Renting from my dad?

HeatherH

My father owns a house, which he inherited from my great aunt quite a few years back.

He currently rents it out to a couple, but soon I intend to move in there myself with my son.

At the moment I'm a 24yr old full-time uni student and I'm in receipt of housing benefit.

While I'm still studying, would I able to claim housing benefit if my father became my landlord?

Links to specific info or documents would also be appreciated, as my dads interested in what I can find out.

Thanks in advance
Heather

tbs624

You can rent property from a relative but there would be checks made to ensure that your tenancy was not a "contrived tenancy" designed to take advantage of the benefit system. There would need to be a standard tenancy agreement in place, and if your father would be trying to charge more for the property under LHA/HB than he would normally receive from a non-benefit tenant then you'd be challenged on it.Have the current T's given notice or will your father be kicking them out so that you can move in?

Get googling - look up Housing Benefit/LHA Regulations. If your father wants to make money from the benefit system he should be doing his own research not expecting others to do it for him.

themanbearpig

How are you getting housing benefit as a full-time student?!

HeatherH

themanbearpig wrote: »

How are you getting housing benefit as a full-time student?!

Because I'm a lone parent, I'm still entitled.

kpey

tbs624 wrote: »

You can rent property from a relative but there would be checks made to ensure that your tenancy was not a "contrived tenancy" designed to take advantage of the benefit system. There would need to be a standard tenancy agreement in place, and if your father would be trying to charge more for the property under LHA/HB than he would normally receive from a non-benefit tenant then you'd be challenged on it.Have the current T's given notice or will your father be kicking them out so that you can move in?

Get googling - look up Housing Benefit/LHA Regulations. If your father wants to make money from the benefit system he should be doing his own research not expecting others to do it for him.

You aren't being very fair by assuming that the father "wants to make money from the benefit system" are you?

He has a property available, and there's no mention of him inflating the rent etc? If HeatherH is entitled to the housing benefit and he is renting to her at the market rent what's the issue?

socrates

tbs624 wrote: »

You can rent property from a relative but there would be checks made to ensure that your tenancy was not a "contrived tenancy" designed to take advantage of the benefit system. There would need to be a standard tenancy agreement in place, and if your father would be trying to charge more for the property under LHA/HB than he would normally receive from a non-benefit tenant then you'd be challenged on it.Have the current T's given notice or will your father be kicking them out so that you can move in?

Get googling - look up Housing Benefit/LHA Regulations. If your father wants to make money from the benefit system he should be doing his own research not expecting others to do it for him.

Whether he tries to charge more or not - its down to room entitlement and the relevant LHA rate for that claimant which will be fixed.

So I do not understand who will be challenging who - as long as there is a Tenancy Agreement and the OP is entitled claim LHA - then its a straightforward deal

socrates

HeatherH wrote: »

My father owns a house, which he inherited from my great aunt quite a few years back.

He currently rents it out to a couple, but soon I intend to move in there myself with my son.

At the moment I'm a 24yr old full-time uni student and I'm in receipt of housing benefit.

While I'm still studying, would I able to claim housing benefit if my father became my landlord?

Links to specific info or documents would also be appreciated, as my dads interested in what I can find out.

Thanks in advance
Heather

I might also add that this question is better placed on the Benefits Board - where you will get more factual based answers rather than opinions