can i claim hb and have my mum as landlady.

[livvysmum]

mum is consisering 'buying to let', can i rent from her and claim housing benefit, i think i'd be elegible. but do they find a problem with this, any one else doing this?, who do i talk to to find out if it's possible. coz i think i'd like to know before mum buys a flat.

Erm ,how would they know you were related ??? Have you the same surname ?? If not then i wouldn't worry and wouldn't even mention it.

If you have then, i still can't see what diference it makes so long as it is all done properly.

my friend rents from her stepdad - no probs at all

DO mention it. You can get into a lot of trouble if they find out you are related and didn't declare it - the form asks specifically for this information. I know someone who rented from her mum and didn't fill in that box on the form - she got taken to the magistrates' court and fined and now has a criminal record. Because she works with children it comes up at every job interview (if she worked elsewhere, it would be a 'spent' conviction she wouldn't have to declare). Don't take the risk.

Where are you living at the moment, lm?

Ah right sorry, didn't know they asked for that info. Tell them then, really can't see what difference it would make.

Thats awful what happened to your friend Edam.

thanks for warning edam, did wonder if it was going to be a problem, your poor friend, god thats so unfair.

i'm in the south east janh, does that make a difference to claim, i wonder.
wonder should i talk to CAB for further advice.

Oh, sorry, I meant what kind of accommodation are you in?

Yes, do talk to CAB, they should know exactly what is OK and what isn't.

Good luck!

the crux of it is likely to be whether or not she would actually throw you out if you didn't pay the rent - is it a 'commercial transaction'?

If you have a proper contract, a rent book or standing order set up, you should be OK, but don't be surprised if they investigate you.

I rent from my parents and have finally got my housing benefit through after applying in May last year. I had to really pester them with phone calls and actually go into the offices a few times before they started to get it sorted.

They didn't believe that I was paying rent and I had to provide bank statements showing the money going out of my account and also the money going into my mums account. I also had to show where the money was coming from as I'm on IS and shouldn't have been able to afford rent.

It should be ok, as long as you can prove that it's a proper arrangement and that you are actually paying rent. It might take a while to get sorted though.

Oh, my parents don't own another house, they just rent, so they had to prove that they weren't living with me. That might have been part of the problem

thanks for advice everyone, have just checked out CAB website, lots of info on renting and tenancy agreements etc, nothing saying i can't rent off any relatives. so basically if it's all above board and i let them know the situation, it should ,in theory, be ok.
thanks beans mum, it's interesting to know that i may have difficulty, so be prepared with lots of dosh,crips, have to find it first.
i'm living at home at the mo janh, sorry for confusion.