Housing advice needed

[Penny]

regulars will know my special needs adult daughter and her boyfriend have been on the council housing list for 4 years. Everything has ground to a halt due to the pandemic. no houses are being allocated only to homeless and street sleepers and people in sheltered housing.

here is my predicament! we have a small house which we have rented out to some lovely elderly people for nearly 10 years. We call it the pension fund as hubby is self employed and only gets a state pension as the private pension he took out years ago was losing money so we cashed it in.

last night they gave us a month’s notice to leave as they have been offered a Sheltered housing bungalow as the husband is now quite disabled.

Daughter and boyfriend have often hinted that it would be perfect for them but we always said The tenants were so reliable we would never get rid of them. We have been so lucky with the tenants and never a problem in all that time.

I feel they are close to getting a council property as they are in the priority band and the rent would be a lot more affordable for them than what we would have to charge them. On the other hand at least we would know them and they would keep it nicely as you hear so many stories of rotten tenants.

I also need to think about whether we should just let it in her name or the boyfriend’s as well, if we went down that route. He is not very reliable with money although if I keep on top of it he is OK. If we let them rent that they will never get a council property.

[Ayjay]

The answer is in your post to some extent: it's a Pension Fund not a house.

Did you always plan to use the rent as pension or were you going to sell it at pensionable age.

How is the Pension fund best served?

The fact that boyfriend is not that reliable with money will lead to problems eventually, and with a council property being cheaper for them, it less of a problem for them, and no problem for you at all.

[sunnydisposition]

A housing Association would deem them as adequately housed. And there would be no chance of them remaining on the waiting list. The council and housing associations would. Seen them as being well supported by family.

[Londonbound]

It is very difficult and i can see your predicament.
Firstly if you let your daughter and boyfriend have the house, they would drop off and probably never get the security of a council house.

And if a relative owns the property, then your daughter cannot claim housing benefit, did you say the boyfriend was working, if he lost his job for any reason, then no housing benefit you would get no rent.

Again rent in just your daughters name, looking at all angles, if your daughters boyfriend became drunk and violent, not saying he ever would but have heard and seen it so many times then the boyfriend would have no legal right to be there.
But then who would pay the rent if he wasn't there your daughter can't claim housing benefit, a very complicated situation.

But your daughter would have security and always have somewhere to live in your property.

Council housing is not 100 per cent guaranteed, again a few drunken rows and would be enough to get your daughter evicted, again seen it so many times.

So sorry to put such a bleak view on it all but have seen so many times, so many issues with housing.

[bowlingbun]

Penny, do NOT do this!
If they rent your house they won't be entitled to Housing Benefit as your are family!!!

[Cloudygal]

I personally wouldn't do this either. I see too many complications ahead. You could end up with more stress not less .

[Penny]

Thanks everyone. I didn’t realise about not getting housing benefit if a relative owns the house. So thanks for that.

Neither daughter nor boyfriend drink only maybe when we all have a meal out.

We heard today that the property they hoped to get has just had a couple with 2 children move in. They must either be homeless or in overcrowded Accommodation as they are the only people being given homes. Plus street sleepers. The property has 2 bedrooms but the second is literally like a box room (my husband has seen it) and I can’t see it being suitable for 2 children.

[Melly1]

Then let's hope they are only being housed there on a temporary basis, and will be moved to something more suitable so that your daughter and partner can move in.

Melly1

[Penny]

Then let's hope they are only being housed there on a temporary basis, and will be moved to something more suitable so that your daughter and partner can move in.

Melly1

that would be good Melly but I doubt it.

[Cloudygal]

Penny

Thats disappointing.

In that case, how is one supposed to get council accomodation.

Would CAB advise I wonder..

When I have tried to contact them I have not been able to by phone