Bedroom Tax

seven-day-weekend

PippaGirl wrote: »

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.

I'm sure it's worth £50 a week inclusive of bills

PippaGirl_2

Well at the moment, it's full of my son who won't be able to afford to get on the housing ladder for a couple of decades if ever so I can't see the bedroom tax affecting me for a while yet :cool:.

nannytone_2

asdf1982 wrote: »

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

usually you get to the dining room from the hallway or through the kitchen into the dining room.
never seen a house where you have to go through the dining room to get to the kitchen

seven-day-weekend

asdf1982 wrote: »

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

Depends where in the house your dining room is! You would in my house, but we have for a while used it as a main sitting room and the front lounge as a bedroom.

Lateral thinking is required to problem-solve, sometimes

Dunroamin

nannytone wrote: »

usually you get to the dining room from the hallway or through the kitchen into the dining room.
never seen a house where you have to go through the dining room to get to the kitchen

I think it's very common in older houses, not so much in those built post war.

shop-to-drop

If it's classed as a bedroom it not going to be attached to the kitchen.

joeblack066

nannytone wrote: »

usually you get to the dining room from the hallway or through the kitchen into the dining room.
never seen a house where you have to go through the dining room to get to the kitchen

Oddly enough, you do in my house lol! But I've always maintained that if I needed a lodger (often done it in the past when needs must), then I would just swop my living room & dining room over, problem solved! :-)

butler_helen

nannytone wrote: »

usually you get to the dining room from the hallway or through the kitchen into the dining room.
never seen a house where you have to go through the dining room to get to the kitchen

Ours is like this. You have to walk into the dining room to get to the kitchen and bathroom. It's more of a social space for eating than a formal dining room. Our lodger btw has a room which is only just bigger than a double bed - he seems fine with it. Oh and we have a baby due and he's staying - so it is possible (albeit hard) to let small rooms out.

seven-day-weekend

butler_helen wrote: »

Ours is like this. You have to walk into the dining room to get to the kitchen and bathroom. It's more of a social space for eating than a formal dining room. Our lodger btw has a room which is only just bigger than a double bed - he seems fine with it. Oh and we have a baby due and he's staying - so it is possible (albeit hard) to let small rooms out.

Thanks for the recommendation, helen. Most people I've suggested having a lodger to on the forum think it is a breach of their human rights. And of course they are all going to turn out to be psychopaths, pee do philes, or both

Seriously, this post goes to show just how do-able it is to have a lodger, and is a solution that many could take to solve their Housing Benefit shortfall, as well as giving a single person a home. It is an option we have taken many times over our 41 years of marriage when we have needed the money.

Thanks again.

BigAunty

luckboby wrote: »

...

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.

..

Does your brother get any student income? Can he work part-time? He should think about paying towards his accommodation so his mother doesn't experience hardship, if she cannot get a job.