Moving into a council house - over the income limit

Q_ueeny

Hi everyone! 

I’m hoping someone here has some experience with this and I’ll keep it short and to the point. 

My dad (75) is in very poor health and lives alone in a council house. I (36) want to move in with him to look after him and help with day to day tasks he finds hard. Our incomes combined (my salary and his pension) are well over the income threshold limit (by about 13k) 

Does anyone know if I can still move in (I’m willing to pay higher rent of course) or what I can do here? We have a letter from my dads doctor outlining his poor health and how it’s not safe for him to live alone. 

Does anyone have experience with this? I’m going to ring citizens advice too. Any help or info on this would be great, thanks for reading.

spaceHopper

Take the letter and ask the community health nurse to visit him and possibly get an OT assessment of the home. Will he qualify for any care hours. That would help you when you contact the council. You might find it's a case of see no evil hear no evil speak no evil and just do it anyway.

Gatling

The council could ask you to a sign a contract saying that you have no legal right to the property if anything happens to your dad

Mrs OBumble

Yes, you can. Your income will assessed against the rent, and your father needs to ask the council fir permission.

But the tenancy stays in your father's name. You will need to move our again if / when he moves into full-time care or beyond.

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129788#Comment_121129788

no he won't

Judge refuses to evict family council claim did not meet criteria for house (breakingnews.ie)

Ezeoul

These are the required forms for South Dublin County Council- I'm sure whatever Council your father is housed by will have an equivalent.

https://www.sdcc.ie/en/download-it/apply-for-it/transfer-of-tenancy-inclusion-of-tenant.doc

(Opens as Word Document)

Your father will need to apply to add you to the tenant list. That, by itself does not make you a joint tenant.

If approved, your income will be assessed along with your father's and the rent adjusted according to the Differential Rent Scheme. After your father passes, if you want to, you can apply for the tenancy and whether you will be allowed stay or not will be reassessed based on the circumstances at the time.