What is a Pre Tenancy Determination

If you are thinking about moving to a privately rented property and you will be claiming Housing Benefit you can apply for a pre tenancy determination.

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 before you make an agreement with the landlord.

A pre tenancy determination will only tell you how much of your rent we will use in calculating your Housing Benefit. It will not tell you how much Housing Benefit you will get.

Pre Tenancy Determination form (PDF)

or you can get a Pre Tenancy Determination form from Benefits at the Customer Contact Centre in the Civic Centre.

When you complete the form you will need to fill in 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 should be returned to the Benefits office and you will receive a written pre tenancy determination decision within seven days of the pre tenancy determination request form being received at the Civic Centre.

The Rent Service decides how much of the rent can be used in your Housing Benefit calculation.

To learn more see the The Rent Service section.