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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:
daisypond · 27/12/2020 21:34

[quote Meruem]@daisypond

Lodgers are absolutely allowed. What isn’t allowed is subletting the entire home. A lodger is fine.[/quote]
Ah, I see. I was confused.

tanguero · 27/12/2020 21:34

VinylDetective Sun 27-Dec-20 21:01:55
The bedroom tax applies to pensioners now so she’ll always lose 25% of her benefits.

No it doesn't. Pensioners are those aged 66+. Aged 60 !....you are NOT - however much you like to describe yourself as such - 'a pensioner'.

Whatamesssss · 27/12/2020 21:35

Tempusfudgeit

Would she consider taking in a lodger or two?

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

It is allowed, If she is still living in the house. She must inform the landlord. It is only subletting the whole house that is not allowed.

Girlyracer · 27/12/2020 21:38

And here is the problem with renting. Less control of your living arrangements once you're retired. Home ownership all the way.

B1rthis · 27/12/2020 21:40

Is there not a relative that she would be interested in living with? An adult grandchild could move in and help with living costs.

Littleyell · 27/12/2020 21:42

@Girlyracer

And here is the problem with renting. Less control of your living arrangements once you're retired. Home ownership all the way.
Gloat away Hmm
donewithitalltodayandxmas · 27/12/2020 21:43

She can see if entitled to universal credit and might get some help towards rent etc but not all, worth looking at one of the online calculators
Ideally she should move but nit all council/ ha tenants help with cost of this and its not cheap having to replace carpets , pay removals etc
An exchange can be a better idea as there are some lovely 2 beds who are desperate for a 3 who have nice decorated homes and will leave with carpet etc
We moved from our 2 bed to a 3 in an exchange and left ours newly decorated , fully carpeted etc and all nice and tidy , the 3 we moved into was a mess but we needed space , we were lucky to get the swap aa loads of 2 beds
Price wise though the 3 bed was only about £17 a week more than 2 bed , so need to bare in mind
Although council tax etc can be cheaper , also has she told c tax so she can get 25% single person discount

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 27/12/2020 21:46

@Serena1977 you can't buy someone elses council house for them only the tenant can
Looks like the op mum would be entitled to uc so should look at that first
Downsizing may also be an option but rents in ha/ council are not always less or much less for a smaller property

bananaskinsnomnom · 27/12/2020 21:47

The lodger business will have to be checked because it likely changes between different authorities and tenancies.

OP add me to the list of people who say don’t pay her rent. Rent never stops being owed and she’s got a lot of life left in her yet. Chances are it will also rise.

I understand the attachment people have to homes. I’m attached to mine. But reality sadly is going to take over here.....

What everyone has said sounds accurate and tbh she needs to hear it from someone working for her council who can say exactly what their Borough currently offers or can do. She’s not going to listen to family so she’s going to have to hear it from higher up.

It may pay you to also do some digging. Call up the council housing team and try and establish the terms. Explain the tenancy agreement your MIL had and income that you’re aware of and just ask to hear options. You don’t necessarily need to give her name and address but just ask outright - what are the options and incentives to swap? Lots of councils will pay the cost of moving plus a bonus (often between £1k and £2k depending on property) to try and shift people out. Ask what the costs of a two/ one bed property would likely be and how high would she be prioritised.

She’s not going to loose her home over a phone call or a meeting because her agreement protects her from that. But rent arrears will result in eviction and she’s going to have to be told.

Don’t hand her the money. She can then make her mind up when the rent starts to become overdue and letters arrive - sadly it sounds like she’s going to need the harsh slap. Evictions for rent arrears still take months a lot of the time.

Please say she has a pension from her job?!

Plussizejumpsuit · 27/12/2020 21:57

I'd also advise cab. I used to support people with council housing. Tbh if she has 3 bedrooms they will view it as under occupied so it's unlikely she will get any additional help to pay rent.

TwoBlueFish · 27/12/2020 21:58

She needs to check if she’s entitled to universal credit which will include a housing element.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 27/12/2020 21:59

@Girlyracer

And here is the problem with renting. Less control of your living arrangements once you're retired. Home ownership all the way.
I can think of many disadvantages to home ownership when you have retired. So remove your gloating. Most council housing can offer an exchange scheme for smaller accomodation. The problem is, she doesnt want to move. If anything is made difficult it has been by the UK Government.
Plussizejumpsuit · 27/12/2020 22:01

A relative worked on right to buy. They do extensive checks. There is no way you could buy it for her and it be yours when she dies.

Tbh she sounds quite entitled and like she hasn't planned for retirement at all.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 27/12/2020 22:01

Its alright for someone to stay in a 3 bedroom house that is owned but not for someone who has rented for years and could have bought the house outright?
Get off your soapbox.

TheTeenageYears · 27/12/2020 22:06

At 61 she isn't pensionable age and won't be for another 5 years so even if the bedroom tax didn't apply to OAP's it isn't relevant in her case because she isn't an OAP at 61. Having a single person remain in a family property is so fundamentally wrong. Ownership is the only way you get to keep most things indefinitely, why should someone's needs determined years ago in order to qualify for that 3 bed family home not have to be regularly reassessed.

SelfIcellation · 27/12/2020 22:11

My local council has a bidding service. You can bid for properties online. The council would look very favourably on a tenant giving up a 3 bed. But besides all that, it's not OPs responsibility to sort this out. Her MiL needs to do this.

JingleJohnsJulie · 27/12/2020 22:14

I really wouldn't be giving her money. Could yourDH suggest that if she doesn't want to work more that she takes in a couple of lodgers?

They definitely aren't going to be reducing the rent. Do you know how much her arrears are?

It might be time for some home truths about exactly what the eviction process entails and how she wouldn't be housed if evicted. She could stop all of that by just swapping properties now.

20mum · 27/12/2020 22:16

O.P knows this parasite's postcode, so can a) look on rightmove or zoopla and find the correct market rent for similar property (probably that selfish horrible woman is paying less than half of that)
b) look on housing benefit calculators for that postcode and see what the nasty woman will be able to leech from taxpayers in return for not wishing to go to work.

20mum · 27/12/2020 22:20

P.S. This presses buttons for me because I don't like arrogant unreasonable demanding parasitic bullies, and feel I want to defend O.P. who is clearly being set up for 40 years of increasing martyrdom, but appears to feel obliged to obey without question.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 27/12/2020 22:33

She is only 61! She needs to move or work harder. What a leech. Don't pay for her OP!

Hathertonhariden · 27/12/2020 22:48

She's the same age as Emma Thompson so hardly a decrepit pensioner. Stop bailing her out, she needs to face up to the reality of her situation and sort it out herself, the same as any other woman of working age

AldiAisleofCrap · 27/12/2020 22:55

@VinylDetective The bedroom tax applies to pensioners now so she’ll always lose 25% of her benefits. sorry to disappoint you but it does not.

allmycats · 27/12/2020 22:57

She needs a kick up the arse and to work more hours. Why should we pay towards her rent, because she chooses not to work full time, or live within her means.

MichelleScarn · 27/12/2020 23:05

Why should someone give up their lifelong home because the government decided it was a good idea to sell off housing stock? so when someone can't afford their private let(because there's no council property available) or mortgage they should just get to stay and not pay the full rent/mortgage because why should they have to give up their home?

RosesAndHellebores · 27/12/2020 23:17

There may be an issue in SW London whereby 3 bed council houses are in reasonably congenial areas whereas 1 bed flats are on sink estates. The demographics are potentially unimaginable for those not acquainted with London.

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