Does anyone know abut housing benefit?

[miasmum]

It would make perfect sense Jen, but he doesn't want to know at the moment, he wants to wait as property prices are going up hand over fist. We are going to take legal advice over it.


Commercial Arrangements

Where a person is renting a property they are usually entitled to claim Housing Benefit if they have a commercial arrangement and the Local Authority is satisfied that the arrangement was not set up to take advantage of the Housing Benefit scheme.

This would mean that the agreement would need to be enforceable in law in order to show that it was a commercial agreement. You may find that some authorities want more information or evidence of the agreement from you before they are willing to accept that the tenancy is a commercial one particularly where you are letting to relatives. Please note it is for the claimant/landlord to prove the agreement is a commercial one and for the Local Authority to show that the tenancy is set up to abuse the system.

[saundra]

What a shame you can't sort the bungalow out
Hope you get legal advice tho

[jenniren]

Definitely take legal advice shell, it can't be right that he can hold you to ransom this way, after all it's a joint ownership. It might be the only solution is for the bungalow to be sold on the open market and the proceeds split between the two brothers, not an ideal situation, but at least it would release capital to enable you to take a much lower loan against your mortgage. Will be interesting to see how he reacts when he realises you've taken legal advice, might be what's needed to persuade him it's in his best interest to sell to his brother. He sounds very money orientated over the whole matter, wonder how he'll feel at the prospect of losing value due to estate agent/solicitor fees ?

[miasmum]

He's just a selfish spoilt brat Jen, always has been.

Thank you xx

[debih]

Ring your local council Shell to talk to them about housing benefit as I know they can be quite awkward about paying rent to relatives.

And the amount of benefit received has nothing to do with the amount of rent paid. As a singke person Luke would only be entitled to benefit based on a one bedroom dwelling but because of carers needing a room the rules start to change,

And if/when universal credit comes in it will turn everything upside down again.

[debih]

And I agree with Jen, get legal advice about the house.

Your brother in law can't hold you to ransom like that.

[miasmum]

Thanks Deb, they don't actually think Universal Credit will ever happen, especially now IDS has gone as it was all his idea when he was Work and Pensions Secretary