Refused Rental Property due to bad credit - please help!

tinkerlin

Would someone, anyone, help me? We are due to have our house repossessed even after trying every avenue to keep it.

I found a rental property that was perfect for us (myself, my husband and twins) and found the money for the "admin fee" (£225!) We were due to have the keys this Friday to move, we're pretty much packed and ready to go to be told that the credit check had come back as a no for the rental insurance and the landlords have said they weren't prepared to go through with the tenancy even with a guarantor!. We are classed as "high risk" and the letting agent doesn't want to know - he's had the money and left us to drown. We were never told, when I handed the admin fee over, that we might not get the rental - he did say that it was looking a little on the low side and that we would probably need a guarantor (which we have) but now its a flat no.

We have been in contact with the council but the best they can offer is temporary accomodation when we are evicted as we don't have enough points on the social housing register.

I just can't find any help anywhere - I'm trying EVERYTHING to make sure that my kids have a roof of some sort over our heads.

Can anyone help me? In any way???? PLEASE??

Happy_Girl_2

Sorry to hear of your situation. Sadly Landlords are under no obligation to accept any tenant so you should forget this property

You have 4 options as I see it;

1) Get enough money for 6 months rent upfront, and pay it to the Landlord who then won't care about the credit check as they have their rent already. I presume this is not an option financially for you though really?

2) Find a Landlord who lets their properties direct (look in local papers, Gumtree etc) who is less likely to carry out a credit check

3) Fins another proprty through one of the rental agencies who will accept a Guarantor. You will need to be upfront with the agencies so they can sound their Landlords out. I'm not sure if you get your £200 back from the 1st agency or not? Check this as you will need to pay this again to any new agency. But ask the agency you have already paid if they have any Landlords who will accept the Guarantor
4) Take the emergency accomodation offered by the council

Good luck though - a carp situation to be in!

Engelbert

TBH I would take up the council's offer of temporary housing. Is this a definite offer? If you are in temp, you would normally be high priority for rehousing. For example in our area you are automatically Band B if you are in temporary housing provided by the council.

I know temp accomodation is often not great but it is a secure home over your head. If you do get private rented accommodation you will be very low priority for council housing.

Jowo_2

Speak to Shelter about your situation but as far as I can see, neither the local council, nor the landlord, are failing in their responsibilities to you, however understandably disappointing and frustrating this is.

There is a statutory obligation for local councils to house the homeless who are in this situation through no fault of their own (not intentionally homeless) but I do not believe there is any requirement for them to allocate social housing to meet this. In many areas, demand outstrips supply, even for priority cases. They must put a roof over a homeless person's head but it doesn't have to be a lifelong council or housing association tenancy.

The Shelter website will have info on the homelessness process and your rights and give you a run down on whether you have any other options and what the next steps could be.

It is common for a tenancy to be offered subject to passing a credit check. I believe a tenancy only starts when the contract is signed and a consideration given (deposit/rent) but it is understandable that you pinned your hopes on the optimistic outcome (because of what the agent said).

Remember, the agent actually represents the landlord - he is employed by the owner, and should be representing his interests above the tenants.

tinkerlin

Thank you everyone for your advice.

No, we can't afford 6 months upfront - we have the first months rent and deposit in place and a guarantor but I couldn't afford 6 months up front.

I will look at private landlords - is there any other sites that I can search through for private lettings that anyone can suggest?

No, I can't get the money back from the letting agency - I've called them a few times and they are not returning my calls.....

I will also contact Shelter tomorrow and I am going to be first in the q for the CAB tomorrow.

I just don't know what to do with all of our furniture as family can't help with the storage.

Yes, it is a crap situ to be in and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!

pjread

tinkerlin wrote: »

No, I can't get the money back from the letting agency - I've called them a few times and they are not returning my calls.....

what exactly was the payment for, do you have anything in writing indicating it'd be refundable in this event (essentially, non-procedure with a tenancy at the landlord/agent's decision)

if so, and you can't contact them, either show up at their office if you're feeling assertive or document the attempted contacts and file something in small claims.

doesn't help your bigger issues, but some letting agents really do deserve a kick. At the very least they should return your calls, even if only to say "no, because...."

tinkerlin

pjread wrote: »

what exactly was the payment for, do you have anything in writing indicating it'd be refundable in this event (essentially, non-procedure with a tenancy at the landlord/agent's decision)

if so, and you can't contact them, either show up at their office if you're feeling assertive or document the attempted contacts and file something in small claims.

doesn't help your bigger issues, but some letting agents really do deserve a kick. At the very least they should return your calls, even if only to say "no, because...."

it was for their "admin fee" to do the reference check - i do have the paperwork and it does say that is non refundable if the tenancy is not offered.....

I will be calling them again tomorrow, along with numerous other people to see if they can help... its like they have got their money, know they haven't got any properties that we can rent and just left me hanging....