lodger, off work, wont go back and on about claiming housing benefit??

spinningsheep

I have a lodger, no formal tenancy, she pays £300 a month for a double room all in, just has to provide SOME food, most is included as I buy the basics for us all, there are 4 of us, me and 3 lodgers. She has been off work on sick since last Oct, and is now down to SSP, she got into arrears but she has now borrowed the money to bring this back up to date, and she said she was going back to work, after all she had no choice! Now, she is saying that the doctor is not allowing her back to work yet (stress and depression) and that she can claim income support and housing benefit, now, I am sub letting, with my landlady's permission, so each month when she was in arrears, I was footing her bill, as I am responsible for paying the rent, and I am not prepared to accept housing benefits, even if they would do this with no tenancy in place, and I am not putting her on the tenancy, but even if she was on, my landlady would not accept benefits, sorry if this waffles a bit, bare with me, now, my question is, CAN I BE MADE TO ACCEPT HOUSING BENEFIT? I am seriously considering just asking her to leave, I cant be doing with it all.

pawpurrs

As a Lodger she will have little rights, so yes you can refuse, if you wish.

spinningsheep

cheers for reply, I dont want to refuse but I have heard so many stories about claims taking months to sort and I am not prepared to pay her share in the meantime, she is a friend but I do feel she is taking the pi*s quite frankly, if she just went back to work she wouldnt have this problem, and as far as I can see it, as she is effectively a paying guest, they surely wouldnt grant her housing benefit?

garthdp

be careful! Are you declaring the rent your lodgers pay as income?She may make things tricky for you if you ask her to leave.

Francesanne

spinningsheep wrote: »

cheers for reply, I dont want to refuse but I have heard so many stories about claims taking months to sort and I am not prepared to pay her share in the meantime, she is a friend but I do feel she is taking the pi*s quite frankly, if she just went back to work she wouldnt have this problem, and as far as I can see it, as she is effectively a paying guest, they surely wouldnt grant her housing benefit?

She'd probably feel a lot better if she got herself back to work. Every sympathy for TRUE depression but seems to be so easy to fool GP's into handing out sickness certficates.

cattie

Ok, so she may say the the dr said she shouldn't go back to work yet, but really it's up to her whether she feels up to it or not. If she feels she can't go back to work then she should be thinking about the implications of not being able to pay her way.

Even if she is a friend she shouldn't be expecting you to support her. The danger is that as long as she isn't having to worry about the rent & other bills, there is no real incentive for her to get back to work & earn the money to support herself.

I'm not too sure why you won't accept hb if she could claim it, as at least that way her rent would be paid.

00ec25

spinningsheep wrote: »

CAN I BE MADE TO ACCEPT HOUSING BENEFIT? I am seriously considering just asking her to leave, I cant be doing with it all.

its not you who gets HB, those days are gone. HB is paid to the claimant and they pay it (or not!!) over to the LL. They can ask for it to be paid direct to the LL but this is not automatic

if as another implied you are afraid that having a claimant in the house will tip off the authorities as to your circumstances then as stated a lodger has few rights, but you must evict in writing

Nixxx

I say get rid..from what you've said so far, it sounds like she's taking the p!

clutton_2

what a lot of horribly judgemental posts ........

Nixxx

Not judgemental just factual. The OP doesn't want to foot the bill for this person and doesn't want to accept housing benefit. So ask her to leave.
Simples

helenjg

I think you should put the responsibility on her by explaining that its not just a case of you not wanting to support her but that you can't support her. Its unfair of her to put you in a position of financial hardship.