Loss of Council House on Death of Parents

pulliptears

jellyhead wrote: »

Maybe so, but only if they choose it. My Nan chose to move but I think she was only 71, and I agree that it was better for her.

She had family to help and visit her, and she had already moved recently so she wasn't close to neighbours, etc. I think an elderly person without close ties to children would be much more reliant on the local community.

The idea of these extra cares is that they are with the communities, one of the primary considerations when choosing sites for these are that they are within walking distance of towns so the elderly can be as self sufficient as they wish to be or as dependent as they need to be.

I take your point about neighbours helping but you usually find people who are helpers to the elderly are elderly themselves and whilst this is all ok in the summer months when the weather worsens it becomes difficult for them and children can't always be there with the best will in the world.

Of course I'm not advocating kidnapping lots of little old ladies and putting them into extra cares, but in terms of independent living I think you'd be hard pressed to find better solutions.

I wish my own Mum would consider one but she wont. I've alsked her many many times why doesn't she sell her large home, take the income and rent an extra care flat and have money to spend as well but she will not justify paying rent when she has a paid for home. I suspect this, and the desire to 'leave something for the children' probably does stop a lot of elderly people moving into accommodation that would be a lot more comfortable for them.

murrayfan_2

Claree__x wrote: »

Nothing to say she won't end up in a dingy flat in a terrible area but a family are going to end up (rightly so) in her home. Why is it an issue where they're from?

I was advised that if I ever have to be 'rehoused' (e.g if my husband dies whilst we're living in our sheltered bungalow) I would have input as to location, and would only be rehoused in an appropriate home that I felt happy/safe with.

floss2

pulliptears wrote: »

.....Why does a 70 year old lady need a three bed home and all the hassle that comes with heating it when there are extra care flats that come with support and community?

So that when her daughter & young grandsons are made homeless by being evicted after her son-in-law stops paying the mortgage when he moves out, she can accomodats them rather than the state paying for b&b until the daughter can find a private rental home.

And so that when she becomes terminally ill she can have a ground floor bedroom and there is accomodation for live-in 24/7 carers.

And most importantly because there are no one-bedroom properties available to move into because the government didn't allow the building of social housing to replace those that were purchased under the right to buy until quite recently.

pulliptears

floss2 wrote: »

So that when her daughter & young grandsons are made homeless by being evicted after her son-in-law stops paying the mortgage when he moves out, she can accomodats them rather than the state paying for b&b until the daughter can find a private rental home.

But its not up to an elderly person to bail out his or her adult children and tbh in that situation I wouldn't put that burden on them. Why should they keep paying for a home on the offchance one of their children has problems?

And so that when she becomes terminally ill she can have a ground floor bedroom and there is accomodation for live-in 24/7 carers.

The clue is in the name 'Extra Care'. It accounts for all this.

And most importantly because there are no one-bedroom properties available to move into because the government didn't allow the building of social housing to replace those that were purchased under the right to buy until quite recently.

Are you talking in your area? Because in mine there are half a dozen Extra Cares within a stones throw away with little to no waiting list. These are being built with ever growing frequency to help house an ageing population.

squinty

Back to the original question.

This answer assumes the tenancy is a secure tenancy and is in either England or Wales. There are different rules in Scotland.

The rules on succession are laid out in the 1985 Housing Act. These are a right of secure tenants and do not rely on the policies of individual councils.

The gist of the legislation (Sections 87 to 89 if you want to look it up) is that there can only be one succession to a secure tenancy. This first succession (sometimes termed survivorship) has already happened on the death of the joint tenant.

The daughter will not be permitted to stay on the death of the remaining tenant. However, the Council have already indicated they are sympathetic to her situation and will look to assist.

I suggest that the friend applies for council housing now. She made not need anything for a number of years - however many councils do take into account 'wating time' when ranking applicants. By applying now she may put herself in a better position than if she waits.

marmitepotato

Interesting thread. My MIL currently rents her three bedroom council house that she has lived in for the last 45 years. She is 80 years old and now finds the stairs difficult. She has been offered the chance to look at a brand new ground floor one bed flat. Initially she turned it down, even tho we encouraged her to just look at it with no intention of moving. But no, she wasn't moving! Her friends said she was mad to not even consider it.

She rang up the council and said said she had a change of mind. Too late they said, the list is closed! She asked me to get involved and after much faffing about, she will be viewing the flat.


Since then another change of heart. Tears, lots of tears, she doesn't want to move. It's her home, she's lived there for 45 years, the spirit if her dead husband is there, she will get a stair lift, then, would I please ring 'them' up and cancel the appointment?


I haven't cancelled the appointment, she will be viewing the flat, then she can make her decision. If she doesn't take this flat, then has an accident at home and can't manage the stairs any more, the local council will rehouse her miles away from her friends, her clubs, and the village she's lived in nearly all her life.


It's a big ask of an 80 year old to give up every thing she loves. It's a big ask to move 45 years of married life, to decide what has to go to the local auctions and what you are going to take with you. Moving is difficult enough at any age, let alone when you are old and tottery on you feet. Yes, I know her house is needed for a family, but how many of you would move so readily if you were in her position?

mountainofdebt

[QUIOTE=marmitepotato;59759775]It's a big ask of an 80 year old to give up every thing she loves. It's a big ask to move 45 years of married life, to decide what has to go to the local auctions and what you are going to take with you. Moving is difficult enough at any age, let alone when you are old and tottery on you feet. Yes, I know her house is needed for a family, but how many of you would move so readily if you were in her position?[/QUOTE]

Yes its a big ask but its far better for her to move under her own steam to a place that she has some input into than being forced into a place - whether that be a residential home or a home that she 'manages' herself where its a case of its this or nothing.

luxor4t

Marmite, I think it will be easier for her to choose to move now and stay in an area that is familiar, than be forced to move away should she have a fall.

ska_lover

Claree__x wrote: »

Nothing to say she won't end up in a dingy flat in a terrible area but a family are going to end up (rightly so) in her home. Why is it an issue where they're from?

I thought it would only be a matter of time before some narrow minded poster popped along and said something like that.

I suggest you re-read my post, before attempting to put words in my mouth. I quote my own post - '' If tens of thousands of british people suddenly appeared, I would think the same..''

As you seem unclear, my point actually is, there are too many people of any race/colour for our economy to sustain...

floss2

pulliptears wrote: »

Are you talking in your area? Because in mine there are half a dozen Extra Cares within a stones throw away with little to no waiting list. These are being built with ever growing frequency to help house an ageing population.

This was 1999-2005 when mum died, even now there are too many old folk in my home town & not enough LA/HA housing for those that should / could downsize, and no such thing as "extra cares".

And she didn't keep the house on the off chance of my marriage breaking up, but because there was nowhere else to move to that was just one bedroom as they had all been purchased by tenants and the council were not allowed to use those monies to build replacements.