Advice needed for the "caretaker's house"

Dixie64

We’re after some advice, I’m not sure if this is the right place so moderator please move it if you need to.

My dh is a school caretaker (9.5 years) and we live in a “tied” bungalow on the school grounds – one of the conditions of employment was that we live here. The head teacher has decided not to “buy in” in to the local authority scheme that covers any work that might need to be done on the house – a move we completely understand because getting anything done takes so long it is ridiculous, it is a worry trying to get the school to do anything so we’re not sure it will be any better for us – but that’s another story! However quite ominously she asked if we were on the local “housing list” because whilst she won’t “get rid” of the house (she’s due to retire within the next 5 years) perhaps a future head might decide to! Where do we stand on this? Could a new head (or the existing one) simply decide they no longer want a “residential” caretaker and evict us – would they be duty bound to find us alternative accommodation and would we be entitled to any form of relocation allowance. We pay rent direct from his wages, (at a reduced rate because dh is basically available 24/7 as we live on site). Obviously we are concerned, this is our family home (we have 4 children all living at home, 22, 17, 15 and 7) and the thought that someone can just sweep it away with very little notice is a bit worrying.

We appreciate any thoughts or experience you may have on this subject and appreciate any advice you may be able to offer.

00ec25

as you know you live in tied accommodation so simplistically this means that if the job goes then so does the right to live in that house.

I am not a lawyer but if the contract of employment is as a residential caretaker and the requirement to be residental is removed by the employer then either the post has been made redundant (and redundancy payment would be due) or that would be a change of terms and conditions of employment which would have to be agreed (negotiated) by your DH

The implications of leaving tied accommodation and further contact points info are, as ever, set out in the best place to start when in a vulnerable position re housing - the Shelter website:
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/renting_and_leasehold/tied_accommodation/service_occupiers

the advice to contact your council appears to be made with good intent but you need to think about why you are approaching them as the council's attitude will depend on whether you are being made homeless as a result of loss of tied accomm or alternatively if you are merely seeking to get on the "list". If the latter then you will merely be joining the other 1,000s who are in the same boat. Obviously in your case you need advice from the council regarding what you would have to do in their eyes to be treated as being homeless (and therefore high priority). Equally clealry however, the mere fact you would be homeless and high priority does not mean you will be offered accommodation of the same standard as you now occupy.

poppysarah

Speak to the Union. If not in the union now is a good time to join.

Sadly tied accomodation comes with little rights.
A friend had his time as a tower block caretaker taken into account for right to buy - but you'd not be allowed to buy the caretakers house.