Declaring household members?

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 2023-02-10T17:01:08+00:00

PIL's sold their house last year with the intention to travel the world. They moved around a little but have since realised that they don't have a fraction of the money that travelling requires and are now homeless and in a word, skint. They've moved in with us (that's a whole thread in itself) however are not contributing to any bills. What do I need to update to reflect they live here from a legal point of view? MIL keeps rambling about being added to 'poll tax' but online it says she only needs to appear on there if she's a joint owner or partner. Can anyone give me a starting point please before I go and travel the world to avoid them!

User837463839 · 10/02/2023 17:03

They just need to go on the electoral register so they can get polling cards sent to your address.

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 10/02/2023 17:08

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I think voting & council tax are the least of your worries!!

unless you want them as a permanent fixture you need to be finding out what they have left to buy a property with and get moving on that!! Before it dwindles to 'not enough'

possibly look at a joint purchase, with a granny annexe if they don't have enough to buy independently.

Original poster

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 10/02/2023 17:17

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 10/02/2023 17:08

🍷

I think voting & council tax are the least of your worries!!

unless you want them as a permanent fixture you need to be finding out what they have left to buy a property with and get moving on that!! Before it dwindles to 'not enough'

possibly look at a joint purchase, with a granny annexe if they don't have enough to buy independently.

This is my next step I can assure you. Tonight I just need her out of my ear so I can think straight. I'm livid with the situation and just trying to do one thing at a time.

OP posts:

Astitichintimesaveswine · 10/02/2023 17:20

User837463839 · 10/02/2023 17:03

They just need to go on the electoral register so they can get polling cards sent to your address.

This.

OneForTheRoadThen · 10/02/2023 17:22

I don't know if it matters once you've got a mortgage but I applied for one last week and had to declare anyone living there over 18 who wasn't on the mortgage

Original poster

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 10/02/2023 17:26

We've got 4 years left of our 5 year fixed mortgage so that should be fine, I don't want them here in 4 months, nevermind 4 years.

I'll sort the electoral roll then, thank you. She's down my ear about council tax and utility bills ... If she wants to pay them she can be on them 😶

OP posts:

newtb · 10/02/2023 17:33

Perhaps not a good idea to put them on the electoral roll, as it encourages them to feel like permanent residents.
Just a thought.

NotDavidTennant · 10/02/2023 17:36

Don't waste your time registering them on the electoral roll if they're not going to be there long.

Council tax and utility bills only need the name of the owner or the tenant.

slamfightbrightlight · 10/02/2023 17:42

newtb · 10/02/2023 17:33

Perhaps not a good idea to put them on the electoral roll, as it encourages them to feel like permanent residents.
Just a thought.

But being on the electoral role is helpful for credit checks, and if they need to borrow to get out from under OP’s feet, it might be worth doing.

UggyPow · 10/02/2023 17:47

I wouldn't put their names on any bills, that would imply they are paying them - which could lead to them trying to claim they are entitled to a proportion of the house (very small admittedly) in the same way as a couple when one moves into the others house.
Ideally I would give them a contract under the rent a room scheme (the rent can be as low as you like, but they would not have any rights to your property) & add them to the council tax, so they can vote.

Seymour5 · 10/02/2023 17:49

If they are in their 60s, have a look at housing associations in the area, they may be able to offer them secure and affordable housing, especially if they can no longer afford to buy a home.

pilates · 10/02/2023 17:54

How old are they? Have they got money to buy or rent at a later stage?

fruitbrewhaha · 10/02/2023 17:56

Well if they dont contribute to the bills why would their names be on them? I would tell them if they want their names on the rates invoice they need to pay half of it.

bloodymary100 · 10/02/2023 17:59

Seymour5 · 10/02/2023 17:49

If they are in their 60s, have a look at housing associations in the area, they may be able to offer them secure and affordable housing, especially if they can no longer afford to buy a home.

I hope not. Social housing isn't for pensioners who've pissed away their equity and savings on trying to travel the world

MajorCarolDanvers · 10/02/2023 18:01

Unless you are claiming single person discount on council tax or any other benefits then there is nothing you legally need to do.

