Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
VinylDetective · 27/12/2020 23:40

@20mum

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.
We noticed your bottoms being smashed, let alone pressed. She’s not a parasite, a bully, a leech or nasty. She’s a woman who’s failing to collect the benefits to which she’s entitled and doesn’t want to leave her home. Lots of assumptions are being made about her health and skills.

This thread is one of the most unpleasant I’ve seen here.

MichelleScarn · 27/12/2020 23:52

*We noticed your bottoms being smashed, let alone pressed. She’s not a parasite, a bully, a leech or nasty. She’s a woman who’s failing to collect the benefits to which she’s entitled and doesn’t want to leave her home. Lots of assumptions are being made about her health and skills.

This thread is one of the most unpleasant I’ve seen here*
Who's 'we' and you can't have been on MN very long if this is the most unpleasant thread you've read! What unpleasant because posters aren't saying she should be allowed to stay in a house thats under occupied, not paying the appropriate rent and thats its awful to acknowledge this?

MargotMoon · 27/12/2020 23:52

@VinylDetective This thread is one of the most unpleasant I’ve seen here.

I agree Sad

Littleyell · 28/12/2020 00:14

@RosesAndHellebores

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.
It’s like that every where unfortunately not just London SE.
Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 28/12/2020 00:47

We noticed your bottoms being smashed

ConfusedGrin

ThreeFeetTall · 28/12/2020 00:57

I think I know the reason she is talking about the rent being reduced- when council tenants claimed housing benefit it used to be taken directly off their rent and sometimes called rent reduction. But it was just HB, rent charged stayed the same. She's just using old terminology.
She needs to either get a lodger or do a swap imo

Coffeeandcocopops · 28/12/2020 00:59

I don’t think a 61 year old who is capable of working full time but chooses not should be entitled to any benefits, It’s morally wrong.

MichelleScarn · 28/12/2020 01:03

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel

We noticed your bottoms being smashed

ConfusedGrin

Now I've tried to be mature Jacqui and ignore that. Has Aunty Val being leading you astray again?! Wink
BarbaraofSeville · 28/12/2020 07:52

As a presumably healthy single adult of working age, she's not entitled to benefits enable her to work part time or live in a house bigger than she needs, that could house a family.

It's been well known for decades that retirement ages were being raised so the MIL should have made provisions if she wanted to continue with early retirement.

It's not reasonable for her to expect others to pay for her to have a lifestyle she can't afford. If she won't move, a lodger is the obvious answer, and the rate she could charge should be quite decent where she is. It might even cover all her rent, or even more.

CupoTeap · 28/12/2020 08:19

Out of internet how was she planning on paying for it when she retired?

SavoyCabbage · 28/12/2020 08:36

Why should someone give up their lifelong home because the government decided it was a good idea to sell off housing stock?

Don't be daft, the world is full of people who would like things they can't afford. And lots of people downsize when their children move out in order to be able to afford other things.

Maybe travel or maybe so they can retire early or work part time.

You can't have a big house, work part time and retire at 61 if you can't afford to pay for those things.

SimonJT · 28/12/2020 08:36

Get her on the entitled to website and make sure she is actually receiving the correct amount of benefits, encourage her to look at better utility deals etc.

If she is unable to pay her rent you helping financially is only a very short term solution, she either needs to increase her income or reduce her outgoings or a combination of both.

If she gets herself on moneysavingexpert there are some really good resources, is she posts an SOA on the forum and includes which utilty companies etc she uses other users are brilliant at finding solutions and helping people to reduce their outgoings.

www.entitledto.co.uk/

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 28/12/2020 08:36

@MichelleScarn nippy nippy Grin

LawnFever · 28/12/2020 08:41

We noticed your bottoms being smashed, let alone pressed. She’s not a parasite, a bully, a leech or nasty. She’s a woman who’s failing to collect the benefits to which she’s entitled and doesn’t want to leave her home. Lots of assumptions are being made about her health and skills

This thread is one of the most unpleasant I’ve seen here

If a woman of working age can decide just not to work full time hours because there’s benefits that’ll top up your personal decision not to earn enough to cover your rent then I’m clearly doing life wrong.

