Job Discussion Forums

roywebcafe · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 259

Hello

Has anyone out there while paying rent to council in the UK worked overseas for a considerable amount of time? By considerable i mean more than a few months. I have a one bedroom flat and would like to take up a teaching contract overseas - not decided on country yet. As i live in a council flat and they are in very short supply i could be forced to give it up. Subletting was a thought but its illegal and my neighbors are close enough to know.

Dr X · Joined: 04 Jul 2016 Posts: 84 Location: Everywhere

As far as I know, if you are absent from your flat more than 3 months, you have to notify the Council. This will prevent action being taken against you for abandoning your flat. Also, you have to take precautions in case something wrong (like fire or accidents) occur in your flat.
One option is to ask one of you family member or trusted neighbours to look after your flat from time to time.
Still you have to prove to the council that your flat is your "principle home".

I suggest you contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for help in this matter.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I did that for a year. My understanding is that councils now have more freedom to make their own rules about letting within the framework of the Housing Acts. As previous poster says, check with CAB.

roywebcafe · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 259

Chopin16 · Joined: 30 Nov 2016 Posts: 69

Sounds like you aren't earning enough in the UK and want to get out. Am I right? What's the big deal losing a council flat? It's just a name (council). There are many private flats to let if you every want to (and I mean who would want to really?) go back and live in mega tax, mega house prices Britain??? Just get out and stay out of the place.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There are certain advantages in having a tenancy from a Housing Association. Security of Tenure for a start. This applies in Scotland - not sure about south of the border.

Stuka · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 237

Xie Lin · Joined: 21 Oct 2011 Posts: 731

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

Oh yes, those pesky neighbours always dropping by to say hello, asking where you've been and all that.

I normally say do everything by the book as it works out easier in the end, but on this occasion I say don't worry. The only steps I'd take are to set some timer switches to turn lights on/off. The post office also has a "keep safe" service to hold back delivering mail for a specified time.

Stuka · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 237

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

Thanks.

I own a house in UK and do all these things to reduce the risk of burglary when away. My place in Malaysia, though, needs no such measures as theft is so rare there. 😇

Stuka · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 237

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

I'd be curious, albeit nosey, to know how much UK council rents are now. Private rents in the UK are staggering, and it's way cheaper to bite the bullet and apply for a mortgage. People say you're then tied down**, but you'll be debt free within fifteen years, and no one is more tied down than a permanent tenant. Ad infinitum renting anywhere in the world is a guaranteed path to a pension of poverty.

As for Malaysia, the burglars to be don't fancy those pointy 8-foot fences and guard dogs at houses with anything worth stealing. Far easier to concentrate their efforts elsewhere. Ignoring Malaysia's pros and cons for a second, though, the only job I could easily do there would be TEFLing. Why do you think I live on Easy Street, UK?

** I can still live and work overseas you know, and plan to do so this year. But to have no base anywhere to return to is not practical and is a very poor financial state of affairs.

Stuka · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 237

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

Paying rent forever is a pension killer. You're also making someone else stinking rich.

I remember renting a place in the UK and going on holiday for a few weeks. I was therefore paying for an empty house and making the landlord even richer. What a fool. Now I'm happy to go on humongously long holidays and pay my own mortgage, the monthly payments of which are less than £500. Good luck on finding a rental place for that.

Having a house gives me way more freedom. I could even change my mortgage to a buy to let and become a greedy landlord leeching at least £800 a month from someone who wants to be remain free.