Looking to Rent - why are so many properties advertised as no DSS?

lone_saver

Thanks again to everyone who has offered advice.

I would worry about paying 6 months rent in advance for the reasons given by Barnaby-Bear and Socrates! Also, I don't think I would actually have that much money to pay in advance, and wasn't sure if I would be able to claim from LHA/HB if I had already paid it in advance? I know it depends on your capital, still not sure how much I will come out with after house sold and all expenses paid.

I have been told I should qualify for Social Housing (am on waiting list already), and once I have date for completion on house sale can go to them and claim I will be homless on xx date but am worried about where I may get put as I know there are good and bad areas everywhere, and chances are the "immediately available" property I would get offered will be in an "undesirable" area -and with a young daughter who is in no way street-wise I would be worried about her welfare as well as my own - would feel very vulnerable living in some areas, and with my depression problems (have been on medication for it for years!) feel I could go downhill very fast. I have also been told that you only get offered one property - could be anywhere in the council's wide area, and if you turn it down you are not then considered homeless, so was told (by Social Housing people) that private renting is best option for me.

I will try to find out more about private Housing Associations as I believe there may be one or two of those in this area.

I am finding it all so stressful, as I feel I can't do much except browse until the house sale is definite - i.e. with exchange of contracts and a firm completion date, then I could be racing around with only a few days to find a place, doing anything before that means I could be committing to paying rent on another place and if my sale falls through last minute am well and truly stuck! Aaaaargh!

RHemmings

besonders1 wrote: »

I imagine its just the way in which landlords see DSS people in a negative light but as you say in actual fact its not true as you are more likely to get paid your rent from these tenants. Maybe landlords clone the no pet/smokers/DSS from other peoples adverts?

Agreed. Some of it may be unreasoning prejudice. Landlords imagine their ideal tenants to be:



but imagine the typical DSS tenant to be:

clutton_2

half my portfolio is housing single parent mums - in the long term. initially it takes a great deal more time to set up a tenancy - but i think its worth it. i insist on LHA tenants showing me two sets of bank statements, so that their benefit goes into a "dedicated" account and then S/O over to my account. most of them think this is a good idea, as they then dont get family allowance, income support, etc etc all mixed in with their rent money.

i often want a guarantor, but not always, and i need references and i do a credit check. I will never offer a tenancy without a full month or 6 weeks deposit - irrespective of the prospective tenants cirumstances.

i take each applicant on their own merits and my instinct plays a big part also - this is true for working tenants as well as benefit tenants.

to OP - i would apply for properties you want even if they are advertised no DSS - go do a viewing - take bank statements, copy of your old rent book or mortgage statement to proove you pay regularly, copies of references from folks who hae known you, ID - (drivers license/passport) and a utility bill to prove your current address. All this would show me you are a very committed and determined tenant.

good luck

donkeyderby_2

I hope you get sorted out lone saver, i'm in a similar position, but not as desperate as i don't have children, i owned my own property for years, but sold last year, then lost my job before buying another property (perhaps handy in some respects!) so was, and still am privately renting then came the credit crunch, then, well-you probably know the story, like a lot of folk i am still out of work, cannot afford the full rent anymore, (i paid most of it from the proceeds of my house thinking i'd get back in work eventually:eek: ) I have run out of money apart from JSA after clearing debts after the house sale, and i am now finally on housing benefit and i'd never thought i'd see that day coming, talk about blinkered!, anyway, i'm having to find somewhere cheap to rent that will take DSS, and i don't think it will be easy at all, i don't blame landlords, i know that apparently 90% of BTOL mortgages will not alow HB tenants, or at least a local estate agent told me that, but i do wish it was a bit easier, i've not felt too well recently with the worry of it all, i'm on the council housing list but they doubt they will be able to help me should i become homeless, apart from hostel, so they suggested private renting, again, which leads onto finding somewhere that will take on a HB tenant . I don't expect things to be handed to me on a plate, not in the slightest, but i do kind of wish it was easier to sort this litle mess out!:mad: Anyway, best of luck lone saver, to be honest if i was you i wouldn't just take any old !!!! the council offered if i had children to look after, obviously they have to be safe too, people always say to me that if you can get in a council house you can exchange, but who's going to exchange into a awful area?...

Snakeeyes21

the way i look at those ads is that they dont want the long term unemployed, where as people on disability, carers or people who use the LHA to top up their part time work or low wages would be fine.

socrates

Snakeeyes21 wrote: »

the way i look at those ads is that they dont want the long term unemployed, where as people on disability, carers or people who use the LHA to top up their part time work or low wages would be fine.

Thats about right.

However if a LTU person turns up and has a months deposit and months rent in advance, all their paperwork and you have a good feeling about them then you will take them.

The whole situation has not been helped by the govt forcing LHA rent on the tenants and very little provision for it to be paid to the LL directly.

tbs624

clutton wrote: »

half my portfolio is housing single parent mums - in the long term. initially it takes a great deal more time to set up a tenancy - but i think its worth it. i insist on LHA tenants showing me two sets of bank statements, so that their benefit goes into a "dedicated" account and then S/O over to my account. most of them think this is a good idea, as they then dont get family allowance, income support, etc etc all mixed in with their rent money.

Clutton you frequently post good supportive suggestions on here for tenants, but you are developing a business portfolio and using state benefit payments to make it work Yes, it's legit to to do so but, sometimes, it perhaps comes across that you see yourself as some kind of housing philanthropist, doing LHA tenants a favour.

Clearly you have been able to find Ts who will accept this sort of diktat from a LL but there is of course nothing to prevent such a T closing down one bank a/c after you have done your initial " I am LL, hear me roar..." bit.

I'm not sure if there's a bit of an unpleasant assumption there on your part , ie that anyone in receipt of LHA is quite simply unable to budget without your guidance? Obviously potential Ts are able to look elsewhere if they don't meet with your criteria but it does seem almost Dickensian to me.