New to renting!

LolStevo

Hi, hope someone can help me here!!!

Im 4 months pregnant and currently unemployed :mad:! Me and my boyfriend have been looking for a house for a while and finally found one which we love!

We have the deposit and first months rent but i am unsure about the checks they are about to do and if the affordability will be ok in their eyes?

I am aware I have to pay £80 for my credit check even though there is nothing they can check, and £50 for my boyfriends check as well as a check on the guarantor!

My question is will we be likely to pass, what do they check or require? Do the agencies ask for bank statements etc from my boyfriend? I dont want to pay £130 for checks and then they say i failed it!

Hope someone can help! Thank u!

LandyAndy

I think you may need to tell us a little bit more.

LolStevo

Sorry i seemed a bit vague,
Basically my income is my income support and then will receive housing benefit and council tax benefit. My boyfriend earns enough to support us and once the baby is born we will be in a much more fortunate position.

So if i only have an income of income support will that be enough? And how do i put this on the application form as annual income etc x

Jowo_2

Does the landlord accept LHA claimants? Not all do. Why isn't your boyfriend a joint tenant if his income is sufficient to support you as this would help you pass the checks?

Discuss with the landlord/agent your situation ahead of completing and paying for the tenant checks to see if they would still offer you a tenancy if you fail the credit check, because you can offer a guarantor.

Tenant screening can involve more than just a simple credit check (which will check for CCJs) but can also involve proof of ID, previous landlord references, electoral register check to verify previous addresses, etc.

LolStevo

Thanks JOWO,

They do accept LHA and Its our first time renting so dont quite understand joint tenant terms? I know on the application it does ask if its a joint tenancy and the applicants share but im new to this!

Iv asked the agency about the checks, i have no ccjs and neither does my boyfriend, we have a well paid guarantor who is a home owner which obviously will help. The agency dont want to see statements etc just want us to fill in the application form and then they do the chasing around.

Thanks again x

Jowo_2

The Shelter website will offer good advice on what a joint tenancy entails so do read up on that for the expert definition.

Basically joint tenants are jointly and severally liable to pay the rent and to pay for any damage. It operates like only a single tenant is there (so even if you and your boyf have private arrangements to pay x part of the rent each, its up to you to manage this, the landlord will expect the full rent on the rent due date even if one of you doesn't pay up and can chase any or both tenants for it).

A joint tenancy can be ended by either tenant (when one legitimately gives the notice, it ends it for all and its up to the remaining tenant to negotiate a new contract with the landlord).

It also means that if you have a relationship breakdown, both of you are entitled to live there, you have equal rights so if one walks out, their liability to pay the rent doesn't cease when their occupation does, nor can one force the other out.

Have a think about what would suit you - sole tenancy (the boyf has no rights to stay there if you ask him to leave but no obligation to pay the rent, though of course he can make a contribution, just that legally he doesn't have to) or joint tenancy (the boyf has the same rights and obligations as you).

LolStevo

Thanks thats really helpful! To be honest he wont be living with me he will just be contributing and is only applying to make sure I get the house! Would this mean i could apply as just sole (me) with my guarantor behind me and I can tell them that he is just making conributions? Would this be sufficient?

My only problem is that the amount of housing benefit i would receive differs if he is on the tenancy agreement so i would rather he wasnt as he would not be living there anyway! x

Jowo_2

Well since he's not living there, it's pointless him being a joint tenant.

Why doesn't the father of your child want to take full responsibility for bringing up his child by living with you as a family?

LolStevo

Eventually more towards the time the baby is born he will move in but at the moment he has to live at home to look after his dad,

if hes not a joint tenant though would it make it more likely that i am unable to qualify for the house? x

Jowo_2

LolStevo wrote: »

if hes not a joint tenant though would it make it more likely that i am unable to qualify for the house? x

Best have a chat with the letting agent on this. Presumably the LHA rate payable to you is the same or less than the rent charged? Perhaps the agent is already aware that the level of LHA you receive makes the property affordable.

Fire_Fox

LolStevo wrote: »

Thanks thats really helpful! To be honest he wont be living with me he will just be contributing and is only applying to make sure I get the house! Would this mean i could apply as just sole (me) with my guarantor behind me and I can tell them that he is just making conributions? Would this be sufficient?

My only problem is that the amount of housing benefit i would receive differs if he is on the tenancy agreement so i would rather he wasnt as he would not be living there anyway! x

I don't mean to sound accusatory, more a friendly warning. From the point of view of benefits, what you class as living as a couple and what the DWP class as living as a couple may not be the same thing. If your partner is contributing to the household they could easily view that as you pretending you don't live together in order to claim benefits. The criteria are NOT simply how many nights you sleep in the same bedroom, but do you shop together, eat together, help each other out with bills etc. You absolutely MUST declare every penny that your boyfriend gives you or you may inadvertently commit benefit fraud.

If you are under 25 you will only qualify for the shared house rate of LHA until the baby is born and then I *think* only the one bedroom rate thereafter. If you are over 25 you will qualify for the one bedroom rate right away. Have you checked on the council website what the maximum is they will pay?