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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:
MarvellousMrsMouse · 17/02/2020 09:36

This plans sounds dishonest.

Can’t your partner move in and help pay rent so you can save the 12k?

TheTeenageYears · 17/02/2020 09:37

This post is everything that is wrong in the U.K. What would you have done 26 years ago OP if you hadn’t had the option of social housing? I can’t believe someone who has massively benefited from the system can’t see the need to keep the house in the system for a family desperately in need.

Social housing should be continually reassessed. The reason why there are no family homes available for families is because when children leave home and a family home is no longer required it is occupied by a couple or single person. This is all kinds of wrong.

Ayemama · 17/02/2020 09:37

Wow, there are some strange folk out there. Yes you are definitely being Unreasonable.

10FrozenFingers · 17/02/2020 09:38

You're the one who should pay them rent.

ErrolFinn · 17/02/2020 09:40

Completely agree with TheTeenageYears. Please think of the other families which need social housing.

Dontdisturbmenow · 17/02/2020 09:40

Well I have lived here for over 26 years and would like it to go to family
Don't we all! Such entitlement attitude is really disheartening.

Why should your kids be entitled to a house for only £12k just because their mum was lucky enough to get that council house in the first place? Most kids struggle to get a deposit for a house, yours are not more entitled to a very cheap house.

As for them buying it but paying YOU rent, unbelievable!

whatacarryon2018 · 17/02/2020 09:41

@catinb0oots
You might legally be entitled to but morally that's disgusting.
This country has such a lack of housing. Social housing was initially designed to give people a chance to save and move on. It's not meant to be lived in for 26 years and passed down through generations.
Fucking joke to be honest.

CakeandCustard28 · 17/02/2020 09:41

If they’re buying it... why should they pay rent? Also it’s not your house, it’s the councils? Let it go back to the council, there’s a shortage of housing because of people like you.

Ivyr0se · 17/02/2020 09:42

If you can't save €12,000 over 3 years you can't afford a house.

KTheGrey · 17/02/2020 09:43

Seems a bit muddled. Are you in the process of buying this house already? And you only have £12k to go? Or do you need to put that money down in one lump sum?

Sounds like you are proposing to buy it outright with a loan from your DC so you would actually owe them £12k. So you could charge them rent, but you would also have to make the repayments or that would be unfair. You can't own a house you've paid for with somebody else's money unless you pay them back.

Might be better off to take out a mortgage/loan and buy it and then pay the mortgage with the rent.

Alternatively, you could approach the council about how turning over the tenancy would work; if your DC were living with you I think they might have the option of taking it over.

Lailaha · 17/02/2020 09:44

Hang of a minute - isn't it half-term this week?!

Original poster
Hooseproblems34 · 17/02/2020 09:45

Can see people are getting annoyed was just looking for some opinions on it yes I'm lucky to have had a council house for all these years . And if the children didn't want it I would quite happily hand it back to the council. So I will think about a plan ahead .

Thanks for all your input

OP posts:
rainpain · 17/02/2020 09:45

This is exactly why social housing is disappearing

ShesGotBetteDavisEyes · 17/02/2020 09:46

I thought “right to buy” was scrapped years ago! God, no wonder there’s no affordable housing left when the council still implement plans like this! Madness.

So basically, op is borrowing (or taking) £12k from her child and then wanting to charge them rent to stay there? What’s in it for the child? They’d be better off using the money to buy their own place, in their own name. And if you were a good mother op, you would advise them to do this. You shouldn’t take the money - you obvs have no intention of paying them back but want to keep the house in your name. How is that fair?

TreeTopTim · 17/02/2020 09:46

This is outrageous in so many ways.

I don't agree with right to buy. I also don't agree with letting your child give you the money to buy a house outright and then charging them money to live there.

If your child has 12000 in savings they are not in desperate need of a council house.

Original poster
Hooseproblems34 · 17/02/2020 09:47

Nope not half term here. ? Not sure what that is anything to do with it. 🤷

OP posts:
alltakingandnogiving · 17/02/2020 09:47

I'm not sure I understand the logic of this.

If the house purchase option is in 3 years, why not get them to pay rent over the next 3 years then use that money to purchase the house yourself. That way you can split any future income from property rental or sale between all of your DCs

cstaff · 17/02/2020 09:48

So you want to rip your child off twice over by taking 12K off them (as a loan??) and charging them rent - what benefit would they get from this???

CakeandCustard28 · 17/02/2020 09:48

Also if they’re giving you 12k towards it but you’re charging them rent how an earth do you expect to pay them back? You going to give them the rent back towards the 12k? You can’t just keep it and be like well the house is mine.

ChardonnaysDistantCousin · 17/02/2020 09:49

Well I have lived here for over 26 years and would like it to go to family

But it's not yours to decide what to do with?

LAMPS1 · 17/02/2020 09:50

You have three options.

  1. continue to live in the house and pay rent yourself.
  2. find the deposit money to buy the house. ( earning it or borrowing)
  3. Move in with your boyfriend and hand the house back to the council.

If you decide to find the money to buy the house, you can then sell it on the open market after the required number of years. And as I understand it, you can’t let it before the required number of years is up either. Each local authority has rules on this which you need to know about as you wouldn’t want to be doing anything fraudulently.

ChardonnaysDistantCousin · 17/02/2020 09:52

Well I have lived here for over 26 years and would like it to go to family

Also, if I wanted my house to go to my children they have too pay inheritance tax, but you think yours can just have it?

BestestBrownies · 17/02/2020 09:52

Fucking hell! It’s exactly this attitude that’s got the benefit system (of which social housing is a massive part), into the sorry state it’s currently in.

Social housing should meet a temporary need. It is NOT a house for life or gift to pass on to your own family. Your attitude is disgusting OP

Mammyloveswine · 17/02/2020 09:53

I totally disagree with the "right to buy" policy and believe it's that which has contributed to the astronomical rise in house prices.

My next door neighbour bought his house outright for half what I paid for mine, after benefitting from a new roof, windows etc all paid for by the council. His "wife" had bought her council house 5 years earlier, she sold that then they bought his outright and then got married. No mortgage, comfortable nest egg, works all done...

It's ridiculous!

I think yabu and should let someone who actually needs a council house have the house.

BobbyBlueCat · 17/02/2020 09:54

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