Can a council tenant on housing benefit rent another property privately?

Guest101

HappyMJ wrote: »

An AST is a residential tenancy...for living in as someone's home it's not for running a business from.

But isnt the OP doing that as it transpires?

duchy

I'm still waiting for the OP to explain why personal mail would be going to the business premises and who will be living in the council property and how much they will be paying him

stars2012

OK, to be very specific:

The 1 bedroom council flat is in a busy town where I work on a self-employed basis as a language teacher. My earnings have been very low. My partner is a musician but has no work at the moment. (Thus the housing benefit and council tax exemption)

The other property is about 200 miles away in a small village. Our friend who owns it said he could let it to us for a YEAR for a small amount before he gets 'proper' tenants next year. He is financially very secure so doesn't care about us paying almost nothing. He is our close friend who just wants to help out a bit.

I would find it hard to find students there (in the village), so I'd be spending most of the time in the council flat anyway, (NOT subletting it to anyone! Don't wanna have sleepless nights about the fraud squad...;) but my partner (currently jobless) would use it as a recording studio where he could also give drum lessons because it's impossible to do that in the one bed city flat. As soon as he hits the drumkit the house is shaking (amplified by the neighbours knocking!)

So the other place would be TEMPORARY, but a year is still a year, and the council might not like it anyway...

We get housing benefit in that council flat because of low earnings, but of course I'd be happy to pay full rent there once we start earning enough and thus stop qualifying for housing b. So I am not worried about that - I wanna do the right thing. My main question was whether we'd be allowed to be registered at two addresses - e.g. if my partner needed to register with a local doctor, or if we paid for internet there, etc...
We don't want to hide anything, so we're just trying to find out the best option without doin anything illegal and decide according to that.

stars2012

Thanks all for the replies!

OK, to be very specific:

The 1 bedroom council flat is in a busy town where I work on a self-employed basis as a language teacher. My earnings have been very low. My partner is a musician but has no work at the moment. (Thus the housing benefit and council tax exemption)

The other property is about 200 miles away in a small village. Our friend who owns it said he could let it to us for a YEAR for a small amount before he gets 'proper' tenants next year. He is financially very secure so doesn't care about us paying almost nothing. He is our close friend who just wants to help out a bit.

I would find it hard to find students there (in the village), so I'd be spending most of the time in the council flat anyway, (NOT subletting it to anyone! Don't wanna have sleepless nights about the fraud squad...;) but my partner (currently jobless) would use it as a recording studio where he could also give drum lessons because it's impossible to do that in the one bed city flat. As soon as he hits the drumkit the house is shaking (amplified by the neighbours knocking!)

So the other place would be TEMPORARY, but a year is still a year, and the council might not like it anyway...

We get housing benefit in that council flat because of low earnings, but of course I'd be happy to pay full rent there once we start earning enough and thus stop qualifying for housing b. So I am not worried about that - I wanna do the right thing. My main question was whether we'd be allowed to be registered at two addresses - e.g. if my partner needed to register with a local doctor, or if we paid for internet there, etc...
We don't want to hide anything, so we're just trying to find out the best option without doin anything illegal and decide according to that.

HappyMJ

stars2012 wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies!

OK, to be very specific:

The 1 bedroom council flat is in a busy town where I work on a self-employed basis as a language teacher. My earnings have been very low. My partner is a musician but has no work at the moment. (Thus the housing benefit and council tax exemption)

The other property is about 200 miles away in a small village. Our friend who owns it said he could let it to us for a YEAR for a small amount before he gets 'proper' tenants next year. He is financially very secure so doesn't care about us paying almost nothing. He is our close friend who just wants to help out a bit.

I would find it hard to find students there (in the village), so I'd be spending most of the time in the council flat anyway, (NOT subletting it to anyone! Don't wanna have sleepless nights about the fraud squad...;) but my partner (currently jobless) would use it as a recording studio where he could also give drum lessons because it's impossible to do that in the one bed city flat. As soon as he hits the drumkit the house is shaking (amplified by the neighbours knocking!)

So the other place would be TEMPORARY, but a year is still a year, and the council might not like it anyway...

We get housing benefit in that council flat because of low earnings, but of course I'd be happy to pay full rent there once we start earning enough and thus stop qualifying for housing b. So I am not worried about that - I wanna do the right thing. My main question was whether we'd be allowed to be registered at two addresses - e.g. if my partner needed to register with a local doctor, or if we paid for internet there, etc...
We don't want to hide anything, so we're just trying to find out the best option without doin anything illegal and decide according to that.

You can't live at the business address. Registering for a doctor will show evidence that you will be living at the address. You can get internet that's not a problem...any business would get the internet....but a doctor is not. You also would not register to be on the electoral roll at your work/business premises.

I'm still confused. Who would travel 200 miles to a business premises..I would assume on a Monday and return on a Friday to carry out work which is unlikely to generate a profit?

Could you both move your lives to this location 200 miles away and rent a property privately? What is tying you to the city flat?

HappyMJ

Guest101 wrote: »

But isnt the OP doing that as it transpires?

It looks this way....

Pixie5740

If you're in receipt of housing benefit and council tax benefit because your partner is currently not working then you cannot continue to claim these benefits whilst he lives elsewhere. If his business is generating an income then he'll need to declare this as could reduce/stop his benefits.

As for him living elsewhere whilst names on the council tenancy agreement, you'd need to check your tenancy agreement.

Guest101

stars2012 wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies!

OK, to be very specific:

The 1 bedroom council flat is in a busy town where I work on a self-employed basis as a language teacher. My earnings have been very low. My partner is a musician but has no work at the moment. (Thus the housing benefit and council tax exemption)

The other property is about 200 miles away in a small village. Our friend who owns it said he could let it to us for a YEAR for a small amount before he gets 'proper' tenants next year. He is financially very secure so doesn't care about us paying almost nothing. He is our close friend who just wants to help out a bit.

I would find it hard to find students there (in the village), so I'd be spending most of the time in the council flat anyway, (NOT subletting it to anyone! Don't wanna have sleepless nights about the fraud squad...;) but my partner (currently jobless) would use it as a recording studio where he could also give drum lessons because it's impossible to do that in the one bed city flat. As soon as he hits the drumkit the house is shaking (amplified by the neighbours knocking!)

So the other place would be TEMPORARY, but a year is still a year, and the council might not like it anyway...

We get housing benefit in that council flat because of low earnings, but of course I'd be happy to pay full rent there once we start earning enough and thus stop qualifying for housing b. So I am not worried about that - I wanna do the right thing. My main question was whether we'd be allowed to be registered at two addresses - e.g. if my partner needed to register with a local doctor, or if we paid for internet there, etc...
We don't want to hide anything, so we're just trying to find out the best option without doin anything illegal and decide according to that.

So keep your flat as your main and primary residence.

The cottage is rented for work reasons. - obviously you cant claim any benefits for this property, as you already claim for property 1.

Thes ebenefits would decrease as your partners income increases

Lord_Baltimore

It sounds to me that you'd very much like to have your cake and eat it.

Let's hope your business generates enough money for you to pay your way in the World so that the taxpayer doesn't have to do it for you.

You won't have to bother with all this conniving then either.

Guest101

Lord_Baltimore wrote: »

It sounds to me that you'd very much like to have your cake and eat it.

Let's hope your business generates enough money for you to pay your way in the World so that the taxpayer doesn't have to do it for you.

You won't have to bother with all this conniving then either.

OP is only claiming what theyre entitled to at this stage, it sounds like they want to continue to do so.

Think you're being quite out of order with this post to be honest.