Avoid paying bedroom tax?

[jimbo1lee]

I think I read on here, someone had posted a legal way to avoid the "bedroom tax"

whoever it was could you please re-post the info as it may help a dear friend of ours.

Thank you.

Jimbo.

[tommy.irene]

Read the thread..  An example of how farcical the bedroom tax is

[joe_bloggs*]

I think this is one of the best blogs concerning the bedroom tax 

http://speye.wordpress.com/

[jimbo1lee]

Thanks Joe, that 's the thread I'm looking for.  😄

[man-of-sussex]

I work for a social housing association, dealing with rent arrears, I and would not advise deliberately going into arrears to 'avoid' the tax. Yes, you could wind-up before a judge who could order you to pay (He would want to examine your finances in minute detail beforehand) £3.60 p/w minimum (or whatever) but before this you would receive numerous phone calls, letters and personal visits, a 'black mark' would be placed against your rent account, precluding you from moving home until your arrears are cleared, and the court costs (minimum £100.00) would be added to your rent account.

As for the 'What is a bedroom/bedroom size' issue, we have taken legal advice and the number of bedrooms in a property is as stated in the tenancy agreement.

The laws regarding bedroom size were brought in to prevent unscrupulous private landlords overcrowding properties and have no relevance to the welfare reform act 2012.

You may boo and hiss me for being a collector of the bedroom tax but six months ago I was unemployed, 'sponging off the state' and receiving ££££s in benefits.

Now I do not receive a single penny in government hand-outs and fully pay my own way.

[bankhaunter]

As for the 'What is a bedroom/bedroom size' issue, we have taken legal advice and the number of bedrooms in a property is as stated in the tenancy agreement.

Where in the Act does it allow for the opinion of a third party to dictate the amount of benefit that a person should receive?

Whether a room is, or is not a bedroom is a matter for the local authority to demonstrate and between them and the tenant.

The laws regarding bedroom size were brought in to prevent unscrupulous private landlords overcrowding properties

But obviously not to prevent governments from doing so in a non direct way.

[Anonymous]

a job is a job no matter what, some one has to do it.

[man-of-sussex]

'As for the 'What is a bedroom/bedroom size' issue, we have taken legal advice and the number of bedrooms in a property is as stated in the tenancy agreement.

Where in the Act does it allow for the opinion of a third party to dictate the amount of benefit that a person should receive?

Whether a room is, or is not a bedroom is a matter for the local authority to demonstrate and between them and the tenant.'

That is PRECISELY what I said BH. Nothing about '3rd parties dictating benefits'.

When a tenant rents a property from us, it clearly states in their tenancy agreement, which they must read and sign indicating that they accept the terms and conditions therein, 'Type of property: 3 - Bedroom Semi-detached house' or similar. this is the legal document defining the number of bedrooms in our properties. 

[lhasa.two]

It's an emotive subject because I suppose someone who has lived in their two three or four bedroom property, brought up their family and now find themselves either alone or with OH and now only needing one bedroom, means they must move or pay the extra 'tax' on the rooms they are not using. The assumption is that they are likely to be older (if children have grown up and left hence less need for extra bedrooms) and now perhaps depending on the state to pay for their housing,so paying the extra amount from a state pension or very low income would be very tight. 

Although I can understand the need for homes with more bedrooms for larger families, it has an impact on the changes for these people. Where are all the one bedroom properties going to come from? As far as I understand it, very few HA's build 1 bed properties for people because it isn't cost effective on the rental return. Local councils aren't building new properties, they don't have the money. That leaves the private sector and that's not very useful to either private landlords or ex council/HA tenants, because rents are often higher than housing benefit will pay. Private landlords could reduce their rents but doubt they will and many don't want DS tenants so that isn't an ideal solution either.

It's not the first time a government has levied taxes on properties. They never seem to learn. There was brick tax and later window tax which lasted about 150 years and ended in 1851. People at the time argued that they lost the right to light and air... Owners and landlords just bricked up the windows on properties where they weren't prepared to pay the tax. Maybe people with extra rooms should brick up their extra doorways until more "single" bedroom accommodation can be made available for them...

[bankhaunter]

'As for the 'What is a bedroom/bedroom size' issue, we have taken legal advice and the number of bedrooms in a property is as stated in the tenancy agreement.

Where in the Act does it allow for the opinion of a third party to dictate the amount of benefit that a person should receive?

Whether a room is, or is not a bedroom is a matter for the local authority to demonstrate and between them and the tenant.'

That is PRECISELY what I said BH. Nothing about '3rd parties dictating benefits'.

