The Residential Landlords Association is to call on the Government for better guidance to stop emails applying for rent payments to go straight to landlords being deleted.

RLA Universal Credit expert Bill Irvine said he has been contacted by hundreds of members complaining that the Department for Work and Pensions has deleted their applications for direct rent payments where the tenant is on benefit.

Landlords can apply for Alternative Payment Arrangements, which allow the housing benefit part of Universal Credit, which rolls six means-tested benefits into one, to be paid to the landlord where a tenant struggles to pay the rent over themselves.

Universal Credit started to be introduced in 2013 and is still being rolled out. Irvine said in the areas where it is live, landlords have had problems where they have used a non-secure email set up by the DWP.

The DWP says that the non-secure email is only for the initial APA application and sensitive data must be sent through the post. If landlords want to apply via the non-sensitive email they must send it with the non-secure version of the form and not include personal data.

A DWP spokerson said: “If we get the wrong version of the form, we are technically not allowed to accept it. It will be rejected, and they will be told to send it by post.”

Irvine is concerned the DWP will not match up the electronic UC47 form with the supporting documentation, such as rent statements and vulnerability letters.

He said: “I would advise Including National Insurance numbers and dates of birth, if you’ve got them, as this will greatly increase your chances of success.

“If you don’t follow this advice, more than likely, the APA application will not be processed, creating the likelihood of lost rental income.

APAs are assessed on individual circumstances and the tenant must agree. As well as payment going direct to the landlords, an APA can also mean splitting payment between members of a couple of more frequently paid benefit.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We work closely with landlords to ensure the alternative payment arrangement process is as simple as possible, whilst also ensuring we protect sensitive customer information.

“We provide clear guidance to landlords on how to apply for an APA.”

Although the National Landlords Association said it was aware of the issue, it said it had not had any complaints from its own members so far.