Sharing house with rent supplement tenant?

ooter

I was just wondering if anyone on here rents a room(s) to rent supplement tenants, in particular to lone parents with 1 or 2 kids and if so have you had any problem with the department of social protection/community welfare officer over it?
Thinking of doing it myself and would be interested to hear other people's experiences.

riclad

They usually rent a 3 bed house or 2 bed unit as each child needs its own room .
So they would need at least 2 bedrooms,
i don,t know if they would allow rent a room in the case of single mothers .
They allow rent a room to single people on rent allowance if the rent is under the ra limit .

L1011

There would be serious questions asked about a family with kids renting with other people. Much as its discriminatory, those questions would likely be harder and probably insurmountable if its a single male that they're renting with.

Also, as its a licencee and not a tenancy agreement they may not be able to authorise RS at all.

Gatling

As far as I can remember the social won't sign off on it ,
It's either a 2 bed properties or 3 bed depending on there housing needs

January

riclad wrote: »

They usually rent a 3 bed house or 2 bed unit as each child needs its own room .
So they would need at least 2 bedrooms,
i don,t know if they would allow rent a room in the case of single mothers .
They allow rent a room to single people on rent allowance if the rent is under the ra limit .

Each child does not need their own room. Those are not the rules of rent supplement.

Gatling

January wrote: »

Each child does not need their own room. Those are not the rules of rent supplement.

But they won't give it to a family to rent a room and in this case no tenancy as they would only be licencee's

ooter

Thanks for the replies lads, I rang the DOSP information line and they said they have no problem with single parents renting rooms in a house but that it would be down to the discretion of the CWO as to how much rent he would pay the landlord.
I currently rent my house to a girl with 2 children and she gets rent supplement but it looks like I'll have to move back in pretty soon, I have no intention of asking her to leave and making her and her kids homeless, I suppose I'll have to leave it in her hands and see what the CWO comes back with.

housetypeb

Is that the choice you're offering the tenant and her children? Become homeless or live with the landlord as a licensee.
Surely if she is already renting the house from you and has a contract, you can't just decide to move back in.

Gatling

Op have you asked this mother of 2 if she wants you living with her as a strange man or woman .

I'd suggest to look further into this or you could be putting yourself into legal issues

ooter

I haven't offered her anything yet, haven't discussed it with her yet. To be honest I don't want to be living with her and her children either but my only other option is for me to go homeless, I have somewhere to live at the moment but the writing's on the wall and I'm going to have to move out pretty soon.
According to the Prtb a "landlord can terminate a tenancy, in circumstances where he or she wants to live in the dwelling concerned."

Gatling

ooter wrote: »

I'm going to have to move out pretty soon.
According to the Prtb a "landlord can terminate a tenancy, in circumstances where he or she wants to live in the dwelling concerned."

That's correct ,

Also her lease guarantees her sole use of the property so you cannot just decide to move in also there could be a chance she has a partner too ,

ooter

Gatling wrote: »

That's correct ,

Also her lease guarantees her sole use of the property so you cannot just decide to move in also there could be a chance she has a partner too ,

I know that and I would never do that, if she decides she doesn't want to rent rooms in my house I will issue the appropriate notice but hopefully it doesn't come to that.
No partner btw, she's a lone parent.

MouseTail

Is she on a fixed term lease? If so, you cannot move back in.

If she is on Part 4 tenancy, you may issue appropriate notice to her if you wish to move back in. Be very careful, and do everything by the book.

salamanca22

ooter wrote: »

According to the Prtb a "landlord can terminate a tenancy, in circumstances where he or she wants to live in the dwelling concerned."

That only applies if she does not have a lease. Since you do not mention if there is a lease in place or not I will infer that there is as usually there is.

Part 4 may be terminated with correct notice if the homeowner requires the dwelling for their own use, however, if there is a lease in place then the homeowner cannot terminate the tenancy until the term of the lease has finished. Terminating the lease early without the tenants permission can cause you huge fines and damages awarded to the tenant.

ooter

No lease in place, when she moved in we agreed we would give each other a reasonable period of notice if either of us decided to end the tenancy.
She's there 4 years so I would have to give 16 weeks notice but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

housetypeb

housetypeb wrote: »

Is that the choice you're offering the tenant and her children? Become homeless or live with the landlord as a licensee.
Surely if she is already renting the house from you and has a contract, you can't just decide to move back in.

