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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:

carly2803 · 27/12/2020 20:40

what happens when she retires? surely she wilbe worse off on state pension and paying rent?

idont know how it works...sorry

but look on entitledto.co.uk - that will help to see if shes entitled to anything

whattodo2019 · 27/12/2020 20:41

there are so many families needing 3 bedroom council housing. She should be made to move not helped to pay... No wonder this country struggles to house people.

BarryWhiteIsMyBrother · 27/12/2020 20:43

@Fuckstickss

Why wouldn't she move to a 1-2 bed?

This. If she can't afford a three-bedroom house, where she lives alone, surely she should do what most people would do and downsize?

Haffdonga · 27/12/2020 20:44

Does she mean council tax reduction?

She might be entitled to a 25% reduction in council tax if she is now living alone.

VinylDetective · 27/12/2020 20:45

@missrks

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.

They can’t ‘chuck her out on her arse’. Unless she doesn’t pay the rent for a very long time time. She’ll be entitled to benefits.

whatwedontknow · 27/12/2020 20:45

Does she mean housing benefit or housing costs on UC? It is paid direct to the council landlord which is why some people say I went to the council and they reduced my rent.

She would be under occupied by two bedrooms so would have to pay 25% rent for bedroom tax but the rest could be eligible for reduction depending on her earnings. She needs to make a claim.

Lovemusic33 · 27/12/2020 20:47

@whattodo2019

there are so many families needing 3 bedroom council housing. She should be made to move not helped to pay... No wonder this country struggles to house people.

I agree, we had this issue with my grandad, he was in a 4 bed house alone for many years until he passed away, we tried many times to get him to move but he had lived in the house for 60+ years, 4 bed houses are scarce here so it always seemed really selfish that he would not move.

OP’s mother is not elderly, not retired so she should be living within her means, I’m sure the council will happily find her a nice 1/2 bed in order to free up her house to a family that needs it

Dagnabit · 27/12/2020 20:49

Does she not claim housing benefit or housing costs from UC? Unless she has an income or capital which means she isn’t entitled... She would only be exempt from the bedroom tax if she is a pensioner so sounds like she isn’t there yet. Her landlord will not reduce her rent but she may be able to get discretionary housing payment, although they normally wouldn’t pay that for bedroom tax purposes unless she was actively seeking to downsize or had a medical reason for needing extra bedrooms. It sounds like she does need to move though - she can and will get evicted for rent arrears but COVID means the process is longer now.

Tempusfudgeit · 27/12/2020 20:54

Would she consider taking in a lodger or two?

AliceMcK · 27/12/2020 20:55

I can understand why she wouldn’t want to move. It took a long time for my Nan to move and downsize, it was finally her health/age and bitch neighbours from hell that she reluctantly did it. It was her home, she lived there with my grandad, raised children and grandchildren there. Her husband and 2 of her children were laid out in the house before their funerals. She didn’t drive, but could walk to the shop, she knew people on the street, families who had been there just as long if not longer than her. They looked out for her, especially when the neighbours from hell moved in. She was in walking distance to my uncle, who was very sick and house bound. It was more than bricks and mortar to her.

If your MILs partner only died last year she may not be ready to move. But her asking you for money isn’t right. I agree if she can’t afford the place she needs to either find the money or reluctantly move. At 61 she’s probably expected to go back to work unless she’s entitled to some form of benefits.

The conversation needs to be had with her by someone she will listen to though. Alternatively just stop giving her money.

PurpleMustang · 27/12/2020 20:58

Think she is being very naive and the pension age has not just changed it has been happening for years. Also if she is planning to now retire in a couple of years has she even checked on her pensions and what she will get, or will that be another shock you are expected to bridge??

VinylDetective · 27/12/2020 21:01

The bedroom tax applies to pensioners now so she’ll always lose 25% of her benefits.

Salapandas · 27/12/2020 21:02

Well, whilst it's her home, she doesn't own it outright- plenty of families need three bedroom places at the moment in London. If she owned and couldn't afford a mortgage she would have to downsize...

