Laws about renting off a friend?

jane1823

Hi I have been in privated rented property for 2 years now but I had started looking to move again as this area has got rougher and |I have had damage to my car, plants pulled out of the front garden and things stolen. I started seeing a man 6 months ago and although we get on well enough I have 2 kids and he lives with his mum as she needs looking after so moving in with him afetr such a small length of time is not an option. i also have 3 dogs and 2 cats and i know the difficulty in finding somewhere that will allow them. Any way....my boyfriend also has 2 houses which he has had for about 15 years and has rented out. One of them has come empty and he said i could rent that. i work 16 hours a week and claim housing and council tax benefit (they pay about half at the moment) would we be allowed to do this as he would be my boyfriend as well as my landlord? He cant afford to drop the rent because of the mortgage but I cant afford to pay it without the benefit. I dont want to do anything illegal so I would have to look for somewhere else but that just seems like a perfect solution. Does anyone know where i stand with this or where I can find out from?? Thanks

Loopgames

Since he has rented them out before then as long as the rent isnt increased to take advantage of the benefit system sounds like it is fine. The contract he has with you should be the same as any other tennant he lets it to, ie commercial.

Notmyrealname

Loopgames wrote: »

Since he has rented them out before then as long as the rent isnt increased to take advantage of the benefit system sounds like it is fine. The contract he has with you should be the same as any other tennant he lets it to, ie commercial.

Highly unlikely given that he is her partner.....

Werdnal

OP, look up "contrived tenancy". I would suspect the housing benefit department would be extremely suspicious of this arrangement, if you are in a relationship ... I can hear the alarm bells ringing already!

Plus its all very well you feeling a little awkward moving in with him so soon into your relationship, but how will you feel having your ex as your LL if things don't last between you?

jane1823

I think i have more or less decided not to go down the road of renting off him.....it sounds as tho it wouldnt be acceptable. I have a (female) friend who has a couple of rental properties. I will ask her if she has anything coming free. I assume its ok to rent from just a friend? (she has 6 properties in a block that she has been renting out for over 10 years) plus she will let me take all the animals.

Loopgames

Notmyrealname wrote: »

Highly unlikely given that he is her partner.....

I took it literally to mean a friend on the platonic level.

phill99

Your bf should only rent a house to someone he is willing to evict if the
need arose. If he isn't willing to do that, then he shouldn't be letting a house to you.

Notmyrealname

Loopgames wrote: »

I took it literally to mean a friend on the platonic level.

The OP said he is her boyfriend in the original post otherwise there'd have been no problem.