The OP has said the MIL doesn’t want to work any extra hours, not that she’s unable to, just doesn’t want to & wants other people to pay.

You’re the one assuming things about her health or skills.

I understand it’s not nice to have to move after years living somewhere but equally everyone has to live within their means.

Snog · 28/12/2020 09:22

Maybe she needs grief counselling to help her move on?

Sarahandduck18 · 28/12/2020 09:23

She needs professional advice on her entitlements.

jay55 · 28/12/2020 09:35

I don't think she would save on rent if she downsized. £700 in London gets you a room in a house share. It doesn't come close to a one bed, even in a housing association property.

VinylDetective · 28/12/2020 09:44

The OP has said the MIL doesn’t want to work any extra hours, not that she’s unable to, just doesn’t want to & wants other people to pay. You’re the one assuming things about her health or skills.

I’m not assuming anything. I haven’t said anything about her capability or not to work full time. OP quite clearly doesn’t like her Mil so she’s a bit of an unreliable source.

It’s astonishing how many people think she can just magic up full time hours when so many people are being made redundant and people over 60 are the bottom of the pile for employment prospects. The gender pay gap is also the greatest in over 60s.

Viviennemary · 28/12/2020 10:07

The MIL needs a reality check. The OP has said nothing about her health. Many people including me have suggested that she should find out her entitlement to benefits. Failing that if she needs more money she must increase her hours. OP shoild certainly not hand over money on a long term basis unless she has plenty and can well afford it.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 28/12/2020 10:16

I don’t think a 61 year old who is capable of working full time but chooses not should be entitled to any benefits, It’s morally wrong

Only 1 in 3 people between 60 and 64 work full time in the UK. There are many good reasons for this, including health, employers attitude and failing stamina. It may not be realistic for the OP's MIL to work full time, and this would not be unusual.

Coffeeandcocopops · 28/12/2020 10:33

@TheYearOfSmallThings

I don’t think a 61 year old who is capable of working full time but chooses not should be entitled to any benefits, It’s morally wrong

Only 1 in 3 people between 60 and 64 work full time in the UK. There are many good reasons for this, including health, employers attitude and failing stamina. It may not be realistic for the OP's MIL to work full time, and this would not be unusual.

I don’t have an issue with people not working - there will be many reasons as you say. I’m also sure a lot of people are calling upon their private pensions in those stats if they can as I don’t know many people between the ages of 60 - 67 not working full time who don’t have access to money or are disabled or ill health retirements.

But the retirement age is 67. That means if you are healthy and able then you have to personally finance your lifestyle at 61 and not rely on the state to support you because you choose / have to work part time hours. Otherwise we might as well all stop working full time at 61 because I sure don’t like having to work full time.

Littleyell · 28/12/2020 10:37

@jay55

I don't think she would save on rent if she downsized. £700 in London gets you a room in a house share. It doesn't come close to a one bed, even in a housing association property.
Well the MIL perhaps will have to consider a different area! We are in a pandemic how can anybody expect someone to pay their rent. Bloody cheek. This is not a long term solution to MIL problem.
Embracelife · 28/12/2020 10:40

@jay55

I don't think she would save on rent if she downsized. £700 in London gets you a room in a house share. It doesn't come close to a one bed, even in a housing association property.
Exactly. So she gets a lodger. Gets to stay. Simples.
viques · 28/12/2020 10:41

@AldiAisleofCrap

Pensioners are exempt from bedroom tax.Also too old for UC. Does she not get pension credit and housing benefit?
If she is only 61 she isn’t a pensioner.
VinylDetective · 28/12/2020 10:45

We are in a pandemic how can anybody expect someone to pay their rent. Bloody cheek.

We’ve been paying much younger people’s mortgages for nine months! I hope you weren’t furloughed because if you were you have no right to the moral high ground. It’s because we’re in a pandemic that the idea of someone snapping their fingers and increasing their hours is laughable.

Swipe left for the next trending thread