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Original poster

Council house advice MIL can’t afford rent.

250 replies

velvetcandy · 27/12/2020 19:17

Does anyone know anything about the old style council house system?
My MIL is in a three bedroom house with the old style agreement back in the 80s she says it’s a house for life unlike the contract you would get today? She’s also on her own, her partner died last year. She’s complaining she can’t afford the £700 rent a month but doesn’t want to downsize does anyone know if they reduce rent? Just to clarify I think she should move to a flat but it’s not my business, what is my business is her asking us for money so I need to get the right information on this, cheers x

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 27/12/2020 19:33

Does she have a job? If she is low paid then she probably would be entitled to some benefit unless her savings are above those allowed. Impossible to say unless further details are known.

Fairyfalls · 27/12/2020 19:34

As someone else has pointed out downsizing doesn't mean cheaper rent. Some flats when you add on service charge for cleaning etc are more expensive per month than houses. She can apply for discretionary housing benefit for help with the rent but it doesn't last forever.

Itsonlymakebelieve · 27/12/2020 19:34

Normally I would say offer to go with her to the council housing dept and let them be the ones to give her the bad news that her rent won’t be reduced and find out what alternatives or help they could offer. At the moment they may be only offering telephone/ online advice which makes things harder.

TheQueef · 27/12/2020 19:34

What does entitled to say?

dottiedodah · 27/12/2020 19:35

If retired can she claim Pension credit at all? £700 seems an awful lot to pay for a 3 bed Council property.Is that London or the SE?

Viviennemary · 27/12/2020 19:35

You've just answered. Sorry. Put in what she earns and her outgoings into one of those entitled to calculators.

gamerchick · 27/12/2020 19:35

She's probably entitled to some benefits OP. Go there first.

Soubriquet · 27/12/2020 19:35

Yes, don’t pay

Families are crying out for 3 bedroomed council houses and she’s being selfish refusing to move especially if she can’t afford the house anyway.

RosesAndHellebores · 27/12/2020 19:35

I'm nearly 61 op and plan to work for another 4 years in a full on job.

If your MIL wishes to remain in a 3 bedroom property bigger than she requires when she is hardly elderly may I respectfully suggest she gets a job and stumps up because there are no circumstances when anyone else should do so on her behalf. She needs to work or live within the means she has.

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 19:36

Bedroom tax does not work like that. Your not exempt on age OP. The rule was brought in because of lack of social housing.

The government will cover whatever your MIL is entitled for example £450 and then the short fall for the 2 extra bedrooms your MIL is expected to foot the bill.

missrks · 27/12/2020 19:36

I'm surprised they haven't chucked her out on her arse. She's not entitled to keep that home. I don't agree with that obviously but the councils can be really strict about it.

AldiAisleofCrap · 27/12/2020 19:38

Pensioners are exempt from bedroom tax.Also too old for UC. Does she not get pension credit and housing benefit?

AldiAisleofCrap · 27/12/2020 19:38

@Littleyell Bedroom tax does not work like that. Your not exempt on age OP. yes you are.

Sallyjo27 · 27/12/2020 19:39

Hi @velvetcandy your MIL will need to do a benefit check to see is she is eligible for help with housing costs. She should get a single person council tax discount if she’s living on her own. She needs to contact citizens advice for a full benefit check even if she is working as she may get help towards her rent etc x

MissMarks · 27/12/2020 19:39

If she has a secure tenancy she is entitled to keep the house- provided she pays the rent.

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 19:40

@AldiAisleofCrap really a single person living in a 3 bedroom house? I didn’t know that. I thought that they government brought in a benefit cap. Regardless!

Original poster
velvetcandy · 27/12/2020 19:42

So she’s been able to pay her rent this year as she got some cash when her partner died but that’s only recently ran out. I think she believes the council will just reduce her rent for her. Yes the house is in south west London area. She doesn’t want to be thinking about working more as she wants to retire soon. This is so ridiculous I really don’t know how to help her without it upsetting her

OP posts:
20mum · 27/12/2020 19:43

What a selfish horrible woman. Refusing to work extra hours. Hogging a three bed house knowing how desperately it is needed. Then the nerve of expecting other people to pay her rent. Neither you nor the taxpayer should subsidise a woman of 61 i.e. below retirement age, choosing not to work as many hours as she could. I could barely bring myself to have any contact with her, in your place. The way she is refusing to even discuss it is arrogant and bullying.

Soubriquet · 27/12/2020 19:44

Of course they won’t reduce her rent because she can’t afford it

They wouldn’t set it at that price otherwise

It’s not like they are going to say “well normally we charge £700, but because you can’t afford it, we will let you have it for £500”

StylishMummy · 27/12/2020 19:44

Without sounding blunt - she needs to
A - work more
B - move
C - she'll get into a hellish load of debt and eventually be evicted

Stop enabling her!

ageingdisgracefully · 27/12/2020 19:44

She may be entitled to some UC, including Housing Element.
She may be entitled to a Discretionary Housing Payment if she can't afford the rent. It's worth a try.
She'll be entitled to single person's Council Tax discount.

At the end of the say, she's living in a house that's too big for her. She needs to understand that it's not affordable on her current wages. She needs to work more or downsize. Or rent out one or both rooms.

She's 61 so won't be eligible for state pension until she's 66 or 67.

LawnFever · 27/12/2020 19:44

Why does she think her rent should be lowered or someone else should pay it? Confused

If the world worked like that everyone would just ask to pay less rent/mortgage/bills because they couldn’t afford it/didn’t want to work more hours.

She might not fancy moving but unfortunately if she doesn’t want to up her hours to cover the bills what other options does she realistically have

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 27/12/2020 19:45

Well, there's no way I'd pay her rent so she can carry on working pt and living in a house that she doesn't need.
This isn't your problem to solve OP - she's 61, not 91 and is more that capable of sorting her own shit out.
Just tell her that since she considers it none of your business whether she keeps the house, you consider it none of your business when it comes to paying for it.
And make sure your h doesn't give her money on the quiet.

Original poster
velvetcandy · 27/12/2020 19:45

@Soubriquet she literally had us believe that’s what was doing to happen! I think she planned to retire at 60 then they moved the pension age

OP posts:
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