Moving another person in to a rented property

MiniLaura

Hi

I currently rent a property in scotland myself - my boyfriend is hoping to move in wiht me later this year and will share costs of rent and bills with me. I currently claim housing benefit due to low income and know this will most probably cease completety.

I will need to inform council of additional tenant - no problems with this but will I need a revised tenacy agreement with boyfriend added on? Landlord is aware of person moving in. Happy to keep existing tenacy agreement?

Just wondering if it would be possible to keep tenancy agreement as it is but inform council of additional tenant - and completely step away from housing/council tax benefit so will no longer need to declare income etc.

The current tenancy agreement is a six month rolling contract as far as im aware. been here several years.

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Most letting agents want everyone over 18 on the agreement

Seems like you have a private landlord - I don't think you need to make any changes if s/he knows and hasn't insisted on a new agreement

Letting the council know has nothing to do with whose name is on the agreement so won't affect it

Pee

At the moment, it is your tenancy, you are liable for the rent and if you want your boyfriend to leave, he will have to. i would suggest this is a good way to start life living together, but further down the line it might make more sense for it to be in both names.

MiniLaura

thanks for the replies, and yes its a private landlord and notifed by email so have that in writing - i was asking if they wanted new tenancy agreement but not bothered - just said if i did get new one would have to let council tax know two people living there but doing that anyway.

Jowo_2

If your preference is to keep it a sole tenancy and the landlord consents to this and gives you permission for him to reside, there's no problem.

It means your boyfriend has the status of a lodger of yours which is more akin to a guest and should the relationship fail, for example, is obliged to move out when you serve notice.

In contrast, a joint tenancy will give him greater security of tenure (the downside is potential arguments over who has to move out if the relationship fails).

I think because of the change in tenancy to a joint one you will probably need to be issued with a new fixed term agreement of at least 6 months so you may or may not have the inclination to be locked in for this minimum period.

Not sure what you mean by the following "and completely step away from housing/council tax benefit so will no longer need to declare income". Your boyfriend residing in the property [new EDIT: may affect your entitlement to all means tested benefits, not just CT/HB] and an absence of his name on the agreement has no affect on this but perhaps that's what you meant. [My understanding is that a live in partner's income is taking into account].

MiniLaura

it means that since the joint income will mean that housing benefit cant be claimed any more - will not be claiming any more.

I think im just thinking since i will have to declare joint income for housing/ct and WTC now I might need to show joint liability for living costs ie both on tenancy agreement but if this isnt hte case then thats great -

plan to live at this place for six months/year then move into unfurnished accom - working towards buying our own place.