Housing benefit

[Danielle81]

Wondering if any of you wise people can help me.

I am a lone parent in mortgaged property. Recently got a job on 24 hours which will be 11440 per annum.

I will get no help towards my mortgae once I am in work (mortgage very high at 959per month)

House is on market but not selling (I am in negative equity)

My idea is to rent out my house get a very small low rent flat for me and my dd. as I believe I would get some sort of contribution to my housing costs.

Can you still claim housing benefit elsewhere if your name is on a mortgage?

I have read a few posts and some people do this but I don't want to be doing anything illegal.

Any advice would be appreciated, cannot get appointment at CAB long waiting list.

Thanks in advance

I don't think you can claim housing benefit. Would it be better to look at remortgaging? You could perhaps extend your mortgage to make the monthly payment cheaper

Yes you can, however the rent would be classed as income if it was more than just covering the mortgage interest so would affect your benefits (tax credits etc too, not just housing benefit).

Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate it.

Noarmani I have tried to negotiate with my mortgage company with no luck. I am with nram and there not willing to help in anyway although I am going through complaint now and hopefully get mortgage converted to interest only for a year to give me time to sell it.

Rock chick you have made my weekend. There will be no profit at all from renting it out. Would get £600 rental and the interest on my mortgage is 620 I am on Repayment mortgage (at moment - trying to get it to interest only) monthly payments £900 so actually a shortfall I would have to make up through my child maintenance/wages.

Be very careful here. Our mortgage went UP when we rented it out, by 300/mth as it was changed to a BTL mortgage. You will need your mortgage providers permission and also a landlord insurance on your house.

Do you have a spare room or 2 that you could look at getting lodgers to help pay towards the mortgage? Maybe find one that only needs/wants mon-fri.

Could you and dd share a room and then rent out the other? garage/driveway to rent out too?

Thanks everyone for your replies. Her royal - gosh I couldn't afford mortgage to go up £300 per month. They have told me I can get consent to let with one off fee or £250 for a year, so hopefully Been given the right info.

I will have a look into renting a room/garage. Can you recommend any websites?

Depends where you are. If a popular city try gumtree. It's free! Other sites are spareroom or monday to friday lets. If periods where the room is empty try airbnb to rent out short term ie per night.

Otherwise facebook selling groups could work to advertise the garage.

Are you a single parent? Are there times when dc are with anyone else and you could do some babysitting?

Thanks or ideas tiny diamond will start looking at suggested websites this weekend