Will The Bedroom Tax Affect Me?

Dunroamin

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

But people in the private sector rent on a short-term assured hold tenancy basis. They don't own their homes, nor have any guarantee they can remain there beyond the end of their current agreement. Most social tenants were given a tenancy on a lifetime agreement and may have invested £1000s in their HOMES on that basis. How would you feel if the government came along and told you to get out of the home you've lovingly created over many years and expected to live the rest of your days in?

Perhaps people who have thousands to spend on their home shouldn't actually be in social housing in the first place - they certainly have more money than sense! Also, unless planning to buy the property at some point in the future, I fail to see how spending this sort of money on something you don't actually own can be described as an investment.

Dunroamin

Morlock wrote: »

All of those £1000s wasted on disability adaptations where a tenancy has been guaranteed for an extensive amount of time, how foolish.

I think that where social housing providers have spend thousands on adaptations for a particular tenant should be an exception to the new system.

krisskross

Dunroamin wrote: »

I think that where social housing providers have spend thousands on adaptations for a particular tenant should be an exception to the new system.

However the housing provider almost certainly has someone else waiting for an adapted place so nothing would be wasted. In fact the major SH provider in my area has apparently replaced all baths with walk in showers in it's sheltered housing stock. Looking at their website it would appear that adapted properties attract the most bids.

jules372

I live in a 3 bdrm adapted house with my disabled 19yr old son. According to the new rules we are only entitled to 2 bedrooms. When we were given the house from the HA, it was stated that at some time in the future we would need a carer for my son, hence the extra room.

At the moment our rent charged by the HA is approx £10 a week less than what the LHA pays for a 2bdrm property. Does this mean we are exempt from the 14% under occupancy rate? I'd greatly appreciate it someone could answer this for us.

TIA

nannytone_2

you will have to pay.
the fact that at some time in the future, your son will need an overnight carer is irrelevant to the rules.
he doesnt have an overnught carer today, so you dont need the extra room

jules372

nannytone wrote: »

you will have to pay.
the fact that at some time in the future, your son will need an overnight carer is irrelevant to the rules.
he doesnt have an overnught carer today, so you dont need the extra room

Thanks for the reply. I understand that, and if we have to pay, so be it. But my point is our rent at the moment is £10 a week less than the current LHA 2bdrm rate, that's what's confusing me.

nannytone_2

but LHA doesnt affect you as you rent social housing and not privatelt.
the LHA rate is irrelevant

Morlock

jules372 wrote: »

But my point is our rent at the moment is £10 a week less than the current LHA 2bdrm rate, that's what's confusing me.

Social housing tenants are not entitled to the higher amounts of money that LHA rates offer in the private sector.

Some will argue that this is because generally lower rents in social housing are 'subsidised' by taxpayers, which is debatable.

jules372

Ok, thanks for the replies. Not heard anything from HB dept yet, so will just have to wait for the dreaded letter to arrive!

Morlock

jules372 wrote: »

Ok, thanks for the replies.

Good luck. Have you personally invested in any of the adaptations?

Of course, you can tell me it's none of my business, or choose not to reply.