Do any estate agents accept renters on DMP?

skintandscared_2

Hi everyone,

I posted this in the "rental" section, but no replies so far... Wondered if you DMP experts had any advice for me!!!! - I'm panicking!!

We have been renting our flat for 2.5 years and have never missed a rent payment or got behind with any essential/utility bills. We literally are MODEL tenants - have decorated and fixed any leaky taps, etc, ourselves. We haven't given our landlord a moment's worry.

BUT a year ago I entered into a debt management plan for credit cards and a loan, and there is still a long way to go to pay it all off.

We were told today that our landlord wishes to sell the property we rent, so we have 2 months to find somewhere else.

Obviously I passed the credit check 2.5 years ago when we moved in here, but I know I wouldn't pass one now. But like I say, we have never missed a rent payment and my employment is very steady (17 years at the same City firm).

For info, my partner is self-employed and his work history is very erratic due to mental health problems. He has never had more than a cashpoint card and has no credit history whatsoever, so there's no point in him having a credit check either!

Is it even worth me approaching agencies other than the one we are with, telling them up-front that I am on a DMP and would not pass a credit check, but we could provide a perfect reference as long-standing tenants? If we stay with the same agents, are they likely to do a new credit check? Or is our only option to try and find a new private landlord who won't do a credit check? All the private ads in this week's paper seem to be for house-shares, which we really don't want.

I'm devastated ... I love this flat and could really do without this just before Christmas!! We have 8 weeks to find a new home and I don't know where to start!!!

Thanks in advance for ANY advice anyone has!!

MrsTinks

Speak to the letting agents - be HONEST and don't try to hide that you're on a DMP. Yes you will probably fail their credit check but that doesn't always rule you out as a tenant. Some landlords are fine with it especially if you can get a guarantor (parent?
Alternatively you could always go with a private let.

skintandscared_2

thank you so much for your reply. Yes, I'm quite prepared to be fully honest but just wondering if we stand a chance that way. What's worrying me is all the private ads are for house-shares and that would just be horrendous (we're in our 40's and a bit old for house-sharing!)

MrsTinks

Not all private rentals are house shares Have you had a look at Gumtree and your local papers?
I have rented privately before now and it certainly wasn't a houseshare (then again it wasn't much more than a glorified converted garage and didn't have a kitchen which was interesting to say the least lol)
On the other hand I spent a forgettably period as a lettings negotiator too and we had a few clients with bad scores. So long as they could get guarantors then most landlords were happy with that. I've had to produce a guarantor before now myself for a rental and whilst it's a trust issue (that you don't land someone in it basically) then if you have parents who'd pass a credit check then you should be ok

skintandscared_2

Whilst I'm confident that we would never have a problem paying the rent, it would be horrifically embarrassing asking either of our parents to be guarantors. They don't know about the DMP and I'd be truly mortified if they had to find out.

ailsajayne29

Hi, Ive just been sorting out a rented flat and im on a dmp, like you ive never missed any rent payments etc but my credit rating is shot!

I was upfront with all the agencies i spoke to and asked outright whether it would affect my chances and all of them said as long as i have no ccjs it wont be a problem! Im still going thru the application checks but have been told that my credit check was fine!

So just ask! :-D think things like previous landlord refs are possibly more important anyway... besides if us people with rubbish credit scores couldn't even rent where would we all live

hope you find somewhere lovely to live!

skintandscared_2

Thank you so much that has really put my mind at rest. No, we have no CCJs and I have never defaulted on a DMP payment to CCCS. And yes, all our references will be perfect.

ailsajayne29

just to keep you up to date, i had absolutely no problems sorting out my rented flat, i was accepted pretty quickly and they have no issues at all with dmp or bank :-D good luck sorting yours out but dont worry about the dmp... just remember to tell them when you apply! :-D