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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:
1Morewineplease · 17/02/2020 15:48

OP, you really need to check the legalities of what you’re planning to do, and, as other PPs have said, you will be liable to all safety checks, maintenance and repairs if you’re going to rent it out.
You CANNOT morally take your child’s money to buy it and charge them rent.
If , before the three years are up , you decide to move out and live with someone else, then you are obliged to give the property back to the council. You can’t just hand your tenancy over to who you like until you’ve got the money to buy it.
Maybe I’m wrong.

TheQueef · 17/02/2020 15:57

For the 26 years years you rented a small percentage went to the pot that covers RTB discounts.
It will likely be five years until you can sell or let.

The rent you receive will also need to cover your rent in new place.

It isn't your fault the L.A can't use the money you've already paid and will pay to build a replacement house.

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 15:58

Guess you are just used to having your life subsidised

Social housing is not subsidised, it is set and at a fair price for what it is worth. Private market rents have been allowed to spiral out of control so now a tiny one bed flat in London costs £1k+ and that's normal? The rates the council charge are the correct ones. It's private where things are fucked up.

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 16:05

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

Why would you do that to yourself? If you are never gonna be able to afford to buy, and you manage to get a council house, don't give it up! For what? To rent until you die in massively extraordinarily overpriced housing paying off someone else's mortgage on a property you could be evicted from whenever the landlord wants!? Sounds like a great plan, who wouldn't give up their security for the wilds of private renting!? Hmm

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/02/2020 16:10

Social housing is not subsidised, it is set and at a fair price for what it is worth something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it- the foundations of basic economics Supply + Demand.
Again such an entitled mentality.

TheQueef · 17/02/2020 16:19

Capitalist economy Onlyfools we are talking about Social Housing it isn't supposed to be a cash cow raking in profit it's for sustainable society so only has to be cost effective. Smile

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 16:20

Again such an entitled mentality.

So all the rich are pushing housing prices up for the poor then by being willing to pay for an overpriced flat? Or have you considered people have little option but to go homeless or take a flat that costs more than they think it is worth?

cabbageking · 17/02/2020 16:23

We were raised in a Council house and paid our rent in full without any benefits. We got the house prices and retained that price for many years following the process. It was purchased with a 60% discount which was the max then. It is called right to buy because you have to qualify. The council made money on the house each year and did little repairs. It was not modernised when brother purchased it and he still lived there.

There is an assumption that the poster has been on benefits for 26 years which I may have missed. But if the system allows her to purchase the house than why not.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/02/2020 16:23

So all the rich are pushing housing prices up for the poor then by being willing to pay for an overpriced flat?
again there isnt such a thing an an overpriced flat- if a flat is overpriced it wont sell.....the housing market dictates itself.

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 16:24

Exactly queef, social housing isn't supposed to ve a nice little earner for the landlord, it's to house people when deserve homes.

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 16:26

a flat is overpriced it wont sell.....the housing market dictates itself.

So why do they keep rising? Are people just getting stupider with their money so they genuinely believe some of these properties are worth 100/200/300k etc? What about the poor people who simply cannot afford market rents being pushed out of private housing by this? I simply disagree. A splatter of paint on a canvas isn't worth a lot until some idiot pays 50k for it. Stupid.

DelpheDaisy · 17/02/2020 16:28

Prices in the private housing market are astronomical and inflated, simple as that. Even families with two people working and no kids struggle to afford private rents, not enough for mortgage deposit, etc etc, it's ridiculous.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/02/2020 16:28

So why do they keep rising? well because 1- people live longer and 2- the population of the UK keeps growing....demand is out numbering supply.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/02/2020 16:30

it's ridiculous I agree but I think the way to solve it is with curbing demand and increasing supply. You cant ask someone to sell or rent their home less than its worth for some moral obligation.

YappityYapYap · 17/02/2020 16:40

You can't sub let a council property OP. If you move out with your partner, you need to come off the tenancy and that will in turn mean you lose your discount. The only way you can do this is to keep living in the property for another 3 years then your DC 'gifts' you the money to buy it then once the rule of no sale is up (I think it's 3 years where you can't sell or change names on the deeds after buying a council property) you change it into your DC's name.

Once your DC realises it will be 6 years before the house will actually be in their name and give them any rights, I think they will swiftly change their mind about all of this. One thing is for sure, you can't stay as a tenant on there and move out and leave your kids living there. You would need to add one of them to the tenancy and remove your name. The council aren't daft. You'd show up on a council tax bill for another property (your partners) or something like that and they'd know you weren't living in the house and take you off the tenancy and remove your discount

Puzzledandpissedoff · 17/02/2020 17:00

You cant ask someone to sell or rent their home less than its worth for some moral obligation

And yet that's exactly what's suggested - again and again - on similar threads to this, when someone comes along to advocate the compulsory purchase of privately rentals because "nobody should have more than one house"

bakedbeanzontoast · 17/02/2020 17:06

You can't really blame her for taking advantage and not giving it back. If you don't think of yourself, no one else will. The scales of inequality work in so many ways. Maybe she should give it up but she's thinking of what's best for her, like many of us would if we are being totally honest.

TheQueef · 17/02/2020 17:11

But we can blame the people who actually are gaining from this, central government for just using the money as slush instead of reinvestment.

We need a national build, we should be insisting on it.

Gingerkittykat · 17/02/2020 17:16

This is a pisstake, and I'm saying this as someone who lives in a council house.

I'm certain there are rules about living in your house for a certain amount of time or having to pay the discount back.

I've known a couple of people who have bought their elderly relative's council house at rock bottom prices and allowed them to live there rent free for life knowing they will own a house worth a lot more once that relative dies. Thankfully right to buy has gone in Scotland so no more of that.

No, you can't make her pay rent on a house she has paid for. You can expect her to do all maintenance and upkeep though.

What happens if you and your BF split up and you own a home you need to live in?

Alsohuman · 17/02/2020 18:01

So for 26 years you sponged off the state/society

No she didn’t.

ffswhatnext · 17/02/2020 18:11

If you wanted a property to hand down to your children, regardless of who actually wants it, then you should have looked into this previously.
It's shocking that you are even considering doing this.
I really hope they come to their senses and ask themselves why they would want to buy you a house. Although would love to be around if this goes ahead and you die. That's a shitshow waiting to happen

Dontdisturbmenow · 17/02/2020 18:30

If you don't think of yourself, no one else will
Funny how this principle only applies when it benefits the less well off.

Funny how I've never read such a comment made in threads that mentions tax avoidance.

TaniaArse · 17/02/2020 18:31

Again such an entitled mentality.

What's wrong with having an entitled mentality when you are, well, entitled!

TaniaArse · 17/02/2020 18:31

Funny how I've never read such a comment made in threads that mentions tax avoidance.

I'm heartily in favour of tax avoidance.

WaitrosesCheapestVodka · 17/02/2020 18:45

The OP isn't to blame for a lack of social housing stock! The Tories are. They introduced 'right to buy' and restricted the stock of council and affordable housing.

But for the OP.. If there was a law that massively advantaged you, why not? It's near impossible to get on the property ladder.

As for charging rent.. wtf? If they own it they own it. Stop mooching off your kids.