Who pays for maintenance and damages if I let out my house through dss?

You or the tenant, DSS doesn't get involved with that.

its a bad move to rent to tenants on dss

i have tried this in the past the council paid the rent direct

then after several months the council informed me that they had overpaid me due to the tenants no longer entitled

i have to pay back the rent the tenants were living rent free in my property

i have to get a court order in the end this took another 6 months

then they trashed it when they got kicked out

Really depends on the contracts signed. But I would assume it might work out where you would get money from DSS and DSS would get money from the tenants.

Same as a regular landlord/tenant lease. You collect a Security Deposit to cover any damages and any damages above and beyond that caused by tenants will have to be paid for by the tenants. If they refuse to pay, you will have to take them to court just like any other landlord would have to do.

you do . There was a guy lived near my mum who rented his house out through dss and the tenents trashed it, they ripped out the brand new bathroom he put in, and sold it - run up debts from catalogues and loans in his name everything. they were evicted in the end and the council or the social wouldnt foot the bill, they said thats what he had house insurance for and they point blank refused to be held responsible, however the council did offer him discounted paint to re-decorate

You or the tennent, the DSS only pays the rent.

You ensure that a large enough deposit is paid to cover possible damages at the end of the tenancy.