When a tenant rents a property from us, it clearly states in their tenancy agreement, which they must read and sign indicating that they accept the terms and conditions therein, 'Type of property: 3 - Bedroom Semi-detached house' or similar. this is the legal document defining the number of bedrooms in our properties. 

A legal document between the landlord and tenant defining the number of bedrooms is not automatically a legal document between a local authority and tenant which defines a bedroom.

Nor does it mean that for the purposes of the the Welfare Reform Act, a bedroom stays a bedroom if it is used for a different purpose necessary for the well being of the tenant where they have special needs.

It is not for the HA, who determine how much HB a particular tenant receives and nor do they, their job is to collect their rent, it is up to the local authority and it is they who should make the decision on what is or is not a bedroom by looking at the individual claimant's situation not by simply going on the landlord's original statement.

The fact that a small room is designated a bedroom for the purposes of sleeping a small child does not make it a bedroom suitable for sleeping two teenage children.

Housing associations usually set a high standard of accommodation, those high standards are now turning to bite the tenants that benefited, frequently having little choice in the matter and indirectly also biting the HAs that supplied them.

[joe_bloggs*]

The Big lie behind the Bedroom Tax:

http://http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/revealed-big-lie-behind-the-bedroom-tax-as-fami...

96% of benefit claimants who want to downsize cannot be rehoused

[chips-and-brown-gravy]

Two of us live in a four bedroom house, we own it. 

When I retire we won't be able to afford to live there, so we will sell it and buy something smaller because we won't be able to claim off the state to be able to stay there. 

[lhasa.two]

When I retire we won't be able to afford to live there, so we will sell it and buy something smaller because we won't be able to claim off the state to be able to stay there. 

You could always rent out a room for £4,250pa tax free to assist financially to stay in your existing home.

Even if people in council or HA property want to move, they often can't because there isn't 1 bed (or whatever they need) housing available. If they are not working - for whatever reason - how will they fund the shortfall in rent? I may be wrong but I don't think council/HA tenants can sub let so would not be able to take up the rent-a-room option.

[mustard-tree]

I was under the impression that the so called bedroom tax affected people on housing benefit, where they only get the rent paid for a property size they need, not what they have got.

As you own your home, you dont pay rent, so will not need housing benefit.

You will still get your state pension and any private pensions you have.

[bankhaunter]

I was under the impression that the so called bedroom tax affected people on housing benefit, where they only get the rent paid for a property size they need, not what they have got

Unfortunately with many disabled people the 'spare' bedrom is needed to enable them to cope with their disability, it's not an unused room.

[chips-and-brown-gravy]

I think you're missing my point. 

Yes I know I won't qualify for housing benefit, but I will have to move as I won't be able to afford to stay here, regardless of it being my family home, and no, I know i won't have to pay rent, but I will have to pay for maintenance and on a 200+ year old house it's an ongoing money-pit, (and pay full council tax), which if I was in rented accomodation it would all be sorted out at no cost to me. I won't be able to argue about what I need or want, it will be what I can afford, with no help from the state. I don't have a choice, so forgive me if I'm not very sympathetic with those on benefits who just don't want to move. 

The disabled are a different matter if they need an additional room, this is taken into account, if it is a genuine need.

Yes I will get the state pension, I would hope so too after having paid in for 40+ years!

I could rent out a room, but in a very rural area with high unemployment and no public transport, I doubt it would be appealing even if I felt comfortable in doing it, which I don't. 

[joe_bloggs*]

Sickening news:

The Labour motion calling for the abolition of the bedroom tax was defeated by 252 to 226 tonight in parliament,2 libdems voted with Labour

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/12/labour-bid-to-abolish-bedroom-tax-defeated

As someone commented in the Guardian: "A three line whip of multi millionaires vote democratically to ensure a person living hand to mouth keeps paying his bedroom tax.
And this despicable government soldiers on in the great war against the poor and low paid......."

[al**bear]

A poll has just been carried out saying the Public 'support' this 'Tax' by

 a majority of 3 to 1 , for the Torygraph

Thing is, they asked a terribly bias question

along the lines of

'Do you think a person of working age should get a subsidised room they don't need'

no wonder they got that result

Rent arrears have soared in Scotland

[mepixin12]

It's a real shame Mr Fawkes is not alive and kicking last night, and able to organise better, and of course in possession of a Zippo.

[bankhaunter]

I am actually surprised the result was 3 to 1, how could anybody answer yes to such a question and why even make it just apply to those of working age?

Perhaps a better question would have been "Do you think it right that those on benefit should be given a penalty they had no means of avoiding?"