Granny flats and family accommodation arrangements

Family living arrangements can include older people moving in with their family (often into granny flats) or family members moving in with the older person, and they generally consist of an exchange of something of value for the right of occupancy in a residence.

The right of occupancy is generally in the private home of a family member, which need not necessarily be a separate residence from the main home.

In many cases, the person entering the arrangement will pay for the granny flat interest. The payment will often involve the gifting of assets or the payment of money to another person in exchange for a life interest in a home.

Unfortunately, where these arrangements are left on an informal basis, they can often result in disputes arising out of disagreements about how the arrangement was to operate. In other cases, the relationship between the family members can simply break down.