Should i advice DS not to add his girlfriend as joint tenant. ?

[Hishome]

Ds is 19 and has been given a one bedroom flat by social housing. He was in supported accommodation before this for around 2 years. He is vunerble in some ways.

He has a girl friend hes been seeing for for about a year maybe slightly longer. Who's 7 years older than him. But she is younger for her age she is also vunerble in some ways she's been through a hell of alot from being a carer for her parent which she's now pulling away from..

I'm going to sound absolutely awful now. But shes going to be moving in with ds and they are talking about her name going on the tenancy as a joint tenant. My worry is if they break up she would still have a legal right to stay there. Obviously ds does as well. But if Ds is the one to leave because its to stressful. He would loose his home. He would then be seen as making himself homeless and won't get any help its very rare for a young male to get social housing which is for life. If he looses that due to relationship break up. Hes stuck in rented rooms until hes 35 and then unsecured accommodation for life.

I just think if she's moving in it should be as an occupant not a joint tenant as least for a year or 2.

I should add that she does currently have her own housing application.. they are at the stage of homless intervention. Where they are offering her studio flats /rooms. well out of the area . And she's refused them. Because they would isolate her from her support network and have a big impact on her mental health. Which i totally understand. She's explained this to the council. They told her that she needs evidence from her GP which the GP has done but she's still not collected. She's been warned they could end their duty if she refuses accommodation. But now Ds has his place and she's moving in. She will tell the council, shes moving in with her boyfriend and the application will be closed. Which i understand that's not a problem . But I'm worried about Ds housing should anything go wrong.

She wants to be joint tenant so she has security .

I just want people's opinions.

And I'm sorry if the post is a bit mixed. I was typing as it came to me.

He's in pip and uc. She's on uc esa I I think? They would have to do a joint claim.

He had a key worker but that was linked to his supported accommodation. I think theres still a few bits to sort out so he will probably talk to her. I mean I could tell him what my worries are and then add maybe you could talk to your key worker. She knows his girl friend is going to live with him. But she did say to him go to the viewing on your own and don't mention your girlfriend.

I was going to do both? Tell ds what the worry is. But also say to her the impact it could have on her. Because if SHE wanted to leave she would also be seen as making herself homless as she has a joint tenancy. Which could impact on her housing.

This

I think you’re right and I think you should explain to him - but also he is an adult and he needs to make the decision himself. Good luck to them both and congratulations on getting the flat!

Absolutely don’t add her

I looked it up/chatgbt it seems he can't add her as a joint tenant whilst on trial tenancy. Which is a year. But he can add her as an occupant. So that at least buys a year.

I work in social housing and if your DS has been given a intro tenancy ( 12 months before going secure which is mostly always the way ) id check if he is even able to add a joint tenant on.. she would likely be a occupier for this first year