Can you claim housing benefit if renting from a family member?

oscys

I have been renting my house out for the past 5 years and my current tenant is leaving.
Would my Dad be allowed to rent my property and claim housing benefit for it? I know he can only claim a certain amount. But is it ok to rent from a family member?
I dont live there and haven't done for many years. I now live 5 hours away!
I have read online that it is ok as long as you have a proper contract.

McKneff

As far as I know you can as long as it is not a 'contrived tenancy'

You have to be a proper landlord, with gas safety certicates etc. etc. and charge the market rent.

Would you be willing to evict him if he stopped paying rent.

oscys

Thanks, Yes I do my Gas Certs through British Gas and would have a rental agreement just like all the others i've had.
And yes he would have to be evicted if he stopped paying rent as I can't afford to not have the rental income.

SAK45

As long as you don't live there too, it should be fine. That's what the law stated once upon a time when I worked in Housing Benefits about 15 years ago.
Just give your father a rental agreement like any other tenant, he can mention he is renting from his son, it's all above board.

Aarons_mummy

As above as long as there is a proper contract etc set up then you should be able to. My son is the great grandson of my landlord and I just had to write on the form there was a connection and a man came out and assessed the number of bedrooms and asked about the landlord etc. They also looked at all my documents and I and the landlord had to fill in a questionnaire each about rent, deposit etc etc.

As long as you comply with them and everything is how it would be with a regular tenant and you're not living with them then I think it is do-able

WPN

Its only a problem if you decided to live there also which isn't the case.

Obviously these rules dont apply to MPs and their expenses - who choose to do what they want.

OneHubbyOneSon4Debts

WPN wrote: »

Its only a problem if you decided to live there also which isn't the case.

Obviously these rules dont apply to MPs and their expenses - who choose to do what they want.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T