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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In Charging rent

199 replies

Hooseproblems34 · 17/02/2020 09:05

Hi I'm looking for opinions on what others would do in my shoes. I live in a 2 bed council house and in 3 years time I could own it outright I would need about 12,000 to do this. But I would not be able to save that amount .

I have 3 children and one of them has said they would have the savings to do this as have been saving for a deposit. This would be used as a family home for them as they have DC .

Would I be unreasonable in then charging them rent to live here? The property would still be in my name. But obviously I wouldn't be in the position of owning it if it wasn't for them.

I would like it to go to family. But also have two other children to think about. As one said they would of liked to buy it the other isn't bothered. The two other DC don't have children of their own.

So what would you do? I plan on moving in with my partner so don't plan on living in my house in the next 3 years .

OP posts:
Star81 · 17/02/2020 09:07

So your plan is to allow your child to buy it, put it in your name, let them move in and charge them rent to live there ?

Travis1 · 17/02/2020 09:09

If you're moving out then surely you give the house back to the council?

Floralnomad · 17/02/2020 09:10

It sounds like some kind of scam so yes it’s unreasonable .

baubled · 17/02/2020 09:11

If I was your dc, I would very quickly change my mind back to using it for a deposit.

Lailaha · 17/02/2020 09:13

You'd charge the child who bought the house (using your right to buy, presumably) rent for their family to live there?

And if you aren't planning on living there in three years time, when you'll be eligible to buy, what does it matter anyway?

gamerchick · 17/02/2020 09:14

You can bring other people in to buy a council property perfectly legally I believe the last time I looked into it.

I couldn't let one of my kids buy the house and then charge them to live in it though. Really it should be you paying rent to them shouldn't it?

Celeriacacaca · 17/02/2020 09:14

So you don't actually need a council house as you're moving in with your BF, then surely you give it back for someone who needs it? In case you haven't heard, there's a desperate shortage of social housing.

Original poster
Hooseproblems34 · 17/02/2020 09:15

Well I have lived here for over 26 years and would like it to go to family as especially the oldest DC that wants to live their with their children has been saving for a deposit for years and probably would be saving for atleast another 5 years to buy a property but if they bought this house they would have somewhere of their own. Then it would always stay in the family is my hope.

But I also feel like they should have to pay something towards it. As I never got to live rent free and wouldn't be fair on their siblings either. I was going to use the money they paid to be put into a saving account.

OP posts:
rottiemum88 · 17/02/2020 09:17

But I also feel like they should have to pay something towards it.

But they are paying something towards it with the money they'd be putting in to buy it? Confused

RhymingRabbit3 · 17/02/2020 09:17

So you want them to give you 12000 with no benefit to themselves? How many months rent is £12000? At least 2 years I'm guessing. In which case you should let them off the rent for at least 2 years to allow them to recoup their money.

RhymingRabbit3 · 17/02/2020 09:18

I was going to use the money they paid to be put into a saving account. a savings account for you or for them? If it's for tthem why not just let them put it in savings themselves?

Darbs76 · 17/02/2020 09:20

As others have said really you should give it back to the council but it’s clear you have no intention of doing that.

Problem is more than one of your children wants to benefit from a cheap house, 12k, who wouldn’t? So they pay for it but the deeds are in your name? Not sure you should then charge them rent when they have paid for it. But they’ve got a massively cheap house because you’ve got a big discount (don’t approve of council selling off houses so cheaply when there’s a shortage but that’s another AIBU).

Why can’t you get a mortgage? And own the house yourself? Then you could charge rent to your child

Ifigotherewillbedouble · 17/02/2020 09:20

Yes VVU! They ARE paying ‘something’ towards it again they are BUYING it with THEIR money.

redastherose · 17/02/2020 09:23

Their contribution would be the deposit your contribution would be the value of the discount you have earned through renting for so many years. You could treat it like a rent to buy where they pay you rent for the discount proportion and have a choice to buy you out a bit at a time.

Worth thinking about what you would do if after moving in with your partner you split up. You wouldn't be entitled to a local authority property again and any benefits may be affected by ownership of a share in a property.

PrinnyPree · 17/02/2020 09:23

If they're buying it maybe they should be charging YOU rent.

vhs95 · 17/02/2020 09:23

Give it back to the council if you're not going to live in it for the next 3 years. It's social housing. OMG.

turnthebiglightoff · 17/02/2020 09:24

But.....but...... you should be paying them rent surely? If they buy the house? It's then theirs.... not yours Grin

Star81 · 17/02/2020 09:25

Sorry, if you were buy a house outright - which the £12,000 would - the person buying the house would be mortgage free so therefore wouldn’t have anything monthly to pay ! Therefore, why would your child have to pay ?

Also. They wouldn’t have ‘somewhere of their own’ as it would be in your name and if anything happened to you need to be sold to pay all siblings inheritance !!!

Oysterbabe · 17/02/2020 09:25

You need to let them live there rent free for as long as it takes for them to have saved the amount they put in.

shinyredbus · 17/02/2020 09:28

Wtf have I just read?! You want them to buy the house with their money, but it be in your name, so legally the house is still yours?! And they agreed to this?! And then on top of that, you’re going to charge the rightful owner of the house (the child who paid the 12k) rent to stay in the house they own? And did this child actually agree to it?? It must be Monday - there are some bonkers threads about.

Ginseng1 · 17/02/2020 09:30

It's a council house. Should be given back to the council full stop. No wonder there's a housing crisis. Why do you think you have a right to pass it on?

Travis1 · 17/02/2020 09:31

Also what if you get ill and need to pay for a care home? You'll be expected to sell the property you 'own' what about your childs money then? This has disaster written all over it.

If you no longer require the social housing you hand it back to the local authority and that is that.

All you'll actually be doing with this convoluted scheme is cause problems and resentment for your children.

dognamedspot · 17/02/2020 09:31

If only one of your children is in a position to benefit from this and wants to do it then I'd let them buy the house. But you can't charge them rent. If anyone else is in the position to do the same thing then you can't go ahead, it's not fair.

whatacarryon2018 · 17/02/2020 09:31

This is absolutely outrageous.
"I want it to go to family"
IT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU. It's social housing and should be given back to the council. If your children are in a position to save £12,000 then they certainly should not be taking a council house. 26 years in a council house does not entitle you to buy it at a reduced rate, it's utterly disgusting. Go and pay private rent, let your children buy something else and give that property back so it can be used by someone in need.

catinb0oots · 17/02/2020 09:36

26 years in a council house does not entitle you to buy it at a reduced rate.

Um yes it clearly does. Why is that "disgusting"?