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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Council house or housing benefit

67 replies

ambereeree · 08/08/2020 15:56

Am I right in thinking that council houses don't exist (where the council own the house and you just pay bills and council tax)?
You now have to claim housing benefit if you can't afford to pay private rent?

OP posts:
Eatyourbanana · 08/08/2020 16:25

It depends on the area. Do they have children? If they do the council might rehouse them as it's cheaper that putting children in foster care

😂

They don’t people children in foster care because people are in rent arrears or even intentionally homeless!!!

Meruem · 08/08/2020 16:25

I'm assuming social housing can't be more than 20% cheaper than private

That very much depends where in the country you are. In some areas yes that will be the case, in London for example, no it can be up to 75% cheaper.

lyralalala · 08/08/2020 16:26

@Eatyourbanana

It depends on the area. Do they have children? If they do the council might rehouse them as it's cheaper that putting children in foster care

😂

They don’t people children in foster care because people are in rent arrears or even intentionally homeless!!!

That's what I said. They will rehome someone they don't actually have an obligation to rehome (if these people make themselves intentionally homeless) if they have children.
Original poster
ambereeree · 08/08/2020 16:26

Yes they do have children. The house is in the greater London area and is always in demand.

OP posts:
x2boys · 08/08/2020 16:28

That's in the South East @Eatyourbanana it really depends where the Op lives as to whether rent is significantly cheaper in social housing compared to private rent

Butterer · 08/08/2020 16:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lyralalala · 08/08/2020 16:29

@ambereeree

Yes they do have children. The house is in the greater London area and is always in demand.
Definitely look up your council's policy. You might be in an area where they are likely to get rehoused out of the area (Some people from London get offered housing hundreds of miles away), which might put their daft plan to bed.
Original poster
ambereeree · 08/08/2020 16:31

@thegenderbreadperson I don't want to evict them even though they are behind in rent because of furlough. They've always been good tenants until this crazy suggestion was put to me.

OP posts:
Emeraldshamrock · 08/08/2020 16:31

Do not do it. It is fraud she is looking to get homeless points over others.
You could end up having to officially evict her in court.
Say no.

HelenHuntsLeggings · 08/08/2020 16:40

@x2boys I get that that as well - we've had an urban regeneration scheme over the last few years where whole council housing estates of multi-living blocks have been demolished and replaced with new private housing of 3/4 bed developments springing up, then new movers are surprised they can't get kids straight into local schools.

LtJudyHopps · 08/08/2020 16:40

In NE London a 3 bed council house is £110 a week. Renting would be around £1500-1800 a month.

NYMM · 08/08/2020 16:40

They want me to say they can't pay rent and haven't been paying rent which is not true....

I don't want to evict them even though they are behind in rent because of furlough....

Both statements can't be true....Hmm

2bazookas · 08/08/2020 16:42

I suspect your tenants are trying to trick you with some kind of fraud in which they will publically accuse you of some illegal landlord behaviour so that you get prosecuted .

Hope you have all your tenancy paperwork correct and up to date, with bank proofs of rent paid.

Original poster
ambereeree · 08/08/2020 16:44

@NYMM Behind in rent by two months doesn't mean they haven't been paying rent.

OP posts:
Original poster
ambereeree · 08/08/2020 16:45

@2bazookas yes and even have hmrc statements.

OP posts:
ANewNameIsWhat · 08/08/2020 16:45

Council houses were designed to be affordable rents for low income working families. They’ve never been free rent. Either you pay it or you receive benefits to pay for it.

lyralalala · 08/08/2020 16:46

[quote ambereeree]@NYMM Behind in rent by two months doesn't mean they haven't been paying rent.[/quote]
Two months behind is when you can serve notice so it sounds like they've already started their plan to get evicted.

Be very, very careful

NYMM · 08/08/2020 16:51

Behind in rent by two months doesn't mean they haven't been paying rent.....

Well they haven't paid rent for two months then so your remark that they have, was unnecessary.
A letter won't be any help because the LA will only step in once they've been officially evicted. Many thousands of £'s later for the LL.

Kaykay066 · 08/08/2020 16:52

Just because they are homeless unintentionally doesn’t mean the council will hand them a nice 3/4 bed house. I think people who do this are deluded and if they understood what they’d have to go through to actually get a council house they’d Maybe think again. I’ve got kids, my landlord wanted to move back into his house then sell which is fine but as I was then a single parent no one would allow us to rent a house bigger than 1 bedroom due to my earnings.

I’m a nurse, I earn a decent wage but currently part time due to youngest sons additional needs/can’t go into child care outside school. We went into a b&b for a week I had to give up my dog, we then stayed in another house for 2 weeks before the temp house we are in now 3 years later we are still waiting. They did allow me my dog back but it’s not ideal we are miles from kids schools and friends, 3 share a room and youngest keeps other 2 up half the night and my teenager is miserable and unhappy inviting friends here as it’s so shabby and we have personal bits but no furniture or decor Is ours. We pay rent (full) housing benefit covers the service charge and council tax is included in that but I won’t get hb if I ever get a council house which is fine as I can afford rent I just need a home for my family - id have happily rented elsewhere if I could and being in this situation is crap. I get your tenants are struggling but it is not the way to go and they will pay rent in social housing.
I don’t even live in a highly populated area there just aren’t the houses.

teablanket · 08/08/2020 17:06

[quote Eatyourbanana]@ambereeree council rent is considerably cheaper. For example in my area (south east) a 2 bed house would cost about £1400 to rent pm, but a council house is more like £409 per month.[/quote]
This sounds bonkers to me! I'm also in thr South East, less than an hour from London. You can private rent a 2 bed terrace here for £800 a month, but even a 2 bed council flat is £600. It's so odd how the difference between private/social housing costs varies so dramatically.

PelicanDeuce · 08/08/2020 17:14

I pay £83 a week for three bed council house in a northern city. The exact same house next door but one was let privately just before lockdown for £750pcm.

gobbynorthernbird · 08/08/2020 17:15

They won't be intentionally homeless if they've had a drop in income, through no fault of their own, that means they can no longer afford the rent.

I don't understand why you won't write a letter stating what the current situation is. They will have to prove to the social housing provider that they have not chosen to be in arrears but are victims of circumstance.

butterpuffed · 08/08/2020 18:04

As they now earn a reduced wage they're probably entitled to Housing Benefit to help with their rent. Have they put in a claim to your local Council ?

butterpuffed · 08/08/2020 18:06

Should have added in case you didn't know OP, that HB is for private renters as well.

BerryPieandCustard · 08/08/2020 18:25

My husband is a housing officer for the council. Having a section 21 notice to quit and providing proof to the council will place you in band C (A being the highest E the lowest) as it is risk of homelessness.
When the notice reaches the last date you still don’t have to leave the property. This is when the landlord can lodge court papers to evict the tenant. At this point the tenant still doesn’t HAVE to leave, also at this point it will trigger moving up a band to band B. The landlord then must return to court and a bailiff is given a date to visit the property and evict the tenant. Only at this point will the tenant be moved into temporary accommodation, this could be a bed and breakfast depending on housing stock in the area.

The tenant will remain in temporary accommodation and bid for properties on a weekly cycle, the highest band bidder who has been entered on the list for the longest gets first refusal Continuing in date order. People in our are can bid on 2 properties per cycle and refuse 2 properties if they refuse the 3rd they are removed from the register.

HOWEVER if there are ANY rent arrears the tenant is classed as intentionally homeless and will not be offered housing via the council. Writing this letter will do them zero favours plus it’s fraud