Private tent using HB

[Scrumptiousbears]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

Does anyone know if it's possible to rent from your family (your son) and pay this rent with housing benefit?

I can't believe this is possible and I am trying to find a way to persuade my DP not to buy a house for his mum to rent in a southern seaside resort when she has a perfectly good 3 bed council house up north.

Any thoughts welcome.

check the information on the relevant council website.
I suspect it's not possible.

I think it varies by LA. There are usually strict rules about renting from family to avoid scams.

You can rent to family using HB as long as the family/landlord does not live in the rented property, my sister rents her house from my dad

I think the house needs to have been rented out before he rents to his mum, otherwise it can be seen as a contrived tenancy. he would have to have proper tenancy agreement/ contract and may have to prove that it was being rented to his mum at a market rent.

I'm fairly sure your son counts as close family so no you can't use housing benefit to pay the rent!

Here you cant. My dad wanted to rent me a house he owns but I would need hb to afford to live there and I can't get hb if my dad is the landlord.

My dad had previously rented the house out for many years to non family

I rent to a relative, in a seaside town in the south. It's all totally legal and above board. I had to fill out a form declaring how long I'd had the property, whose names were on the deeds, if I would evict for non-payment of rent etc, and sign to say I was aware that I could be prosecuted for supplying false information.
It was very straightforward, and the council were happy as there was already a 15 year history of the property being rented, I've kept on the letting agent so the contract goes through them, and there was no change to the rent either.

Thanks for everyone's replies.

It would be purchased solely to rent to his mother. It would be above board.

She doesn't have a history of looking after places plus he'd be using all the savings and possibly a little mortgage. I hope he changes his mind.

What do you mean by not looking after it? Maintenance would be his responsibility and he'd need to declare the income for tax.

Yes, my landlord owns another house that she lets to her mother, and her mother pays her rent in housing benefit.

However in your DPs case it probably is not best!

If it's purchased solely to rent to her then no you can't claim HB.

HB would only be paid if the property had been let before and there was a genuine reason for the let.

Lizs - Meaning she doesn't clean it often, chain smokes in the kitchen and hoards stuff in unused bedrooms.

I used to be a landlord for a property a while ago so am aware of the tax implications and the other regulations I have to meet. These will all be met.

She tends to treat him quite badly (emotionally) and I think this is a way he is trying to buy her affections. I have no problem with him helping her out but not to sacrifice our future.