Two mature students looking to rent through an estate agent.

christopherjk

Hey guys,

Me and the partner are having trouble finding a place to rent in London; we're originally from Brummyland

We want to avoid living in halls, as we've been together for years and like our own space. Not really going to be typical students; I'm 25 and he's 23.

Our budget is around £850 a month, but can go up to £900 if REALLY necessary. He gets a guaranteed MINIMUM of £12k a year from various benefits, uni bursaries (he's disabled) and student loans; I get a poultry £650ish for my Bursary (i'm doing child nursing), and with me taking my self-employed 63336 job down with me and picking up bank nursing when settled in an area, I didn't think we'd be such a risk to landlords, but most seem reluctant to take us on.

Any advice, ideas, specialised estate agents, etc, to help us find a home. We've been looking for a while now.

Cheers in advance for any help :money:

agrinnall

I'm investigating renting as a mature student (a lot older than you though, 51!) when I start a Masters in Aberdeen in September. I've talked to a couple of letting agencies there and it looks like it could go one of two ways, either prove to the agent and landlord that I have more than enough savings to pay the rent for the duration of the course or pay six months up front. I suspect these may not be options for you but the more normal student route of having a guarantor may be possible. Do you have someone who can guarantee payment? If so maybe you could get a letter from them to say so and approach letting agents armed with that, they may be more ready to talk. Good luck!

Callie22

My partner and I rented together as mature students, when we were in our final year of university in London. This was a couple of years ago, but we had absolutely no problems going through an ordinary letting agent. We explained the situation, went into the office looking like respectable, ordinary people (ie not typical 'students';)) and although they asked us a couple of questions about whether we were sure we could pay, they quickly agreed to rent to us and that was that. We did have to provide a guarantor, but that was the only additional hurdle we had to jump through. We didn't have to provide proof of savings or rent upfront - in fact, thinking back we found it much harder to rent as new graduates than we did as students!

I think it helped too that we were realistic about what we could afford - at one point we pointed out how much halls were (£100 pw each) and how renting a flat together was actually more economical for us. Oh, and ALWAYS stress that you're MATURE students (and it wouldn't hurt to throw into conversation that you're a nurse too ...) The 's' word makes some letting agents run a mile, but stressing that you're a mature student seems to smooth the way a bit.

Wobblydeb

Why not use the university accommodation office, and the landlords who are accustomed to renting to students? (mature or otherwise)

christopherjk

Thanks for the help and quick responses everyone

We've found some agents through the university, still no joy, but still looking.

We've stressed about the guarantors, but Callie your £100 a week rent for halls is one I don't think we've stressed enough before. Gotta make sure that's hammered home tomorrow!

Shall let you all know when/if we find a place, and mention what letting agent it was with too in case it helps anyone else out.

Wish us luck!

tbs624

Try contacting the local LL association for tel nos of LLs who self-manage their properties,and check whether the local Council holds a list of accredited LLs. It can be easier to rent direct from an experienced LL.


You could also check out websites such as:

accommodationforstudents.com
homesforstudents.co.uk/
studentpad.co.uk/
househustler.co.uk/

N79

christopherjk wrote: »

Our budget is around £850 a month, but can go up to £900 if REALLY necessary. He gets a guaranteed MINIMUM of £12k a year from various benefits, uni bursaries (he's disabled) and student loans;

Just a comment as a LL really. Benefits and student loans are not guaranteed as the rules / amounts could change at any time. Many LL's outside the student sector will not consider loans to be an income, although you may find someone who will accept student loans as exception I suppose you could argue they are (borrowing money to pay rent / day to day bills is a classic red flag warning to LLs of Ts who are out of their depth). I accept that they probably are as reliable as an working income.

Either way, you should be able to provide proof of this "income" to potential LLs in the same way that a working T would provide pay slips and a employer reference. Acting like your income is more secure than it is could be off putting (it would suggest to me a certain naivety).

I get a poultry £650ish for my Bursary (i'm doing child nursing), and with me taking my self-employed 63336 job down with me

I don't understand this - are you paid in chickens? Seriously, I don't understand the 63336 job part. If you are in employment then your income can be used towards the flat referencing.

and picking up bank nursing when settled in an area, I didn't think we'd be such a risk to landlords, but most seem reluctant to take us on.
Any advice, ideas, specialised estate agents, etc, to help us find a home. We've been looking for a while now.

Cheers in advance for any help :money:

You are outside of the referencing criteria for "standard" LLs who let to working people and you don't want to be part of the student housing scene. I'm afraid that this means you will need to work hard to find and explain to a LL who will take you on. There will be some.

Follow TBS's advice for finding hopefully better private LLs and keep trying with agents explaining up front about your situation, avoiding being a stereotypical student (in fact I would not call yourself a student at all but a bank / trainee nurse of whatever your title is) and with evidence of your income.

tbs624

N79 wrote: »

Seriously, I don't understand the 63336 job part. If you are in employment then your income can be used towards the flat referencing.

63336 is one of those text "question and answer" services

kmmr

part of the problem is that rental demand in London means ll's can be picky about tenants. your income level vs rent (excluding bills) would make me nervous as a LL.

Can you provide more evidence of the 63336 income?

what area are you looking in?

Svenena

The £100pw in halls would include all bills, whereas renting privately probably wouldn't (Although as full-time students you won't have to pay council tax). Plus living costs are generally going to be a lot higher in London than those you are used to in Birmingham, so make sure you take these things into account when considering how much you can afford on rent.