Renting annex to a parent - can they claim hb to pay their way?

Mojisola

Gentile wrote: »

Why should the tax payer fund a property that your son cannot afford to buy ? Tell him to buy the house if he can afford it and you can live there for free because you are his father.

At the moment minnymoo12345 is receiving HB which is either paying a stranger's mortgage or, if the mortgage is paid off, going straight into their pocket.

What's different about still getting HB but paying the son, if the flat is deemed to be a separate property and the HB claim is valid?

Real50crashclub

So if for instance a young couple buy a house that has been converted into two flats, could they live in one and rent the other out to their parents who qualify for housing benefit?

Mojisola

Real50crashclub wrote: »

So if for instance a young couple buy a house that has been converted into two flats, could they live in one and rent the other out to their parents who qualify for housing benefit?

If they are entitled to HB and the properties are separate.

If they could rent it to strangers, why not to family?

Real50crashclub

Mojisola wrote: »

If they are entitled to HB and the properties are separate.

If they could rent it to strangers, why not to family?

But by the sound of it, there are complications. Are claims ever turned down because its family? Some one said there is a question on the claim forms asking are you related to your landlord. Why would they ask this?

Mojisola

Real50crashclub wrote: »

But by the sound of it, there are complications. Are claims ever turned down because its family? Some one said there is a question on the claim forms asking are you related to your landlord. Why would they ask this?

It has to be a "real" tenancy in that you would treat the tenant who is a relative the same way as a stranger, for example, you would take steps to evict them if they didn't pay the rent or otherwise broke their tenancy agreement.

pmlindyloo

Since the house with an annex hasn't been found yet I suspect that this may not happen.

Planning permission for granny annexes are complicated and often contain clauses that they should not be used as a rented dwelling.

We had a granny annex made by converting a garage and using a couple of downstairs rooms. Our planning permission contained such a clause.

I can only see this working if the OP's son buys a house with an entirely separate annex.

Mojisola

minnymoo12345 wrote: »

the house is on a split level and the ground floor is a complete self contained annex / flat with it's own front door and all facility

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Since the house with an annex hasn't been found yet I suspect that this may not happen.

I thought they already had a house in mind.

pmlindyloo

Mojisola wrote: »

I thought they already had a house in mind.

Yes, you're quite right

[Deleted User]

Real50crashclub wrote: »

But by the sound of it, there are complications. Are claims ever turned down because its family? Some one said there is a question on the claim forms asking are you related to your landlord. Why would they ask this?

just google "contrived tenancy"

Bogof_Babe

If the property in questions is "a house", there is only one address, so if the parent (I took it to be a mother not a father, going by the username) moves in with them then surely it is just a family who happen to have a suitable self-contained area of their home where mum or dad can live - as a lodger is more appropriate than as a tenant.

I should imagine the property was originally intended as a single dwelling, but at some stage has been converted to include the annexe. However if it has never been registered as a separate dwelling (i.e. for council tax purposes) then I don't see how it could be considered "let" to a "tenant".

The OP's situation is unfortunate but I can't see her/him being able to claim housing benefit or LHA to effectively lodge with her/his son's family.