do I get a Pre-Tenancy Determination?

You will need to fill in an application for a Pre-Tenancy Determination [.pdf 198KB], giving details about the property you would like to rent. The landlord of the property will have to sign the form to say he/she agrees with a pre-tenancy determination being made.

The form must then be sent to the Benefits Section who will forward your details to the Valuation Office Agency. The Valuation Office Agency will value the property and send a copy of his decision to you, a copy to the landlord and a copy to the Benefits Section - usually within 7 days.

If you are under 25 years old

Legislation from October 7th 1996 limits the amount of Housing Benefit payable to single people aged under 25, living in privately rented accommodation. In most instances, Council and Housing Association accommodation will not be included in the new rules.

The maximum rent used to work out entitlement to Housing Benefit will be restricted to the 'Single Room Rent' (SRR). This will be based on the market rent for single room accommodation in the area, with shared toilet and kitchen facilities.

Anyone aged under 25 seeking privately rented accommodation is advised to obtain a  PTD prior to accepting any tenancy.