Bedroom Tax

luckboby

Hi people I want to ask this question for my mum as I am confused.

My mum lives in a house with my younger brother currently at college and not working the property has 2 bedrooms upstairs and bathroom down stairs is the kitchen living room and dining room she has recieved a letter from the Council that because she has a 3 bedroom property and only two people living in it she has to pay 14% towards the housing benefit from April 2013. It is stated in the tenancy agreement that the property is a 3 bedroom and the dinning room down stairs is classed as a bedroom I have said to the council that the property is house not a bunglow so how can a bedroom be classed down stairs and they said that they will not re class it.

Her current weekly rent is £91 so this means that she will have to pay about £13 a week rent out of her benefit. It is going to put a huge affect on shopping and bills especially in the winter.

All help welcome
Boby

Dunroamin

Does it actually say 3 bed on the tenancy agreement?

McKneff

There is no such thing as a Bedroom Tax.

The extra money people will have to pay is because of a reduction in Benefits.

seven-day-weekend

Why can't a bedroom be downstairs?

I think it depends what is on the tenancy agreement, but a downstairs room can definitely be classed as a bedroom.

If she can't pay the extra, she could think about renting the room out. This will more than cover the extra.

HappyMJ

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Why can't a bedroom be downstairs?

I think it depends what is on the tenancy agreement, but a downstairs room can definitely be classed as a bedroom.

If she can't pay the extra, she could think about renting the room out. This will more than cover the extra.

and if you (as you should) declare the income from the lodger...then most of the income from the lodger's rent would have to be forwarded to the housing association...except for the first £20 each week.

luckboby

It says on the tenancy agreement 3 bedrooms

McKneff

luckboby wrote: »

It says on the tenancy agreement 3 bedrooms

There yo go then.... Lodger might be the answer to the problem or apply for a move.

Torry_Quine

Lots of homes have bedrooms both upstairs and down. The fact that it isn't currently used as a bedroom isn't the point as the tenancy says three-bedrooms.

seven-day-weekend

HappyMJ wrote: »

and if you (as you should) declare the income from the lodger...then most of the income from the lodger's rent would have to be forwarded to the housing association...except for the first £20 each week.

There are moves afoot under the rules of the new Universal Credit that people can keep the rent without it affecting Benefits:

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/lodger-rules-to-ease-impact-of-bedroom-tax/6522846.article

PippaGirl_2

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

There are moves afoot under the rules of the new Universal Credit that people can keep the rent without it affecting Benefits:

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/lodger-rules-to-ease-impact-of-bedroom-tax/6522846.article

I'd not heard of this, thanks for the link. That really is excellent news and will help many of the people who are affected by no longer being eligible for a 1 bed rate due to age.

I'm not sure who would want to rent my 6x5 foot room though, bit of a squeeze for a bedsit. Ok if I know the person and would feel happy sharing my small living room but otherwise can't see it renting. But overall, that is very good news and not something I expected the Government to do.

asdf1982

its not ideal to rent out your dining room to a lodger. Wouldnt you have to traipse through their room to get to the kitchen?!

it would be better if the boy who's at college gets a part time job and pays £13 a week digs.

Although thinking long term when he finishes college shes going to have 2 spare rooms so she may have to move at some point anyway