Housing benefit refusal.

Other

I have just let a house, which I specifically bought as my first investment rental, my first tenant is my step daughter. She has, up to this point, been claiming housing benefit. However her local council is now refusing to pay. The stated reason is that they don't believe the property is commercial despite my having a proper rental agreement. It seems to me that the council are hoping that I, rather than they, will pay the equivalent of the housing benefit. They are mistaken as this rental income forms an important adition to our pension and we cannot afford any subsidies. Can you give any advise as to how to proceed?