Housing benefit interview under caution

tamiami

Why did he not just leave it to you in his will?

Peter333

I have never applied for housing benefit, or unemployment, (been very lucky: ) but surely they would ask if you have any savings or assets? They have to establish this yes, because you are allowed up to so many 1000s in savings? But certainly you would not be able to claim if you are a homeowner.

Hopefully OP, you can convince them you genuinely didn't think as you aren't getting any revenue from it now.

Did they not ask you at ALL if you own any property when you had your reviews?

If you signed the forms, and that question was on a form, and you ticked 'no' and then signed it, you will be have a lot of explaining to do, as you will basically have signed to confirm you have no assets, when you part own a house.

Hopefully you can say, you didn't think, because this is your brother's house, and he only put your name on the deeds to protect you. Say you never thought about the financial implications, like you having a financial interest.

It is awkward, because you will get a bunch of dosh if the house sells, but you have not a lot now, so you need to claim benefit.

Good luck. I do actually feel a bit sorry for you to be honest.

I hope they go easy on you. I genuinely believe you meant no harm and did not mean to defraud anyone.

MABLE

As they say ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Errata

You're in quite a pickle, and the council may start further investigating whether the tenancy was contrived when you started to claim HB for the rent you were paying to your brother.

nannytone_2

Peter333 wrote: »

I have never applied for housing benefit, or unemployment, (been very lucky: ) but surely they would ask if you have any savings or assets? They have to establish this yes, because you are allowed up to so many 1000s in savings? But certainly you would not be able to claim if you are a homeowner.

Hopefully OP, you can convince them you genuinely didn't think as you aren't getting any revenue from it now.Did they not ask you at ALL if you own any property when you had your reviews?

If you signed the forms, and that question was on a form, and you ticked 'no' and then signed it, you will be have a lot of explaining to do, as you will basically have signed to confirm you have no assets, when you part own a house.

Hopefully you can say, you didn't think, because this is your brother's house, and he only put your name on the deeds to protect you. Say you never thought about the financial implications, like you having a financial interest.

It is awkward, because you will get a bunch of dosh if the house sells, but you have not a lot now, so you need to claim benefit.

Good luck. I do actually feel a bit sorry for you to be honest.

I hope they go easy on you. I genuinely believe you meant no harm and did not mean to defraud anyone.

i also have a degree of sympathy for the OP, as it seems they were unaware that being added to the deeds meant they were also part owner of the property. but ....
it is upto the claimant to find out the rules and regulations surrounding any benefit claim, and clearly they didnt.
i cant see ythat the council will accept that the OP 'didnt know@ as an excuse.
i fear the best outcome will be a massive overpayment and with any luck not a prosecution and criminal record

Topcat1982

So do you still live in the house and are you still claiming HB?

Sg1431

Yes I do still live in the house and am still claiming housing benefit

vanilla_twist

I think your brother should have just placed a charge on the property in your name. You would have owned nothing but had a good footing should your sil tried to evict you.
V x

Poppie68

If your sil owned half the house then surely your brother would of needed her consent to of put you on the deeds?

NYM

I find it hard to believe that you didn't think you would need to close your claim for HB. You know you now own the property and that you don't pay rent but you continued to claim :think:

You received a valuable 'gift'. the transfer of which would have been dealt with through a Solicitor.

Presumably, there was no mortgage, it was not his primary residence, and your sister in law had no claim on the property as a marital asset?

:silenced: