Housing benefit paid directly to me as a private landlord

sbemrose87

My sons mother and I separated some 6 years ago but are still amicable.

She is currently a council house tenant claiming universal credit and the housing part and is the main registered guardian to my son. I have him at weekends.

I have just inherited a large amount of cash, and would like to buy a house and let it to them, essentially at the same amount they are currently paying for their council house. Top up plus housing element from UC combined.

Would universal credit allow this to stand due to us sharing a child?
Could that portion for the housing part be paid directly to me.

Would benefit us both, she would get a nice house at a rate far below market value, and I would get a small return.

This could all happily be contracted up and made official, not just an under the table agreement.

Any advice much appreciated.

poppy12345

sbemrose87 wrote: »

My sons mother and I separated some 6 years ago but are still amicable.

She is currently a council house tenant claiming universal credit and the housing part and is the main registered guardian to my son. I have him at weekends.

I have just inherited a large amount of cash, and would like to buy a house and let it to them, essentially at the same amount they are currently paying for their council house. Top up plus housing element from UC combined.

Would universal credit allow this to stand due to us sharing a child?
Could that portion for the housing part be paid directly to me.

Would benefit us both, she would get a nice house at a rate far below market value, and I would get a small return.

This could all happily be contracted up and made official, not just an under the table agreement.

Any advice much appreciated.

This could be seen a contrived tenancy agreement and only a decision maker could decide whether it will be or not. This link is from 2016 but the same rules apply now.

http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2017-0556/64_Housing_cost_Contrived_Tenancies_v4.0.pdf

KatrinaWaves

I never post absolutes. However, I am 99.99% certain that housing benefit cannot and will not be awarded to be paid to the father/mother of a child living in a house.

Buying a house for your ex partner to claim HB for to pay to house your child will not, in 99.99% of circumstances.

You cannot use your child to make money out of the benefits system, basically

KatrinaWaves

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/housing_benefit_renting_from_family

Shelter are far more happy to post absolutes than me. It’s a no go. It’s not commercial plus you are profiting from your child.

paddedjohn

Why would you want them to move from the security of a council house?
If her benefits stopped for some reason and she didn't pay the rent for 6 months would you be prepared to evict them?

parkrunner

Buy the house, let them live rent free with a tenancy agreement until your son is an adult or your ex wife's finances improve? Someone will be along shortly if there are problems with that idea.