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Original poster

If your grandparents live in a council house, do you automatically get it when they die?

333 replies

softplay999 · 15/08/2021 11:34

My partner is sure that he will inherit his grandparents council flat when they pass away.

He did live there for over a year previously and this is why he thinks he will get it.

I think this is completely not true, but I actually have no idea. Can anyone please help?

OP posts:
Orchidflower1 · 15/08/2021 11:47

Why an earth would he think he would?

Sorry if this is wrongly placed but he sounds like he’s looking to make money from it!! There will be families waiting for it that deserve it.

Thesearmsofmine · 15/08/2021 11:48

No, ask him what makes him think he will be given the chance to take on the flat.

picklemewalnuts · 15/08/2021 11:49

Perhaps he's still on the tenancy, with that in mind. If so, he's an opportunistic greedy so and so.

Goodthings · 15/08/2021 11:49

Is he still on the tenancy maybe?

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 11:50

How can he be on the tenancy if he has his own house? Genuinely baffled by all of it

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 15/08/2021 11:51

Is he a bit think in general or is he just confused about this one thing?

spongedod · 15/08/2021 11:52

He is still on the tenancy

ExpressDelivery · 15/08/2021 11:52

No, my friend put his just turned 18yo son on his tenancy as soon as he was diagnosed with cancer for this reason.

Another friend had to move out of the council house he'd lived in all his life when his mother died.

So not a chance someone who doesn't live there will "inherit" it.

Unless, there's been a huge miscommunication somewhere and she owns it after a right to buy purchase?

TellingBone · 15/08/2021 11:52

Of course not.

It's one of those isn't it? 'Is that right? That's nice dear.'

He'll find out in the fullness of time. Then you can smile smugly to yourself. 😅

lunar1 · 15/08/2021 11:52

You really don't get very long after a death to clear everything out either.

TheQueef · 15/08/2021 11:52

Can still appear on tenancy but he wouldn't meet only/main residence criteria so it makes no difference.

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 11:53

@TellingBone haha exactly that! Just worried he is relying on it financially.

OP posts:
Mamamamasaurus · 15/08/2021 11:54

He sounds like a CF of the highest order

TheQueef · 15/08/2021 11:55

Ohhh is he one of those that believe council houses are just free houses?

Mummasdiary2021 · 15/08/2021 11:57

No he isn't intitled to it. I k ow someone in the same position (doesn't have long to live due to ill health) and has an 17ish year old son. She's worried as he won't be left the property so has to make arrangements for him x

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 11:57

I don't consider him a CF because he isn't trying to manipulate the system to get it. He just thinks that it will be his automatically. And I want to clarify for him but not sure how to find out. So I came to you lovely lot Grin

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 15/08/2021 12:00

What does he think he’s going to do with it when he gets it ?

BrilliantBetty · 15/08/2021 12:01

Does she own it?

SemiFeralDalek · 15/08/2021 12:01

No, he won't inherit it because there's nothing to inherit. If they don't own it the keys when they pass the council will give you a date by which to clear the house and hand back the keys. If you don't clear it by the date given they change the locks, empty the house and then send you a bill for it.

Hunkydory99 · 15/08/2021 12:03

Hi OP. Just to echo what others have said, he’d have to prove he’s lived there for a certain amount of time, probably at least a year of not more. He wouldn’t necessarily have to be on the tenancy agreement but that could vary from local authority. The LA would ask for proof - council tax bill, check registered voting address as well as bank statements or bills etc. He’d have to provide quite a bit of evidence to succeed the tenancy and most authorities will only let him succeed if the tenancy hasn’t been succeeded before. If he’s also not been present at annual home visits or mentioned as living there by his grandparents that would go against him.

Blueeyedgirl21 · 15/08/2021 12:03

Have they maybe never took him off the tenancy. And are saying he’s still living there but working away or something?

Babyroobs · 15/08/2021 12:04

No of course not. Some children can ask for the tenancy to be passed to them when a parent dies if they live in the house with the parent at the time of death. There will likely be thousands on a waiting list.

LindaEllen · 15/08/2021 12:05

It might help to ignore the fact that it's the council they're renting from. The fact is that it's a rental property. It's owned by someone else, and when that someone else dies/moves out for whatever reason, they don't get to choose who stays in it after them, because that's up to the landlord. I'm sure there are cases where other tenants can stay on and take over the tenancy if the main tenant passes away, but he isn't living there, his name is on nothing, so no - he will be asked to empty the house within a week or so, and hand the keys back.

Shanghaisprize · 15/08/2021 12:07

Bloody hope not

Why so invested?

why on earth does he think he would?

Perhaps because succession of tenancy IS actually a thing?

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/council_housing_association/can_you_inherit_a_council_tenancy

But as the above link shows, it will depend on many factors.