Adding partner to tenancy

Luvly.cuppa.T

I find this incredible.
A friend of mine is adding her partner to her tenancy , which in fact she tried to do outright when she first move into the property but was denied, as the partner needs to be living in the property for at least 12 months.

Heh. So person in housing , if on benefits, has to declare a boy/girlfriend that is potentially living there (ambigous in itself), who then is seen as contributing to the rent, yet they are not allowed to have their name on the tenancy.

Where is the balance in this? I really don't get it!

Bossyboots

Because the issue of benefits and tenancy are totally separate. The landlord doesn't make the benefit rules and the DWP doesn't draw up tenancy agreements.

Anthillmob

our local council dont add partners to tenancys as there was a lot of people splitting with their partners and then moving out and the partner taking over the tenancy.

dlb

Yes i rembember this happening to me, i had to but my husband down as a tenant for 12 months before they would consider putting him on the rent book as a tenant, then after the year was up they said they wouldnt do it due to people spliting up.

The only way i got him on the tenacy was when we moved house i asked and they said no until i explained we had been married for 6 years then they reconsided and added him on the new house tenancy.!!

The lady at the council said they were so strict on it now as they have to rehouse anyone on the tenancy if they split up, which to me doesnt make sense as if a person isnt on the tenacy they will just claim homelessness??

Luvly.cuppa.T

It is a strange system.... the point that I was making that if the DSS are assuming that a 'partner' ie even a boyfriend and girlfriend is expected to contribute to the rent (which in some cases is fair enough), then why on earth can they not have their name on the tenancy? They are after all paying, and they too want a leg to stand on if all falls through, like any other contract, ie private renting and mortgages.

I can understand that by being on the tenancy all parties are then to be housed if a split occurs, but if someone is willing to take on the rent (and other bills) then they should be put on the tenancy and given the same rights? They are after all alleviating the housing benefit system in its ever growing payment, and should be somehow rewarded in doing so by simply putting them on the tenancy?

dlb

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote:

It is a strange system.... the point that I was making that if the DSS are assuming that a 'partner' ie even a boyfriend and girlfriend is expected to contribute to the rent (which in some cases is fair enough), then why on earth can they not have their name on the tenancy? They are after all paying, and they too want a leg to stand on if all falls through, like any other contract, ie private renting and mortgages.

I can understand that by being on the tenancy all parties are then to be housed if a split occurs, but if someone is willing to take on the rent (and other bills) then they should be put on the tenancy and given the same rights? They are after all alleviating the housing benefit system in its ever growing payment, and should be somehow rewarded in doing so by simply putting them on the tenancy?

Totally agree, as my husband was the only one working so if it wasnt for him the rent wouldnt have been paid, yet he still wasnt allowed on the tenancy????
It makes me mad that honest people who tell the council who is living there are not allowed to share responsibility.

Scarlett1

I dont think 12 months is long to wait to have another name added to a tenancy, why should someone be entitled to half a council propety just cause they have paid the rent on it for a couple of months

dlb

I agree that 12 months isnt long to wait, only the fact is now councils are not letting them go on after this time.

I had to agrue the fact after 6 years of marrige and then they would only do it when we moved to a new property and had to have new contact drawn up.

Scarlett1

dlb wrote:

I had to agrue the fact after 6 years of marrige and then they would only do it when we moved to a new property and had to have new contact drawn up.

I think the council took your case a bit too far, being married for 6 years is very stable, what more did they want