Renting Quandary

cariadai

This site has helped me so much already, that I'm hoping I can find a solution to one of our biggest financial problems here. We currently rent a house, but our landlady has said that at the end of our current lease (end of May) we will have to move out, as she wants to move into the house herself. This isn't too much of a problem in itself, as we aren't happy in the house and want to move anyway. However, in order to move we need M.O.N.E.Y. And of course, we don't have it. All landlords want the first month's rent up front, as well as a bond, so you're looking at anything between £600-800 up front. Plus if we go through an estate agent, there is a credit search fee or contract fee of £100 (unfair, but you can hardly argue with it!). We have absolutely no spare cash, and we didn't pay a bond on this house, so there's nothing to come back to us when we leave. What I am dreading is having to use a credit card to pay for the move - that would be so financially stupid, believe me I know that. But I can't see any alternative. Can anyone give me any suggestions, please? Apart from applying to the council for a council house, which isn't really an option for us.

Troodle

lynzpower

You say its not really an option for you, are you a couple or a family?

Guidelines have changed, technically you are homeless. If you are a family you will get more than as a couple, which yes, unlikely to be an option for you ( hostels etc)

silvercar

Make sure you ask your landlady for a reference. If she can vouch for you a future landlord may look favourably on you when you say you can't afford a full deposit.

Alleycat

How much realistically do you think you could save each month towards a deposit, credit search, moving costs etc?

chugalug

Can you save anything give time?? If so, wait for the landlady to serve proper notice - doesnt cost you anything and legally she should do this anyway. Could give you 3 extra months in the property.

Some councils do help with loans for deposits on property. They all have their own criteria though so you would have to ask them for information. They're usually 'rent deposit' schemes or something like that.

Many landlords don't go through agencies and can be cheaper because of it. Doesnt mean they're worse than those that do, perhaps they just don't want to pay this extra money out. Try Friday ads, local newsagents etc. Having said that, landlords will want a deposit and rent in advance to protect themselves but some of the agency costs could be cut.

Apart from that cant think of anything else at the mo. HTH

missk_ensington

Can you ask family to lend you some money? What about getting a second job temping just for a few weeks and use the cash to fund your move? (Its easy to come away with £50 a night doing barwork in a busy bar/club. Hourly rates are around £6 and tips can be great, as well as perks like double time after midnight, and on a sunday with some agencies).

You're in a win win situation-if you have kids they have to provide you with something, somewhere, and if you dont have kids, you're free (in a perfect world...!) to earn some extra cash without worrying about childcare! (Maybe a little too simplistic but you get the idea!)

BobProperty

lynzpower wrote:

....Guidelines have changed, technically you are homeless....

Are you sure Lynz? Used to have to prove it by court order etc. otherwise the council never moved as tenant still had somewhere to live. It may be a few years back but until you were about to be evicted the council wouldn't do anything.

lynzpower

Well, yeah you could get on the technicality of not reasonable to occupy... I work for central london LA, who are very known for being " to the letter" in housing terms and they have done this, based on the figures where the tenant can no longer pay rent as they have to save deposit to avoid homelessness.

Really does depend on the individual officer involved though i guess, but it can always be a position of "not reasonable to occupy" as to who reckons what is reasonable.
If you get a housing officer who is on the landlords "side" ( possibly they are one themselves ) they *can* use this as not reasonable, ie cant afford it, and use homelessness legislation to this effect.

Using reasonableness to occupy, can negate any intentionally homelessness decisions IYSWIM. OP should speak with Shelter/ Crisis who have excellent helplines & caseworkers if they want to pursue this further.

Additionally, they may wish to approach landlord to say, can we pay the deposit in installments ( say 100 extra per month) I have known a couple of occasions where this has been successful.

black-saturn

You need a written letter from your landlord and they have to give you 2 months written notice. When you have this letter you need to take it to the housing office straight away. I know you said council accomodation isnt an option but if you dont have the deposit for another place what is the other option? If the council still havn't housed you by when the 2 months is up the case will go to court and then the courts usually give you another 2 months to find housing. When you get the papers confirming this take them to the council again. After that 2 months the case will go to court again and they usually give about another 2 weeks to find somewhere to live. After that the bailiffs will turn up. If the council still havn't found you anywhere you will be put in temporary accomodation such as a B&B or a hostel. Each time you go to court you will have to pay court costs and if the case goes against you you will end up with a CCJ against you.

This all happened to me a few years ago and I ended up staying in a hostel for the homeless for 6 months with my 2 children.

lynzpower

If you have children there is now a 12 week rule of temporary B&B/hostel accomodation then BY LAW thecouncil have to rehouse you in a self contained "stage 2" accomodation. Doesnt apply if you dont have kids though im afraid.

silvercar

Sounds like your landlady is going to suffer for this!

From what people are saying, either you should withhold rent to save for a deposit on your new place or you should refuse to move out until she evicts you!

Glad I'm not in the BTL game!

If what everyone has posted is true, maybe you should ask your current landlady if you can pay her the last month(s) rent in instalments so you can save up for a deposit.