BR and Housing Association Tenancies.

Annie56

Hi

Am just asking a question on behalf of a friend

She is a tenant of a Extra Care Housing Association and Supported Living type place.

Her rent is £720 per month most of which is paid by Housing Benefit as she does not work due to suffering from Bi Polar.

Her boyfriend and her would like to move in together, he works full time and earns a fairly good wage and would be able to afford to pay this rent as she would not receive any help with her rent if he did move in and she would also lose her entitlement to Income Support as well.

The actual problem is he will soon have to declare himself BR ( due to debts left by his ex wife) my friend knows of this.

In light of the recent changes in the amount you can have as surplus in an IPA would the OR allow such a high rent? the rent is made up of rent/care charges/ and communal charges.

All her medical/care needs are very well documented and her place in this housing scheme is needed plus her boyfriend himself will have reasonably significant care needs in the next few years.

This BR is to give him and then a fresh start, would a housing association frown on someone bieng BR..

Many thanks for any imput

Annie56:)

Tupperware_Queen

not sure, but didnt want to read and run.

I think your friend and her partner need toget some advice from CAB or similar before commiting to anything

Annie56

Thanks Tupperware Queen, Im just wanting to make sure they do the right thing and dont shoot themselves in the foot so to speak, a visit to CAB is planned but cant see them till February 2011:eek:there awfully busy round here so we must just wait our turn.

A:D

Tupperware_Queen

sadly its the same here too....difficult times

scot88

If the only question they need answered quickly is the housing assoc. one..is there maybe somewhere they could call with just that one question. I know there is that facility where I live...just a thought

now

They are a social land lord so I think they will be OK so long as they pay the rent, however somebody will be along who may just have the answers

tigerfeet2006

Get your friend to get in touch with National Debtline, they are busy and it may take time to get through to them but keep trying. They will go through it all on the phone straight away as long as he has all the information on his debts and his outgoings and bills etc.

Link and number in my sig.

JMV

Housing Associations are, by definition, are Social Landlords - if your friend isn't behind with the rent and hasn't broken any tenancy conditions then there is absolutely no reason why they would care that her partner is BR. I'm assuming she is the sole tenant? She should make sure she doesn't put her partner on the tenancy agreement - this is my advice to any young woman with a tenancy whose partner moves in, and not based on housing law or your friends' circumstances

As for the care component of the rent - this is more complicated and I am a little behind with benefits rules with regard to disabilities, care and mobility... If she has a social worker, or a CPN, then she should speak to them about the situation...

I am pretty sure (but may be wrong) that she should be entitled to some benefits in her own right, for the care component of her rent - which is rarely paid by the individual except via direct payments. It may be worth looking through a benefits calculator or speaking to a Welfare Rights Charity...

The above might give your friend a starting point for some google searching which, in turn, should come up with some places to contact for more firm advice...

HTH

So_Sad_Angel

Hi there,

Shelter website have some great advice on renting/tenancies & rights for background info etc (edit...btw Shelter Charity are not just for the homeless ...)

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/renting_and_leasehold/joint_tenancies#4

If your friends OH moves in then the OR will be unlikely to question the level of rent given the medical necessity of the accomodation...it doesn`t seem excessive anyway in the current climate.

fatbelly

I just read your post, Annie, and I can't see a problem.

I assume the guy's debts are over 15k.

JMV

Hi Annie56,

Just a few things to check on -

Your friend does need to check that her tenancy agreement doesn't prohibit her partner moving in - some supported housing schemes won't allow it...but many do.

I have had a quick look at some benefits your friend may be entitled to - Disability Living Allowance - which is non means tested.

And they may be entitled to Working Tax Credits...

However, I am unsure which of these are not included in the Official Receivers' calculations - perhaps someone more knowledgeable can advise?

HTH