Dad buying council house

Rabiddog_2

Actually the bit about having to pay for all repairs and maintenance isnt necessarily true. I know someone who bought on RTB and only pays a small service charge, as the council still owns the freeHold of the flat. In general I agree with other posters, with the caveat that council renters actually get a better deal than private renters in my opinion, generally lower rents and bigger better well kept properties.. especially somewhere like London. I never got any offer to buy my rented flat at a discount even after paying an increasing rent for three years.. I.m jealous of the good deal many right to buyers got.. remember at first you could get a 70% discount.. who wouldnt buy at those prices??

lynnexxxo

The original post suggests that its a council house as oposed to a flat, and as he is in Scotland theres no freehold issue. The OPs dad would be liable for all repairs and maintainence.

Curv

Rabiddog wrote: »

who wouldnt buy at those prices??

I wouldn't.

poppy10_2

Curv wrote: »

I wouldn't.

Me neither

Argyll_2

Running_Horse wrote: »

Yes mate. All those years of renting must mean some entitlement to something for nothing. Everyone else is at it. Where do I get my free money?

Where have all these !!!!!! heads appeared from?

dolce_vita

Argyll wrote: »

Where have all these !!!!!! heads appeared from?

Some of them have been here for over two years.

Gorgeous_George

Seems the discount could be 60% i.e., buy a £100K house for £40K. Even with a potential market correction, that is loads of room for movement.

The rights or wrongs of RTB are not for this thread. The OP's dad would be daft to look this particular gift horse in the gob.

GG

crazyangel_2

Yes but be careful if the benefits agency pay the interest then they can and will claim it back when the house is no longer your dads.

epz_2

Argyll wrote: »

Where have all these !!!!!! heads appeared from?

you basicly stated you thought the tax payer aka me and them should pay not only your dads motgage for him but that he was entitled to a discount because he had rented for 30 years.

now leaving aside the fact that he was already reciving his rent at a lower rate than he would have normally most peoples point is they have to pay for your dad through taxes and rent privatlely. yet they have no hope of getting a council house or buying, let alone getting someone else to pay their mortgage for them.

if you are reasonable you have to admit it aint exactly fair, personally i would just be happy if a small fraction of my taxes went on the basic infrastructure of the country like the roads instead of unearned pay rised for most(1) of the public sector and putting ever more people on benifits



(1) funny how the army gets shot at a hell of a lot more these days yet its the doctors and teachers who get wads extra cash.

lynnexxxo

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

Seems the discount could be 60% i.e., buy a £100K house for £40K. Even with a potential market correction, that is loads of room for movement.

The rights or wrongs of RTB are not for this thread. The OP's dad would be daft to look this particular gift horse in the gob.

GG

I agree to a certain extent- yes the OPs dad has the RIGHT to buy, and whether thats right or wrong is not really the issue. What is the issue is that the OPs father is elderly and disabled and is unable to afford to pay a mortgage. Remaining a council tenant will give him more security of tenure and if there are any repairs needed, they will do them.

Buying the house on an interest only basis (housing benefit will only pay the interest) means that the capital will never be paid off while the father is alive- hence the only benefit is that the OP may be able to sell the house after his dad passes away for a fat profit . However given that his dad is already disabled, as he gets older the chances of him needing to go into a carehome increases. If this happens his house will be sold to pay for the fees, hence no inheritance for the OP.

So there just does not seem much point in buying!