Mum's about to become homeless - what can we do?

brendanb581

Hi all,

Bit of a background - my mum and her partner have been together for a few years now, she moved in with him back in 2018 but he is now extremely ill and will not make it through the coming weeks. She stupidly sold her house (against mine/sisters advice) and has only come out with about £68,000. She is 64 and hasn't worked since last year - when she was working it was part time. 

Her partners family will probably want to sell the house as soon as possible, rendering my mother  homeless. We haven't got the room currently to put her up (tiny house, just had a child) so hoping my sister can take her in for a few weeks/months.

This may sound a silly question but what can we do rent wise? She won't be able to get any references as she's never rented before - also obviously no payslips as she hasn't worked for over a year. Is she going to find it difficult to rent? I doubt she can stay on my sisters sofa for too long.

What would you advice me to do? I'd be looking to get her a one bed flat somewhere potentially for around £650 pcm. Once the money has gone - what will she be able to do? Claim housing benefit or the like?

Just looking for a bit of advice here.

Thanks

lr1277

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

Mojisola

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out.

Even if he put in the will that she could stay in the house for a set time - 6 months, a year, whatever - it would give her time to sort herself out without his family having to wait for a long time for their inheritance.

brendanb581

Unfortunately not - he's already in hospital and not really in the state to do that (plus I don't think he would anyway). 

TripleH

Without references or even if there is doubt about affordability, your mum could offer to pay 6 months renting advance.

I think many landlords would accept that even if 6 month contract, plus it gives your mum breathing space to sort her life out and decide what she wants to do next.

csgohan4

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

The partner wants to sell the house, not gift. 

With assets of this amount, the mother may find it difficult to get council accommodation and put in the lowest band. Could that money not be used to buy a small place? Otherwise private renting will be your only choice albeit until her savings run out.

Shelter are a good charity to consult on your options.

Unfortunately selling your only security, i.e your house is usually ill advised and sadly living with those choices. 

Scotbot

Depending on your financial situation you could act as a guarantor for your mum's rent.  Whilst agencies want  masses of paperwork private landlords may be more flexible .Look on sites such as openrent.  Long term once the money has gone she would have to look at council housing. I would talk to citizens advice they will point you in the right direction

brendanb581

csgohan4 said:

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

The partner wants to sell the house, not gift. 

With assets of this amount, the mother may find it difficult to get council accommodation and put in the lowest band. Could that money not be used to buy a small place? Otherwise private renting will be your only choice albeit until her savings run out.

Shelter are a good charity to consult on your options.

Unfortunately selling your only security, i.e your house is usually ill advised and sadly living with those choices. 

Thanks for the detailed reply - would she likely be moved up the council list once savings have been used up? Or would they look more at helping with the rent?

csgohan4

brendanb581 said:

csgohan4 said:

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

The partner wants to sell the house, not gift. 

With assets of this amount, the mother may find it difficult to get council accommodation and put in the lowest band. Could that money not be used to buy a small place? Otherwise private renting will be your only choice albeit until her savings run out.

Shelter are a good charity to consult on your options.

Unfortunately selling your only security, i.e your house is usually ill advised and sadly living with those choices. 

Thanks for the detailed reply - would she likely be moved up the council list once savings have been used up? Or would they look more at helping with the rent?

brendanb581 said:

csgohan4 said:

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

lr1277 said:

Can the partner write a will? He can gift his house to whoever, but give your mum life interest possession (I think it is called). Then she can stay there till she dies or moves out. At least that is my understanding. Would the partner be willing to do that?

The partner wants to sell the house, not gift. 

With assets of this amount, the mother may find it difficult to get council accommodation and put in the lowest band. Could that money not be used to buy a small place? Otherwise private renting will be your only choice albeit until her savings run out.

Shelter are a good charity to consult on your options.

Unfortunately selling your only security, i.e your house is usually ill advised and sadly living with those choices. 

Thanks for the detailed reply - would she likely be moved up the council list once savings have been used up? Or would they look more at helping with the rent?

This an example of a council's criteria from Mr Google:
https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/3042/wandsworth_allocation_scheme.pdf

page 10 onwards is a good insight what to expect. 

JGB1955

With £68K in the bank I reckon it will be at least a decade before your Mum would even get on the housing list.....

AdrianC

JGB1955 said:

With £68K in the bank I reckon it will be at least a decade before your Mum would even get on the housing list.....

Quite.

At £650/mo, you're looking at nearly 9 yrs worth of rent... By that stage, will her requirements have changed?

She's less than two years away from her state pension, on her 66th birthday, so the applicable benefits regime will change at that point.