Private Rentals - Credit Check?

bramble1

Phoned about a perfect house today, 5 min walk from work, accept dogs, private rental so no agents. but was informed the woman would do a credit check! She said she'd do a landlord credit check - what is that and should i be worried?

would she still accept a guarentor if she's private too because my credit is terrrrible!

<sebb>

You'll just need to ask the landlord, some will accept a guarantor and some wont. There's no point in going to the expense of a credit check on you if it's going to be bad - and she might even expect you to pay for it.

Speak to her and ask if she will accept a guarantor and save her the expense of the check, although she would probably want to do a check on the guarantor.

bramble1

Thanks, i'm going to call her tomorrow as she wanted work references and OH is self employed....don't think this is going to work out somehow..

<sebb>

Are you in a position to pay a significant amount of rent upfront, say 6 months? And do you have good references from a previous landlord. If so, you could be fine.

You just have to look at it from the landlord's point of view, they just want to make sure they can get their rent. It's pretty hard to evict tenants, and if you were to move in and not pay rent, this could be very costly for them. Eviction can be a lengthy and costly process.

G_M

a landlord credit check - what is that

There are various 'credit checks' that may be done, but most will search to see if you have count court judgements against you, whether you've been on the electoral role, what your credit history is like (esp whether you've missed/defaulted on payments in the past) etc etc. It may include reference checks: previous landlord, employer, bank etc.

should i be worried?

If you have a poor record or things you wish to hide - yes. If you are honest and upfront from the start, no.

my credit is terrrrible!

Be honest from the start. The credit checks will cost (you) money so if you know you're going to fail, save yourself the money. Tell her your history and ask if this will mean she rejects you. If she says yes, don't waste your money!

would she still accept a guarentor if she's private

Some will, some won't. Ask!

bramble1

<sebb> wrote: »

Are you in a position to pay a significant amount of rent upfront, say 6 months? And do you have good references from a previous landlord. If so, you could be fine.

You just have to look at it from the landlord's point of view, they just want to make sure they can get their rent. It's pretty hard to evict tenants, and if you were to move in and not pay rent, this could be very costly for them. Eviction can be a lengthy and costly process.

Unfortunately not. I'm getting kicked out, so don't have the time.

Not sure if our old landlord will give us a good reference, we maybe late payments just before we left due to me being made redundant...

I feel like i'm pretty much going to end up homeless.

<sebb>

bramble1 wrote: »

Unfortunately not. I'm getting kicked out, so don't have the time.

Not sure if our old landlord will give us a good reference, we maybe late payments just before we left due to me being made redundant...

I feel like i'm pretty much going to end up homeless.

I'm really sorry to hear that, there will be others on here who will hopefully be able to give you advice on what do do next.

How much time do you have in your current place? Are you aware of your rights in terms of your current place and have you been given correct notice?

bramble1

I'm living at home at the moment.... - we moved home because i couldn't afford my house, i got a new job so can now afford a small house, so no notice needed really. At most 5 months, but realistically I want to be out by may, just due to how things are..

new_home_owner_3

Id be striaght up with them i done a reference check on my tenants and before i did it she told me she had a ccj and offered a guarantor, her other half passed with flying colours and to be honest they seemd very nice people and i was happy when i first met them.

6 months on and they have been great, but i think if they wouldnt have been straight up with me and i found out afterwards i would have said no, has i would have put them down has chancers.

Its very hard for people to have a perfect credit rating, but if your up front and they like you im sure they will apreciate the honesty.

bramble1

I'm going to call her tomorrow, be honest about our terrible credit.
Do i just go as a single tennant and see if she'll agree to let OH stay there with out putting any financial presure on him?

new_home_owner_3

bramble1 wrote: »

I'm going to call her tomorrow, be honest about our terrible credit.
Do i just go as a single tennant and see if she'll agree to let OH stay there with out putting any financial presure on him?

Just explain about you losing your job and that you got into diffculty, offer a guarantor im sure she will be happy has long has they pass the credit check, then the landlord hasnt got anything to lose.

I dont what the circumstances are were you currently are but this could have a big bearing on it, do you owe rent? was you upfront with the other landlord about late payments?

Thats why people who rent should think about not paying rent before they do it, unless they want to live in !!!!!! holes and have to pay 6 months rent up front for the pleasure.

Im not saying its your fault but there are a load of people i know who cant get anything decent because they have been bad tenants before, remember everyone likes to live somewhere nice.