HB and letting agents

annies_mum

Hi Hope someone might be able to give me some advice. i have posted this on another board(house buying, letting and renting) but thought after i might get some help on here. I'd really appriciate some advice.. We presently rent our home from a local letting agent. We have being here just over 6 years and we really don't want to move but our daughter is coming up to an age where she will need a bedroom of her own.
we claim HB, due to the fact i am severly disabled and my partner is my fulltime carer. we have looked at another house today with a different agent today, she and the landlord is fine about the HB. But as seems to be the case with all letting agents they want references which includes a credit reference.
I know our present landlord will give us a good reference and character references are no problem, but we would fail miserably on the Credit side of things as my partner had to give up his own business very quickly when i became ill, leaving quite a few debts.
i told the letting agents about this and she said even if we did fail, it wouldn't be a problem as we could get a guarantor a(which we can).
The credit references cost £100.00 + and we will need to have two done. Its money we could some how scrape together but if we do fail (and i know we will) will a guarantor save the day so to speak or is it a huge risk that we will lose the lot and come out with nothing.
just wondered if anyone had experience of this? The HB covers most of the rent (£10.00 per week shortfall, which is down to us)Thanks in advance

Duncombe

If you KNOW you will fail the credit check, can you not bypass this stage and ask your new letting agent to just accept a guarantor?

Your new agent seem to be fairly understanding so far, if you explained the situation more fully would they be okay with this?

Vader123

I own a few houses that I rent out (though I don't rent to DSS/HB/LHA etc).

I think (though I must check) the letting agent does a credit check on new tenants as part of the process. Given the demands for rental housing in my area I would not touch a potential tenant with a bad credit history. Though I do not have to as rental demand is so huge that I can pick and choose.


That being said, if I was struggling to let a house, and I had someone that could provide a guarantor, plus good references from their past let, and the LHA/HB rate would cover their rent, I would be happy with that.

Don't know if that helps?

Vader

annies_mum

Many thanks to both of you, the house in question has been on the market since June, so not in high demand. I agree about the references but it seems company policy.

Duncombe

annies_mum wrote: »

Many thanks to both of you, the house in question has been on the market since June, so not in high demand. I agree about the references but it seems company policy.

If the house has been unoccupied since June - dont offer what the agent is asking for rent. I managed to save £75 a month when negociating my rent, simply be saying "We have been looking at houses in the X region and this is slightly higher".

I suppose the fact I would move in straight away helped and we didnt have any issues with credit checks etc, but it may well be worth offering a small amount under what they are asking. The worst they will say is no!

I would really try and push to avoid the credit check. Would it be possible for you to book in an appointment with your agent so you can sit down and explain thr situation. They will surely understand you cant afford to and dont want to waste money. Perhaps it might help if you could go and see them with your guarantor, just to say "look, here we are and I can sign some paperwork now".

I dont know, I can only go from my experiences. Best of luck

TanyaSam

I have always rented privately, I didn't even mention our full circumstances to the new landlord, I just said we get a little help with our rent from the council it won't affect you and is paid directly to me, please be kind enough to fill out the form. I've never had a problem before and the upside of a private landlord is they usually only ask for a months deposit and a month upfront. Give the cash that day and get the keys. Also no credit check

Vader123

TanyaSam wrote: »

, I didn't even mention our full circumstances to the new landlord

If you are relying on the state to pay some or all of your rent you need to let the landloard know as it can invalidate some of their insurances.

(Also another reason I don't let to DHS/LHA etc, some think I as a landlord don't need to know they rely on the state to pay some/all of their rent!).

Vader

annies_mum

We have being totally up front with the agent as i didn't think it was wise not to be. Everything is is fine its only this credit thing that worries me. The agent did say not to let it worry me, if it fails then they will just rely on the guarantor

TanyaSam

Vader123 wrote: »

If you are relying on the state to pay some or all of your rent you need to let the landloard know as it can invalidate some of their insurances.

(Also another reason I don't let to DHS/LHA etc, some think I as a landlord don't need to know they rely on the state to pay some/all of their rent!).

Vader

I think saying we get some help from the council with our rent is pretty up front! thats exactly how it is, my partner works full time but we get a little help with our rent from the council

Do landlords need the in's and out's of your personal situation? In our experience at least they just want the money on time!

We keep the house in great nick, keep it nice and clean and do the small repairs needed out of our own pocket, some tenants phone about every little thing,

When moved out of our old flat we remained good friends with the landlord and he was having them phoning asking him to pay for all sorts even asked him to pay for an £150 BT line put in and then asked him to pay for a 3 piece suite as he said when they looked round he thought there was one in already!

I think private landlords are more laid back they just want the money and a well kept house. I could be wrong but we have rented before several times and it's always been like that.

Worried_Woman

I think it's quite judgemental to presume that just because people have bad credit and/or are in receipt of HB that they would make bad tenants. I have bad credit but have never missed a mortgage or rent payment in my life, always keep my homes clean tidy and in good repair without bothering the landlord for small things. Actually think that if someone is getting HB at least you know they will have the rent money each month.

annies_mum

Worried_Woman wrote: »

I think it's quite judgemental to presume that just because people have bad credit and/or are in receipt of HB that they would make bad tenants. I have bad credit but have never missed a mortgage or rent payment in my life, always keep my homes clean tidy and in good repair without bothering the landlord for small things. Actually think that if someone is getting HB at least you know they will have the rent money each month.

i couldn't agree more, its the stereo type yet again, thinking we are slobs who will trash the place. our house we live in now is used on the agents website with pictures inside and out, plus we want a long let which must be like gold dust.