Well actually you can as moving back in is a valid reason to terminate a part 4 tenancy once appropriate notice is given.

If they want to leave that's her decision but she could be taken on as a licensee instead.

salamanca22

Karen Greasy Letterhead wrote: »

Well actually you can as moving back in is a valid reason to terminate a part 4 tenancy once appropriate notice is given.

Not if there was a fixed term lease in place, luckily for the op their isn't.

OP, make sure you do it all above board here and give proper notice, DO NOT try to pressure the tenant out before the 16 weeks they are entitled too or you can be in very hot water, mention it to them and if they say no drop it there and then.

While it is your right you are taking away their home for the last 4 years so if they are very upset they will do anything to get back at you which includes overholding or if the notice is not valid (You have to do this correctly!!! google it) will refuse to leave at the end and require you to send another notice of 16 weeks that is valid.

ooter

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to take their home away, this discussion is going down a different avenue than I had intended, I just wanted to know if it was possible to rent rooms in my house to a lone parent on rent supplement.

salamanca22

ooter wrote: »

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to take their home away.

That is what ultimately is going to happen though.

Sorry if I veered off from your original question, just wanted to make sure you knew what to do when it came to notice as it is very easy to mess it up and cause you months of delays.

Good luck with the en devour.

Mrs OBumble

ooter wrote: »

Thanks for the replies lads, I rang the DOSP information line and they said they have no problem with single parents renting rooms in a house but that it would be down to the discretion of the CWO as to how much rent he would pay the landlord.

OP, thanks for posting this.

There are posters on this forum who are convinced that because DSP's public guidelines don't cover the situation, then it cannot be considered.

I've long believe that must be incorrect: it's usual for government agencies to have far more detailed internal operational guidelines that cover all manner of situations that the public guidelines don't. And there are some situations where house-sharing for solo parents makes sense. Your post pretty much proves that there is some guidance about it - and makes it clear that there is some local discretion, too. Supply of alternative housing in your area is likely to influence the decisions.

We don't know your gender - but if you are male then there are some extra risks for you in terms of people assuming you are some kind of child abuser, or you being put in compromising positions by the children's innocent behaviour. It's totally mad - especially since you could move into a lone parent's house as her partner and no one would bat an eyelid - but the thinking is out there. It would be good to have plans for how the house could operate which address these issues. (eg agree that you will never use the main bathroom, only your own ensuite, and similarly that the tenant and children will never enter your bedroom).

Also, the rule is that there needs to be a separate bedroom for children of each gender. So if your current tenant has a mix of boys and girls, then she will need at least three bedrooms for her use.

ooter

How does the separate bedroom rule apply to families that are living in hotels?

Gatling

ooter wrote: »

How does the separate bedroom rule apply to families that are living in hotels?

That's emergency accommodation separate issue

_Kaiser_

I can't see this working OP...

First off fair dues to you for nor only renting your place to a DSP/RA tenant (given that so many won't) and even moreso for trying to do this in a way that won't force them out, but I don't see a way for you to move into what is their home without a massive upheaval for both sides and problems arising as a result.

Mrs O'B sums it up pretty well... whatever about if there was just a single person in the place now, but adding 2 kids into the mix - especially if you're male - is asking for trouble and won't end well I fear I don't agree with it, but that's the way society has gone where even fathers are viewed with passing suspicion to outright accusations if they happen to be out and about alone with their young child.

Best thing you can do OP is let them know the situation now and try and give them as much time to get somewhere else sorted before you're forced to move back in.

digzy

I'd have to agree with the previous poster.

Op, I'm gonna assume you're male and unmarried?
Living in the same house with another woman, maybe more is kinda workable, but bring kids into the mix....no chance.
It won't last a week.

I assume your finances are dictating the situation, but even from a mental health/lifestyle perspective this is a completely unsustainable situation.

ooter

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I don't agree with it, but that's the way society has gone where even fathers are viewed with passing suspicion to outright accusations if they happen to be out and about alone with their young child.

Any father who gives even a second's consideration to such suspicion or accusation needs to have a word with themselves.
Anyway, thanks for the replies lads.