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AIBU?

Council flat deposit

44 replies

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 18:17

Hi,

Long time lurker but posting for traffic. Have a huge backstory with DBil constantly asking for money. He is 35 and appears to be the unluckiest man in the world, can never get benefits money, never has money to pay his flat share rent, never has money to feed himself, can not hold a job or when he does cash in hand jobs he never gets paid etc etc

Anyway, he now appears to have got to the top of the council waiting list and is viewing 2 today. Both are apparently brand new builds so am assuming it's a private/council/HA split.

He has said he needs £100 deposit to give to the council until his housing benefit application processes in 6 weeks, I don't doubt the HB but more the £100 deposit.

Given he has form for lying, last time we gave him money he apparently washed it and it was destroyed... I have done this plenty times myself so know that currency is waterproof.

AIBU to think he's trying to pull a fast one? Will quite happily get back in my box if it's the norm

OP posts:

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3dogsandaboy · 10/06/2015 18:20

Ive lived in 2 council properties. In my experience a deposit is not needed.

AlexVausesGlasses · 10/06/2015 18:20

You don't pay a deposit on council houses when moving in. And if you claim HB they usually help you fill in the form and they will get it to the HB office.

Oswin · 10/06/2015 18:21

Never heard of it. When I moved in my council flat the hb took a month to be sorted, the council were fine with that. They knew it would be paid because its just from one department to another. He's pulling a fast one.

electionfatigue · 10/06/2015 18:21

Tell him you'll be happy to help and you'll pay it directly to the council. That'll flush out whether he's telling the truth or not.

Tutu1000 · 10/06/2015 18:24

I didn't have to pay a deposit for my council flat, just a £1 deposit for each door fob that we needed. It's possible that if it is to do with a housing association then they may have different rules for deposits. electionfatigues idea is good if you wanted to help him out if he was really telling the truth.

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 18:26

Though as much.... MIL called last night with this story... DH without telling me just transferred it to him (because it's the truth y'know, he's finally getting himself sorted )

Will show DH this later because he will just say I'm trying to cause issues and that he hasn't been taken for a fool again.

OP posts:

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 18:27

It's definitely council that's been mentioned, not HA.

OP posts:

ArseForElbow · 10/06/2015 18:30

I moved into a council new build and never had to pay anything at all.

Alfieisnoisy · 10/06/2015 18:37

My home is a HA property. I had to pay the first weeks rent when I moved in here. I wasn't on HB though and I doubt they'd have withheld the keys if someone is in a desperate situation.

Alfieisnoisy · 10/06/2015 18:38

Had to do the same with council too if I remember correctly.

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 18:42

I'll get DH to call DBil tonight and ask more specific questions, if it's HA then fine I know you have to pay a deposit as my sister did. It's just not sitting right with me given his history.

OP posts:

eyebags63 · 10/06/2015 18:45

YANBU as it sounds dodgy, but if you are feeling kind and want to help him out I would offer to phone the council directly and make a debit payment to his account or write a cheque payable to them only. NO CASH FROM ME.

bgottalent · 10/06/2015 18:48

Surely its not a deposit, more like a few weeks rent in advance

crumblybiscuits · 10/06/2015 18:51

I had to pay a deposit/first weeks rent when moving into my council flat.

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 18:53

eyebags63 had I known about this at the time I would have only agreed to do as you as you suggested, unfortunately DH has already transferred it to him.

OP posts:

x2boys · 10/06/2015 18:54

I moved into a council house a few months ago I didn't need a deposit they may need a few weeks rent though although my council understood I had just paid for my private rented so let me set up the direct debit for the end of the month.

ttc2015 · 10/06/2015 18:58

Why don't you just call your council and ask? I suspect he's a chancer but regardless, your DP needs to stop chucking money at him- the problem will just get worse as he's more and more enabled.

combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 19:03

For those that did pay a deposit, were you working though and getting partial HB? DBil doesn't and is on JSA so is getting full HB, well application is in anyway. Don't want to create a situation that may well be legitimate.

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combatbarbie · 10/06/2015 19:08

Oh don't, he has been enabled his whole life... You would seriously at how much money he's had off MIL and her partner and my DH, I'm talking a fair few £1000's. Not drip feeding but basically MILs partner has nothing left of his train pension, they now live month to month on their pensions but still send him money all the time rather than enjoying their retirement.

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lougle · 10/06/2015 19:13

We had to pay two weeks' rent up front as a deposit and the first week's rent on the day we collected the keys (so 3x rent in total), so it may well be true. The conditions should be freely available to check -my council publishes the tenant handbook online.

crumblybiscuits · 10/06/2015 19:17

I got full housing benefit and still had to pay the first week or two rent.

bippityboppitypoo · 10/06/2015 19:18

I've lived in council and HA non require a deposit. It's affordable housing, deposits are not affordable!

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vaticancameos · 10/06/2015 19:21

This is a screen shot of a typical housing association advert on Bristol Homechoixe

Council flat deposit

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 10/06/2015 19:23

Yes I had to pay my first weeks rent in advance myself as I hadn't sorted out my HB to HA, it was £82 give or take I was in desparate situation (I'd been homeless living in hotel for two weeks again out of my own money). I am working but I'm aspergers and on DLA so do get full housing benefit. This was only the end of January so not that long ago.

Not sure what would have happened directly from the council but all the housing associations were certianly asking for a week in advance.

StormSwept · 10/06/2015 19:24

Some housing associations do ask for a deposit, the local authority wouldn't usually ask for a deposit to move in with, unless it's the rent team asking for this, as most local authority tenancies rents are payable in advance (usually never happens!) each week, but this would be pretty rare.

But it's worth noting that lots and lots of people mistakenly call housing associations 'the council/council house' when talking of social housing.

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