Housing Benefit help Over 65

SJMoore

Hello,

I was wanting some help and advise really, i bought my mothers house off her last year due to her taking out and equity loan which was going up by at least £2000 a year so she would never have the option to pay it back i paid almost £10000 back from what she borrowed 4 and half years ago, she is over 65 been retired for 7 years now only has basic state pension cominng in and struggles with that, she sold it to me for less than the market value due to the house needing massive refurbishment, after equity loan was paid off she has next to nothing left, she is applying for a council house at the moment, i was just wondering would she be entitled to housing benefit due to her age/situation and also i am wanting to move my family into the home so she needs somewhere else to live now? Would she be penalised due to selling it for less to me but this was all due to condition of property. Also my 19 year old sister would be living with her also if this makes any difference. Any help would be great.

thank you

marliepanda

You bought her house under value and now you want to kick her out?

What a charmer.

SJMoore

No i would not kick her out, the house is far to big for her since her husband passed away and all she wants is just a 2 bedroom flat/house/bungalow something small she can manage but obvious doesnt have the finance to either pay full rent or buy anywere, she has no savings at all just trying to get some advise as wouldnt want her getting a council property and then not been able to get any help at all.

Mojisola

SJMoore wrote: »

Would she be penalised due to selling it for less to me but this was all due to condition of property.

If the house was priced appropriately to allow for its condition, it wasn't sold for less than it was worth.

What evidence will you be able to show that the price you paid was the price the house would have sold for on the open market?

Indie_Kid

If you bought her house from her, where did the money go?

Mojisola

SJMoore wrote: »

she is over 65 been retired for 7 years now only has basic state pension cominng in and struggles with that,

Why isn't she claiming Pension Credit?

SJMoore

thanks for the reply Mojisola, i can prove i am spending money on the property spent almost £8000 on new windows and doors, £1500 on bathroom kitchen and rest of house to do yet, she is claiming pension credit i think, sorry forgot to put that in there. And indie kid the money went to pay off the Equity loan in the property and some bills. thank you

Mojisola

SJMoore wrote: »

thanks for the reply Mojisola, i can prove i am spending money on the property spent almost £8000 on new windows and doors, £1500 on bathroom kitchen and rest of house to do yet,

What you have spent on the house since buying it was your choice.

What you may need to prove to the HB people is that you paid the right price for the house. Did you get it valued by several EAs?

I'm in the process of selling my parents' house which is priced lower than similar houses because they have been updated while my parents' house hasn't been. A buyer could update by spending £10k or £50k depending on their choice of fittings so it's not what you've spent on it but what it was worth when you bought it.

SJMoore

ok thanks, the house was under what it was valued roughly approx £15,000, so i guess they will be taken that into account if she was to apply for the HB, i just dont know where to go with it really if they take that into account and say she is not entitled to housing benefit is there any other help available to her, because really she could be classed as homeless with no form of paying rent (not that i would throw her out) just want to do whats best for her and help her out.

thank you

Mojisola

SJMoore wrote: »

ok thanks, the house was under what it was valued roughly approx £15,000, so i guess they will be taken that into account if she was to apply for the HB, i just dont know where to go with it really if they take that into account and say she is not entitled to housing benefit

If you can show that was a fair price for a house in that condition, I can't see why she would be refused HB.

Does your sister work?

SJMoore

yes but only 8 hours a week as full time student at uni, thanks for your replies they have been great help.