'Rent a room' & housing benefits

Trembling_Turnip

So here is the situation:

I live in a two bed flat with my partner, which is owned by my dad. We pay rent to him to cover the mortgage.

My partner finishes her degree in a week's time and we're unsure what the situation will be for her to claim Jobseekers Benefit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

If my dad owns the property am I classed as the landlord? Can I authorise a 'rent a room' contract and do the council pay housing benefit to lodgers?

I think the jobseekers benefit is more straight forward but i dont think you can do one without the other. She is hoping to get a job soon anyway so i dont know if its going to be more hassle than its worth. But if she doesn't get a job straight away we will certainly need the money.

Any thoughts / advice much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

likabu_2

I would have thought that if your Dad owns the flat then he is the landlord.

Lisa

Trembling_Turnip

Ok but I don't really know what it involves having to declare yourself as a landlord i.e. is it enough for him to sign a letter saying how much rent is paid and give that to the council?

likabu_2

You would need a tenancy agreement. I don't think you can always claim housing benefit if you rent from a family member - but check out this link for clarification

http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-7386.cfm

Lisa

onamission_2

if she is claiming benefit you will be on the claim form including your salary etc

Badger_Lady

You can be the landlord - you would be sub-letting a room, and this is allowed under the Rent a Room scheme (assuming you have your landlord's permission, which you clearly do!).

Effect on benefits, not my subject...

Trembling_Turnip

onamission wrote: »

if she is claiming benefit you will be on the claim form including your salary etc

Is this because we are partners though? The last time I tried to put in a benefit claim as a same sex couple the council lady ripped up all the forms and told me to redo them. Things might have changed since 1997 though.

onamission_2

yup if you are partners
;-)

Trembling_Turnip

Rrrright...so hypothetically speaking if I live in a two-bed flat (but I don't own it) I can sub-let the other room to a friend under the rent a room scheme.

Can my friend qualify to get jobseeker & housing benefits?!

I knew this was going to be complicated LOL.

dmg24

It won't work - the LA will ask where she has been living up until now, and see that you have been living together as a couple. They will then question why she is suddenly renting the spare room.

real1314

Badger_Lady wrote: »

You can be the landlord - you would be sub-letting a room, and this is allowed under the Rent a Room scheme (assuming you have your landlord's permission, which you clearly do!).

Effect on benefits, not my subject...

I don't think "rent a room" applies to partners!

OP, you're getting very close to asking how to commit benefit fraud which is not the purpose of this forum.
You need to declare your circumstances honestly to JSA and to the council. You can claim JSA without claiming HB. Your own circumstances will affect the amount your partner gets. Things changed when the Civil Partners act was brought in. Same sex couples are not treated no differently to any other couple.