It does really, really suck, but she needs to be able to afford it, or move elsewhere.

TitsInAbsentia · 27/12/2020 21:03

£700 a month for a 3 bed in SW London, talk about dream rent! I think one of the problems with long legacy council tenancies is the people with them haven't moved on in their thinking - because that's what they got back then they think why shouldn't they get some other dispensation.

I was just wondering what does your other half think? Are they more inclined to give money to her?

converseandjeans · 27/12/2020 21:03

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

I don't think I am due to retire until 67 so 60 seems young to be working less hours.

I don't know however if she will get much for less than £700 in SW London.

BrieAndChilli · 27/12/2020 21:10

I understand if she has lived there for years she won’t want to move but it isn’t her house it’s the councils and how can she think she’s entitled to pay loads less to stay in a house and know she is keeping desperate families with kids in emergency temporary accommodation when she could solve her wanting to work part time problem and move to a 1/2 bed which will be more manageable for her and mean she doesn’t have to beg her son for money?

NannyGythaOgg · 27/12/2020 21:18

[quote velvetcandy]@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[/quote]
She has known for ages that she wasn't going to get her pension at 60. I am 65 and haven't got my pension yet (2 months to go).

I have known since 1995 that I would not be able to retire in 2015 when I reached 60 and since 2011 that I would not get my pension until I was 66. So 25 years and 9 years respectively. For someone at 62 it means she has known since she was late 30s.

Not your business where she lives, then definitely not your business how she pays for it.

user1471538283 · 27/12/2020 21:24

I think you should say to her that you do not know but you cannot give her anymore money and withdraw from any conversations about it. She sounds like she just expects others to sort her life out.

tanguero · 27/12/2020 21:24

AldiAisleofCrap

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

She IS NOT too old for UC. 'Too old for UC' is the pension age, which Is - about time people realised this - now 66.

Thatwentbadly · 27/12/2020 21:24

You could be paying her rent for the next 40 years. I think this is something you need to nip in the bud now unless you afford this.

daisypond · 27/12/2020 21:26

@Tempusfudgeit

Would she consider taking in a lodger or two?

This isn’t allowed. She would lose her tenancy.

Sweettea1 · 27/12/2020 21:29

Just a thought to try a sway her into moving the housing association she's with will do all they can to accommodate her if she's giving up a family home so if she prefer a smaller house in same area same street she would more than likely get it if available or a bungalow if she needs one she would be bumped up the list councils are crying out for family homes so do everything possible to get single people out.

Meruem · 27/12/2020 21:31

A lodger is the answer. My rent is £670 p/m (in London) and I can rent out one room for £630. That’s what I’ll be doing when I can no longer afford my rent.

To clarify (because I have looked into this) once she is on a state pension there is no bedroom tax and if she has no private pension, she will qualify for 100% housing benefit (or equivalent universal credit) so at 66/67 she won’t have a problem. It’s just until then.

As for the “give it to a family that needs it” my view is for one, it’s not the fault of individuals that there isn’t enough housing. Why should someone give up their lifelong home because the government decided it was a good idea to sell off housing stock? Secondly, MN is very hot on telling people they shouldn’t have more kids than they can afford/house. Again why should someone give up their home for someone else’s “bad choices”. Yes they are some genuine causes like people fleeing DV etc but many are just because they knowingly went ahead and had more DC than they had room for. But someone else should suffer and they should be rewarded, why?

ISeeTheLight · 27/12/2020 21:32

Don't enable her. She's 61! My mum is 2 years older than her and works full time in an incredibly demanding and senior level job. She's not exactly an OAP.
My ex DPs mum was like this - she owned her own flat but was claiming job seekers allowance for years and years without any intention of actually getting a job (constant excuses; "I can't use computers" but refused to go on fully funded computer course, etc.). Drove me mad and I told her what I thought about it. Don't pay her rent!

Meruem · 27/12/2020 21:32

@daisypond

Lodgers are absolutely allowed. What isn’t allowed is subletting the entire home. A lodger is fine.

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