We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Bedroom Tax
Comments
-
Note about the dining room. Knock the wall through and then tell the council to find the spare bedroom...Be Warned: Any decision made by ATOS should be treated with the contempt and suspicion in rightly deserves. If in any doubt, make sure to appeal any and all decisions by ATOS. Do not take their word for it, do not give them an inch of trust.
When judging if ATOS were fit for work, it looks like they self-assessed. //Rant-Disclaimer End.0 -
Ravenshade wrote: »Note about the dining room. Knock the wall through and then tell the council to find the spare bedroom...
:rotfl: You seem to be forgetting, council houses are rented, not owned.0 -
After all that, it looks like the O/P's family will be one of many:
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1227524.ece0 -
Take a look at the tenancy agreement, you can usually knock walls through no problem. Depends on the wall but generally you can knock it through. If it's a support wall you're going to need to leave a column or two.
Most of the time you don't even have to let them know.
Private Rented =/= Social Housing Rented.
Make sure to offer to put it back when/if you leave.Be Warned: Any decision made by ATOS should be treated with the contempt and suspicion in rightly deserves. If in any doubt, make sure to appeal any and all decisions by ATOS. Do not take their word for it, do not give them an inch of trust.
When judging if ATOS were fit for work, it looks like they self-assessed. //Rant-Disclaimer End.0 -
Ravenshade wrote: »Take a look at the tenancy agreement, you can usually knock walls through no problem. Depends on the wall but generally you can knock it through. If it's a support wall you're going to need to leave a column or two.
Most of the time you don't even have to let them know.
Private Rented =/= Social Housing Rented.
Make sure to offer to put it back when/if you leave.
This is one of the reasons so many people are now getting upset about this 'tax'. They were led to believe the house was theirs. You cannot just go knocking walls down in council houses. It is not their wall to knock down.0 -
Put it this way, my father lives in social housing...he asked the council if he could knock the wall through, they said: "As long as you put it back before you leave." Coincidentally he has a much larger living room. He wanted an open plan dining area.
They do tend to be very accommodating, especially if you're the one paying for the work and you don't mind someone coming round to check that it has been done properly.
That's why I said to check the tenancy agreement.Be Warned: Any decision made by ATOS should be treated with the contempt and suspicion in rightly deserves. If in any doubt, make sure to appeal any and all decisions by ATOS. Do not take their word for it, do not give them an inch of trust.
When judging if ATOS were fit for work, it looks like they self-assessed. //Rant-Disclaimer End.0 -
Ravenshade wrote: »Put it this way, my father lives in social housing...he asked the council if he could knock the wall through, they said: "As long as you put it back before you leave." Coincidentally he has a much larger living room. He wanted an open plan dining area.
They do tend to be very accommodating, especially if you're the one paying for the work and you don't mind someone coming round to check that it has been done properly.
That's why I said to check the tenancy agreement.
Put it this way
A - He asked permission
B - because he wanted a larger lounge
C - not because he wanted to pay them less rent in the future
Do you really think they would still say yes ?0 -
If the property is designated as 3 bedrooms on the tenancy, to include a downstairs bedroom (even if used as a dining room), then knocking down a wall will make no difference. Otherwise you could knock down a wall between 2 upstairs bedrooms to avoid paying extra, which you certainly can't do.0
-
It will be interesting to see if councils/housing associations start changing existing tenancies.0
-
Own_My_Own wrote: »Put it this way
A - He asked permission
B - because he wanted a larger lounge
C - not because he wanted to pay them less rent in the future
Do you really think they would still say yes ?
It sounds as though they may be less willing to allow it now, I agree.
They are usually pretty open to home improvements though, as long as they are done properly. They send someone to check.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 353.6K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.1K Spending & Discounts
- 246.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 603.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.1K Life & Family
- 260.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards