Question on Renting in Pension Years

ukcarper

ninky wrote: »

out of interest if anyone knows, if you are allocated a large council house or have housing benefit paid for a private rental on the basis of having a large family, what happens when the kids move out? are you made to downsize?

I don't think you do if you are in a council house.

sjaypink

ukcarper wrote: »

I don't think you do if you are in a council house.

thats correct, current rules are you can under-occupy a socially rented property for as long as you like

silvercar

sjaypink wrote: »

thats correct, current rules are you can under-occupy a socially rented property for as long as you like

But wouldn't your LHA be reduced?

ukcarper

Probably but social housing rents are cheaper than private and it would still cover it

sjaypink

silvercar wrote: »

But wouldn't your LHA be reduced?

ukcarper wrote: »

Probably but social housing rents are cheaper than private and it would still cover it

No, not everyone claiming assistance with rent is claiming LHA. Old style Housing Benefit is still paid too. LHA was rolled out to those renting privately, but social housing (council or HA) tenants still receive HB, which currently does not take into account house size (well, it is supposed to assess whether the rent paid is 'fair' for the size of property, but not whether the property size is needed by those in the household).

pingu2209

Thank you for the replies. I guess the reason the government wants us to buy our own houses rather than rent is so that they don't have to give handouts (under what ever name) to the ever increasing retired population.

My friend is 36 and bought her first house in May 2007. She and her husband had saved for years and years to put down a large deposit on their first home. They wanted their own home when they decided to start a family. However, now their daughter is 3 and they have to select schools they need to move area because the local schools are dreadful.

It is very sad because they bought at the peak their house is now worth a lot less. I believe their hard saved deposit has gone and they may be in negative equity.

They have decided to sell it and rent in a better area which is out of their budget to buy. She is concerned because they probably won't be able to buy a house again and she wondered what would happen in 30 years time and they retire.

Harry_Powell

westv wrote: »

What happens in areas of Europe where there is more emphasise on ranting rather than buying?

I don't think you have to go as far away as Europe for an answer to that question. Plenty of ranting instead of buying going on in here.

chewmylegoff

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

I don't for one moment believe that the council can buy and fit a basic kitchen any cheaper than I can, or rather, they probably could, but I doubt they do.... Not by the time you include all the "administration" costs.

they could, but because of public sector procurement policies, they will have signed an exclusive contract with one provider. in the tendering process this provider will have appeared to be the cheapest, but because the council will effectively let the provider write the contract, they end up with a ridiculously expensive provider locked in on a 3 year deal. in the end it will probably cost them 2x what it would cost you.

westv

westv wrote: »

What happens in areas of Europe where there is more emphasise on ranting rather than buying?

Harry_Powell wrote: »

I don't think you have to go as far away as Europe for an answer to that question. Plenty of ranting instead of buying going on in here.

Yes, very good. :rotfl:

puddy

pingu2209 wrote: »

Thank you for the replies. I guess the reason the government wants us to buy our own houses rather than rent is so that they don't have to give handouts (under what ever name) to the ever increasing retired population.

My friend is 36 and bought her first house in May 2007. She and her husband had saved for years and years to put down a large deposit on their first home. They wanted their own home when they decided to start a family. However, now their daughter is 3 and they have to select schools they need to move area because the local schools are dreadful.

It is very sad because they bought at the peak their house is now worth a lot less. I believe their hard saved deposit has gone and they may be in negative equity.

They have decided to sell it and rent in a better area which is out of their budget to buy. She is concerned because they probably won't be able to buy a house again and she wondered what would happen in 30 years time and they retire.

didnt they think of the schools when buying or were they going to sell up in a few years anyway?

if so, im not being funny but thats financial mismanagement anyway, she couldnt expect prices to go up (or down). how 'dreadful' are the schools anyway, probably not bad enough that they have to move