Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

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

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:
Hekatestorch · 15/08/2021 12:22

He is not claiming to still live there

Then he won't get it. He has no need of housing.

And again, how can he let his brother and sister live there if he inherits the tenancy but doesn't leave there himself.

Does his think he will own the flat?

Xenia · 15/08/2021 12:22

If he moves in and you let out your existing house and he is on the tenancy and depending on dates when his parents became tenants he might be the first to inherit the tenancy and can live in it. Other than that I doubt it and he is wrong about subletting rights - that is not permitted and if he knows anyone else subletting he should report them to the council.

chaosrabbitland · 15/08/2021 12:22

@softplay999

He wants to let his brother and sister live in it while they study.

He was a genuine tenant there when I met him. His name is off the tenancy, we have a mortgage together, he receives nothing there, it all comes here. His not trying to do benefit fraud, he just casually says that it will go to him. His not trying to take it, or scam anyone 🙄

unless his brother and sister are homeless then yes technically he is scamming , and im betting if he did somehow get the tennancy , he wouldnt have the good grace to offer it back to the council so they could actually put a homeless couple in there would he ? hed be more than happy to take it given the chance even though he doesnt need it and neither do his family .
PumpkinKlNG · 15/08/2021 12:23

My ex got his mums 3 bed house in west London despite living there alone after she died. I don’t really understand how or why he now lives there are a single man and the house is worth a LOT of money.

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 12:23

@chaosrabbitland

he wont get it and it would be most unfair if by chance he did , i know your daying hes not cheeky , but yes he is kinda , he does not need it . up and down the country there are hundreds of families low income who cannot afford or find it impossible to private rent , plus all the vulerable adults . these people are all living in temp accomadation , often miles away from where they private rented before as the council just have to shove them where there is space to get them in , travel lodges are often used which means the only hot dinner your kids might eat is if you go out , getting them to school on time can be a nightmare and it can take many months waiting to get offered a place , such is the shortage in some areas

it costs some councils a fortune , in 2018 my councils bill for housing homeless families was 1 million no less
it does make me angry as i was one of these people along with my dd nine months of waiting in temp accomodation , 3 different travel lodges and 1 hotel before we got the offer of a house .
so when people like your partner assume they will get the keys to a council place they dont need to either sell it for a nice profit or rent it out for a nice profit , then yes i feel it takes the piss , social housing is for people that need it ,not those who dont and as its been pointed out up thread there is such a shortage of them ,with not nearly enough being replaced although margaret thatcher was to blame for the problem in the first place

I completely agree it would be unfair. He is not scamming And lying his way to try and get it. He believes it's how the system works and it will be given to him. Which is why I came for advice to confirm my thoughts that this is not true.

On the other hand, if he IS given it that easy (I know he won't be, I know the system is flawed but not THAT flawed) then he would let his brother and sister live in it rent free until they finish studying, and then sell it or rent it I suppose

OP posts:
PumpkinKlNG · 15/08/2021 12:23

Though he was living there at the time

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 12:24

@Hekatestorch

He is not claiming to still live there

Then he won't get it. He has no need of housing.

And again, how can he let his brother and sister live there if he inherits the tenancy but doesn't leave there himself.

Does his think he will own the flat?

Yes that's my exact question. He thinks he will OWN the flat
OP posts:
MrsLCSofLichfield · 15/08/2021 12:26

No. He has no rights unless he is on the tenancy.

GiveMeAUserName123 · 15/08/2021 12:27

If his still has on the tenancy and both grandparents die at the same time (like in a car crash, he will inherit the flat to rent, he won’t own it but could buy it)

If one grandparent dies, it’s passed to the other person on the tenancy, which is normally the other grandparent then that’s it, it can only be passed once, and no more. After that when the second person dies it goes back to the council.

Natsel84 · 15/08/2021 12:27

Hey op maybe if your husband still lived there he could take over the tenancy. But I guess it depends where you live in the UK and the rules of the local council .

I know someone who had a council house mum lived there with 2 adult children. She passed away and the oldest child took on the tenancy .

But in your husbands case he won't get anything.

SpeakingFranglais · 15/08/2021 12:28

He doesn’t sound bright, maybe he just has absolutely no idea of how the real world works and thinks you can just pass these things on whilst being totally oblivious to the housing crisis.

I have a friend like this, totally astounded that you can’t just see a house you like (completely outside your budget) and just get a mortgage, without any consideration to income, existing debt, age, employment status etc. And then it’s life’s just unfair.

I think he’s in for a disappointment.

Christmasfairy2020 · 15/08/2021 12:28

Get him to buy it for them

spongedod · 15/08/2021 12:28

Yes that's my exact question. He thinks he will OWN the flat

Who does he think the council will hand him a house for nothing Confused

Not the brightest spark, is he?

pumpkintree · 15/08/2021 12:29

If he would get just because he lived there many others would be in the same position and social/council housing wouldn't go to those who need it!

If he called the council they would tell him the same well they would say he isn't entitled to the flat

dontsufferfools · 15/08/2021 12:30

Are you sure he was on the tenancy? Uou say its his grandparents flat. Would they not hold the joint tenancy? You can't have 3 people on a tenancy? And if its a sole tenancy why would they have added him and not the other grandparent?

pasadeda · 15/08/2021 12:31

Is it an ex council house? Have the grandparents bought it? If they rent, he is deluded

Butterfly44 · 15/08/2021 12:31

Rather than wonder why he thinks that, just ask him

Lily78123 · 15/08/2021 12:31

No, he won’t inherit it. There is a possibility to buy the council flat for a reduced rate though while the grandparents still live there.

SpeakingFranglais · 15/08/2021 12:32

I don’t get how he thinks, when his grandparents are either paying rent or getting housing benefit to pay the rent that he will just be handed it as a “sorry for your loss” gift????

Really?

LopsidedWombat · 15/08/2021 12:33

He thinks that he will become the owner of a flat that his parents rent from a housing association when they pass away? I can only imagine how infuriating it must be for you to have to listen to this Grin I'd love to know his reasoning!

Hekatestorch · 15/08/2021 12:34

Yes that's my exact question. He thinks he will OWN the flat

He can't possibly be that stupid.

He thinks the council will give him ownership of a flat, his grandparents didn't even own?

Rubyupbeat · 15/08/2021 12:34

No way!
My friends aunt lived in hers for 40 years. When she died it reverted back to the council and they had to clear it out within 2 weeks.

Seesawmummadaw · 15/08/2021 12:35

Bless him!

Original poster
softplay999 · 15/08/2021 12:35

@LopsidedWombat

He thinks that he will become the owner of a flat that his parents rent from a housing association when they pass away? I can only imagine how infuriating it must be for you to have to listen to this Grin I'd love to know his reasoning!
Absolutely INFURIATING! Like talking to a brick wall though 🤷🏼‍♀️
OP posts:
Seesawmummadaw · 15/08/2021 12:36

I would love for him to come and answer questions. It would be a great giggle!

Swipe left for the next trending thread