Bedroom Tax

catz1ct

Well who is to say the person with the 2 bed flat also has a dining room. It depends how the landlord wants to label it I suppose.

nannytone_2

thats exactly what i mean.
so this reform that is supposed to make things 'fair' is still as unfair but just to a different group of people

bestpud

nannytone wrote: »

it is another issue though.

what is the difference between one person having a 1 bed flat with a dining room and another having a 2 bed flat?

obviously just what the council/HA choose to call it i suppose

Its less clear cut with a flat, isn't it?

Usually, with a house, the bedrooms would be upstairs but when it's all on one level...

catz1ct

Well its all about bringing in line with LHA and its probably not a popular opinion on here but I think they should have done it years a go.

I do think its a little harsh to bring it in together with the changes being made to council tax and then in a few months we have the benefit capping.

nannytone_2

as i said before though ....
my old council classed all dining rooms as an optional bedroom.
so everyone who lives in that borough will lose money if they dont need it as a bedroom ( and claim HB obviously)
hmmm

bestpud

Dunroamin wrote: »

Surely a room is only defined by the way you use it?

If you put a table and chairs in it, it's a dining room: if you put a bed in it, it's a bedroom: if you put a desk and bookshelves in it, it's a home office or study.

We moved our kitchen into the back half of a through living room so we now call the old kitchen (when we don't call it "the old kitchen":o) the summer room.

ETA
When we sell it, we'll market it as 2/3 bedrooms.

We have certain ways of describing homes and I have never come across one like the OP's.

When you sell a home, you keep it neutral so as to appeal to as many buyers as possible, don't you?

My grandparents had a dormer bungalow with one room upstairs, bathroom, lounge, self contained dining room and kitchen down. It was rented from the council as a one bed, bought as a one bed and later sold as a one bed.

Yes, people say things like 2/3 beds (usually with an explanation) or dining room/third bedroom, but overall the house would be described as a 2 bed. If I went to view a 3 bed house, I would not expect to find one of them downstairs.

We won't agree, obviously, but it's the first time I've seen this and it seems odd to me.

bestpud

nannytone wrote: »

as i said before though ....
my old council classed all dining rooms as an optional bedroom.
so everyone who lives in that borough will lose money if they dont need it as a bedroom ( and claim HB obviously)
hmmm

They are definitely classed as a bedroom when assessing overcrowding in these parts but downstairs dining rooms are definitely not classed as a bedroom.

They probably are in flats as the older ones did have dining rooms when I was 18 child but only seem to have sitting rooms now.

nannytone_2

in the london borough of barking and dagenham ALL dining rooms are classed on the tenancies as 'optional' bedrooms

my friend had a 2 bed house with a dining room.
she also had 7 kids ( i know, tell me about it( and the council said she wasnt overcrowded until all but the last 2 kids were 10

Ziggazee

So, mum was happy to rent the property as a 3 bedroom home when the taxpayer was funding all her rent.....but she now wants it to become 2 bedroomed cos she's expected to contribute to the rent?? Laughable!!

bestpud

nannytone wrote: »

in the london borough of barking and dagenham ALL dining rooms are classed on the tenancies as 'optional' bedrooms

my friend had a 2 bed house with a dining room.
she also had 7 kids ( i know, tell me about it( and the council said she wasnt overcrowded until all but the last 2 kids were 10

That's how it would be here too, but only when overcrowding is in question.