MajorCarolDanvers · 10/02/2023 18:06

bloodymary100 · 10/02/2023 17:59

I hope not. Social housing isn't for pensioners who've pissed away their equity and savings on trying to travel the world

Show quote history

Social housing is affordable housing for those who need it, whether you perceive them to be deserving or not.

viques · 10/02/2023 18:08

I am assuming they didn’t have much equity in the house, or it was a little house in a cheap area, because blowing a house worth of money in just over a year is pretty impressive spending!

Were they planning to travel until they dropped dead or what on earth did they think was going to happen when they came back?

sorry OP, I am just gobsmacked by this story.

RidingMyBike · 10/02/2023 18:21

Council tax unless there was already more than one adult living in the house (ie if you got the single person discount).

We had to declare anyone over 18 for the mortgage when we took it out.

Check what you've got on the house insurance - partner and dependents only or family only?

Work out how you're going to get them out again!

Original poster

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 10/02/2023 18:57

They had supposedly planned to travel until they dropped, they are both under 60 but have various ailments so this seemed ridiculous to me but despite me and DH challenging their ideas, they were adamant this was what they were doing and that it would work in their favour.

MIL had a number of credit accounts to pay off so with that and then them living like millionaires for a year, they now have next to bloody nothing to work from, which is annoying as their house was lovely and sold for a fair amount.

DH and I aren't entitled to any benefits so it won't affect anything like that.

I'm just so bloody angry that we're in this position. It's hard enough when they visit for Christmas, they take over the house and try and take over with DC but not in a positive way. I'm dreading every minute until they leave.

I can't thank everyone enough for advice ❤️

OP posts:

viques · 10/02/2023 19:07

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 10/02/2023 18:57

They had supposedly planned to travel until they dropped, they are both under 60 but have various ailments so this seemed ridiculous to me but despite me and DH challenging their ideas, they were adamant this was what they were doing and that it would work in their favour.

MIL had a number of credit accounts to pay off so with that and then them living like millionaires for a year, they now have next to bloody nothing to work from, which is annoying as their house was lovely and sold for a fair amount.

DH and I aren't entitled to any benefits so it won't affect anything like that.

I'm just so bloody angry that we're in this position. It's hard enough when they visit for Christmas, they take over the house and try and take over with DC but not in a positive way. I'm dreading every minute until they leave.

I can't thank everyone enough for advice ❤️

Thanks for the explanation. They sound awful. I wouldn’t be giving them house room , but then that’s easy for me to say.

2bazookas · 10/02/2023 19:29

It sounds as if the PILS real intention is to establish some kind of occupation rights in your home. I'd resist that with a pitchfork :-)

Is it rented, a council house. HA?

If they sold a house they owned for years surely they should have enough cash left to rent privately. I suspect they are not being very straight with you.

JimDixon · 10/02/2023 19:37

This sounds like an AIBU thread and Daily Mail article just waiting to happen!

BasilParsley · 10/02/2023 19:39

DO NOT ADD THEM TO THE ELECTORAL ROLL AT YOUR ADDRESS ... I REPEAT, DO NOT ADD THEM AT YOUR ADDRESS!!!!! If you do, they then have established residency and can really screw up your credit rating by applying for this, that and the other without you knowing... I feel for you but you need to be hard here... xxx

Streakyt · 10/02/2023 19:40

I wouldn’t want a financial association between you so I wouldn’t be putting them on anything at all!

Original poster

Fivemoreminutespeaceplease · 10/02/2023 19:46

My house is mortgages to my DH and I so I can't blame the council or landlord for not being able to house them unfortunately.

I've looked into credit ratings extensively and it's to the person and not the person, so even if she gets herself into a black hole, it won't affect me or my house to my knowledge?

In the last hour, I've got to the bottom of the obsession with being on bills. They want to move onto a static caravan park but they need to have a residential address and proof of this in way of utility bills.

This is like a nightmare.

OP posts: