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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:
safariboot · 27/12/2020 20:14

Not read whole thread.

If she has one of the old secure tenancies, I think she can move to another property let by the same landlord and retain that type of tenancy. And if she's offering to downsize she will be quite high priority for getting a new 1 bed, maybe even 2 bed especially if there's a caring need.

She can of course claim whatever benefits she's entitled to. But currently the "bedroom tax" may well apply.

PaperHalo · 27/12/2020 20:14

I presume she is either on an old Regulated Tenancy or perhaps an Assured Tenancy depending on the date when she moved in. Rents on these properties are already well below the market average due to the protections afforded to such tenancies. The council won’t want to (nor will they be obliged to) lower the rent but they will find it almost impossible to throw her out...
Unless she wants to rack up loads of rent debt while sitting in a house too big for her needs she should approach the council and see what they suggest. I work for a big landlord and we would look to do a deal.

IHateThesePosts · 27/12/2020 20:15

turnthebiglightoff your dad will be entitled to full housing benefit to cover his rent.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 27/12/2020 20:15

She is being selfish by complaining about the cost of a home that she is underoccupying.

PlainHonesty · 27/12/2020 20:15

Buy her an alarm clock and some roses or coffee - wake up and smell the ....
Sometimes you can't have your own way; she needs to face reality.

thosetalesofunexpected · 27/12/2020 20:16

Hi Op
Get in touch with CAB
Citzens advice bureau Agency
You find their tel no on the internet

(Citzens advice bureau often have offices in most towns/cities uk.

Whatamesssss · 27/12/2020 20:16

She will not be exempt from the bedroom tax (14% for 1 excess bed, 25% for 2 beds) until she reaches state pension age. So maximum housing element of rent would be £525.

She will qualify for 25% reduction for Council Tax.

She could claim UC but if she only works part time, there will be conditions that she look for more hours or another part time job. If she does not meet those conditions they will sanction her, ie no money.

She really should look into moving. Some councils offer incentives for giving up 2 or more bedrooms.

The council will never reduce the amount of the rent. She may well have the original rental agreement, but if she gets into rent arrears they will evict her, the rental agreement does not stop that happening.

safariboot · 27/12/2020 20:16

Oh, and if her tenancy is covered by the fair rent act she can ask for a rent review under that. But a reduction is not guaranteed.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 27/12/2020 20:17

turnthebiglightoff your dad will be entitled to full housing benefit to cover his rent

Definitely (although it might fall slightly short due to the extra bedroom)

HollowTalk · 27/12/2020 20:17

You just need to tell her you can't give her any money. It's outrageous that she's in a 3 bed house and expecting you to subsidise that.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 27/12/2020 20:18

@velvetcandy

She’s refusing to think about moving 🙄
Well its her home and she has lived there for years. I think moving would be hard for her.
DeciduousPerennial · 27/12/2020 20:18

So they won’t reduce the rent, she won’t move, and she won’t increase her hours to pay her (already extremely reasonable for the area) rent?

Why does she think it’s someone else’s responsibility to pay her bills?

I understand that your FIL died and that is awful. But if my husband died and I couldn’t pay my bills on my own because the house was now too big for me it would be up to me to take responsibility for my own life, and downsize and take on a smaller house. That’s just the harsh realities of life.

Motnight · 27/12/2020 20:19

Honestly Op I would take a step back and let her deal with these issues herself. It doesn't sound as though she is being reasonable or listens to your advice so let her get on with it.

Be there for when the reality of her situation hits her. But until then just smile and nod.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 27/12/2020 20:20

You should not be paying rent for her.

Blacktothepink · 27/12/2020 20:21

Has she looked at local mutual exchange website? 3 beds are in much demand and, where I live, you can swap secure tenancy with another one through exchange, but not if she asks council to downsize her. Different Borough Councils have different rules, but suffice to say her rent will only increase, not decrease.

2020isalmosthindsight · 27/12/2020 20:24

She needs to work more hours, not less. Retirement isn't even likely a possibility right now if she's refusing to move.

You need to stop subsidizing her choices.

Perhaps suggest a couple of lodgers. And tell her to save as much as she can from what they pay so she can retire in a few years.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 27/12/2020 20:24

How old is she?

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 27/12/2020 20:24

She's taking the piss. You need to sit down and tell her that money is tight so you're giving her say 3 months notice and after that, you won't be able to help financially. She's got a choice of downsizing or upping her hours at work.

Her hand will be bitten off by a family wanting an extra bedroom, don't let her tell you that no one is willing to swap.

BlueThistles · 27/12/2020 20:25

what exactly does she need these 2 additional bedrooms for... if she lives alone OP Flowers

LonelyBlueBauble · 27/12/2020 20:31

Well its her home and she has lived there for years. I think moving would be hard for her.

It was hard for my parents to sell their 3 bed house that they had lived in for 30 years because it was costing them too much when they were retiring. And they owned that. There wasn't a queue of families in desperate need of that housing unlike the OP's Mum's council house.

Lalliella · 27/12/2020 20:32

She’s a CF. She’s depriving someone more needy of a home, and she’s sponging off you. She needs to face reality, she’s a flipping adult she needs to act like one and manage her own finances and living arrangements.

Homemadearmy · 27/12/2020 20:35

I can imagine after recently losing her partner. The prospect of giving up.the house she as lived in for most probably 30 years is really hard. And again I imagine she was able to work part time because he worked full time or because they were each bringing in a wage. Did they see themselves retiring together? And being able to stay in their home?
Moving is expensive as is decorating. How much is the rent on a 1/2 bedroom council property. Unless the council help with costs it could be a long time before she is better off

starfishmummy · 27/12/2020 20:37

@AldiAisleofCrap

Pensioners are exempt from bedroom tax.Also too old for UC. Does she not get pension credit and housing benefit?
Shes 61. Thats not a pensioner!! Shes another 5 years to go.
VinterKvinna · 27/12/2020 20:39

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

She's taking the piss. You need to sit down and tell her that money is tight so you're giving her say 3 months notice and after that, you won't be able to help financially. She's got a choice of downsizing or upping her hours at work.

Her hand will be bitten off by a family wanting an extra bedroom, don't let her tell you that no one is willing to swap.

She knows all of this, op will only end up arguing with her. Whats the point? I have a DM who wont listen and has to be told things by people in authority (ie not family who know nothing)

OP can only really suggest that she knows nothing, and DM should contact the council offices or whoever

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 27/12/2020 20:40

She needs to claim UC. If she genuinely cannot afford the rent, that'll cover the vast majority of it.

Problem solved for the next twenty-odd years.