Council tenant

volvic09

Hi,

I live in 3 bedroom council house with my dad who has recently been made redundant and is on job seekers allowance and we are still paying full rent and full council tax. I have asked several times if I can be put on the rent book however they said 'no' because if anything happened to my dad I would not be entitled to a three bedroom house as I have no children. Even though I am paying the bills.

Have they really stopped putting other people's name on the books? If I am responsible for paying all the bills surely I should be entitled to something. Or is this not the case?

Any advice would be helpful

donnajunkie

assuming you have actually applied for those benefits. they take into account the income of the household when they calculate them and not who is on the tenancy agreement. it is ridiculous i know because if you refused to pay it would be your dad they would take to court. so if you are working then that is why it is still so much. i live with my dad also and until recently he was working 30 hours on the minimum wage and i was claiming jsa. we got a small amount of council tax benefit and no housing benefit.

seven-day-weekend

I think the OP is asking why he/she cannot be put on the tenancy agreement and the answer obviously is as the Council says, that she/he would not be entitled to a three bedroom house if anything happened to the father. Therefore they cannot be put on the tenancy of a three-bedroom house.

The Council used to do it years ago when Council houses were not a scarce resource, but it has been stopped for many years now afaik.

Family-size houses are needed for families, so I think this is perfectly fair.

donnajunkie

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I think the OP is asking why he/she cannot be put on the tenancy agreement and the answer obviously is as the Council says, that she/he would not be entitled to a three bedroom house if anything happened to the father. Therefore they cannot be put on the tenancy of a three-bedroom house.

The Council used to do it years ago when Council houses were not a scarce resource, but it has been stopped for many years now afaik.

Family-size houses are needed for families, so I think this is perfectly fair.

yes but they also seem to think that is why they arent getting housing benefit and council tax benefit.

exitroute?

So, if anything happened to the parent, would this person be made homeless? My son was made a joint tenant several years ago. He is 23 now and will have a roof over his head if I pop me cloggs.

Oldernotwiser

exitroute? wrote: »

So, if anything happened to the parent, would this person be made homeless? My son was made a joint tenant several years ago. He is 23 now and will have a roof over his head if I pop me cloggs.

I would certainly hope that the young person in question wouldn't be housed by the council if anything happened to his father; I'm sure that there are people with far greater need than he has.

I think it a great shame that you've manipulated the system for your son's benefit and I hope that this has now been stopped in your area!

CIS

Even if you do get him on the tenancy then you raise question regarding taking a tenancy in order to claim housing benefit.

Oldernotwiser

volvic09 wrote: »

Hi,


Have they really stopped putting other people's name on the books? If I am responsible for paying all the bills surely I should be entitled to something. Or is this not the case?

If your dad is on JSA then there's really no need for you to be paying all the bills; JSA should cover food and utilities and not be just for spending money. You need to start splitting the bills equally with your father.

(This is really strange - it's what we normally say to parents when their adult children are in this situation!)

seven-day-weekend

exitroute? wrote: »

So, if anything happened to the parent, would this person be made homeless? My son was made a joint tenant several years ago. He is 23 now and will have a roof over his head if I pop me cloggs.

I think they would give him time to find somewhere else. If he had children and/or disabilities they may even find him a Council flat.

Council houses are very scarce these days and it is not right that a single person should occupy a family size home when there are families who have been on the waiting list for years.

Vader123

volvic09 wrote: »

Hi,

I live in 3 bedroom council house with my dad who has recently been made redundant and is on job seekers allowance and we are still paying full rent and full council tax. I have asked several times if I can be put on the rent book however they said 'no' because if anything happened to my dad I would not be entitled to a three bedroom house as I have no children. Even though I am paying the bills.

Have they really stopped putting other people's name on the books? If I am responsible for paying all the bills surely I should be entitled to something. Or is this not the case?

Any advice would be helpful

As ONW says, JSA is paid to pay for essential costs.

Vader

chesky369

There are still local authorities who allow succession rights to the offspring of tenants, provided there hasn't been one handover already (i.e. husband to wife).