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Rent from family and on partial housing benefit - considering purchasing share
Comments
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Yes but had we been paying off a mortgage we would at least have paid off part of it. As it stands when we retire we will still be paying full rent. If we are able to part buy then at least when it comes to retirement the mortgage will be paid off and we will only be paying half the rent we would otherwise.
Yes it's terrible isn't it.
I've spent a fortune on food over the years and have nothing to show for it.
It looks like I will still be buying food well into retirement.
If only I had bought a farm....0 -
Well I hope the authorities come after you & re-examine your case: (See below ..but..) don't know if you are/were entitled to HB but I don't like benefit cheats any more than I like tax cheats or any other sort of thief.... But clearly you may be pure as the driven snow & absolutely 100% in the clear:We are renting from family and receive housing benefit which covers a third of the rent and we pay the rest. ......The other problem is we have never actually declared to housing benefit that we are renting from family.
And have you declared that 5% to the HB authorities?? I'd be surprised if it were less than £6k. Depending on assets/savings your HB may be reduced or stopped....... Would it be feasible to purchase a 50% share in the property and claim housing benefit on the rent we would pay to our relative on their share or is this against housing benefit rules? We have a 5% deposit although we could save for longer and come up with more. ....
https://www.gov.uk/housing-benefit/eligibility
&You may get Housing Benefit if:
you pay rent
you’re on a low income or claiming benefits
your savings are below a certain level - usually £16,000
http://www.welfarerights.net/benefits-guides/Housing-BenefitSavings over £6,000 (£10,000 for Pensioners) will usually affect how much Housing Benefit you can get.
Just to check, not suggesting anything, but have you declared all your income - for all of you living there - to the authorities (HMRC, benefits DWP, HB people at council..) including e.g. car boots & eBay??
Nothing wrong at all with making money from car boots or eBay.. Family declaring all the rent income to HMRC? Do you share the property with family or do they live elswhere?
Cheers and best wishes to all, including those who disagree with me!0 -
Did you not read the part where I said I only receive a third of my rent as housing benefit? That means we pay two thirds of monthly rent out of our own pocket.
Yes I read that. My comment still stands, IMO you can't have it both ways. Not just my opinion, that is the governments opinion too. You can't even get it in certain circumstances when it is close family who own the property, let alone when you part own.0 -
It sounds to me as if you want to have your cake and eat it.
You can either afford to buy or you can't and given that you are receiving housing benefits I am guessing you can't.
Housing benefit is supposed to be for people who are struggling to afford a roof over their head, not for people who are in a position to buy half a house.0 -
We are renting from family and receive housing benefit which covers a third of the rent and we pay the rest. Would it be feasible to purchase a 50% share in the property and claim housing benefit on the rent we would pay to our relative on their share or is this against housing benefit rules? We have a 5% deposit although we could save for longer and come up with more.
The other problem is we have never actually declared to housing benefit that we are renting from family. Although I now know it is allowed at the time we were under the impression it was not and so we didn't tell them. I don't see anyway we can tell them now without it looking bad and possibly getting us into trouble.
I have worked out over the years we have paid around 20k in rent to our relative and we have nothing to show for it which is just depressing.
Not for your relative it isntNever, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.0 -
Yes it's terrible isn't it.
I've spent a fortune on food over the years and have nothing to show for it.
It looks like I will still be buying food well into retirement.
If only I had bought a farm....
You do have something to show for it, your BMI :rotfl:"It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"
G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP0 -
theartfullodger wrote: »
Just to check, not suggesting anything, but have you declared all your income - for all of you living there - to the authorities (HMRC, benefits DWP, HB people at council..) including e.g. car boots & eBay??
Nothing wrong at all with making money from car boots or eBay.. Family declaring all the rent income to HMRC? Do you share the property with family or do they live elswhere?
Cheers and best wishes to all, including those who disagree with me!
I am not a benefit cheat. Housing benefit allow renting from family members and I am not cheating them out of anything. We do have a deposit but it is under 6k so not doing anything wrong on that account. As for Ebay I probably make £100 a year if that and I expect if I was to ring them up to decare it I would be laughed at down the phone!0 -
Fair enuf: So the house is worth less than £120k. With deposit and your ability to save why not just buy another one like it, perhaps in the same street?? Sounds like you have the income & ability to pay.
re
yes, I was well aware it is possible to legitimately get HB/LHA renting from family members: So, if "not cheating them out of anything.." how come you've neglected to inform them you are renting from family? Sounds - probably, to them, suspicious, and as and when council HB dept find out they'll not be happy... Doesn't quite add up to my wee mind....If there;s nae cheating going on why not be open an honest about it, eh??....Housing benefit allow renting from family members and I am not cheating them out of anything. ....
Cheers, Artful: In receipt of 6 benefits, afaik legitimately.0 -
theartfullodger wrote: »Fair enuf: So the house is worth less than £120k. With deposit and your ability to save why not just buy another one like it, perhaps in the same street?? Sounds like you have the income & ability to pay.
Cheers, Artful: In receipt of 6 benefits, afaik legitimately.
As far as you know ??? :eek:
Here's a link you might need Here
The OP might need it too"It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"
G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP0 -
I am not a benefit cheat. Housing benefit allow renting from family members and I am not cheating them out of anything. We do have a deposit but it is under 6k so not doing anything wrong on that account. As for Ebay I probably make £100 a year if that and I expect if I was to ring them up to decare it I would be laughed at down the phone!
If you have enough disposable income to be able to save 6 grand then you do not need housing benefits.0
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