Self-employed & renting private

PRINCESSX87

Advice needed about renting private from LA or LL.

It seems nobody wants to house my partner & I due to my work, Which im finding a little hard in understanding.

Many will not accept people not working, However, When I explain I’m self employed as a registered childminder - I‘m just on a career break
(Due to being a family carer - Unpaid!), I get told, Sorry we cant accept you as a tenant?

I have asked why and I’ve been told no landlords will accept anyone

who works from home? Surly this isn’t right? Is it….?

Jenniefour

Many landlords will not take on a tenant who runs any kind of business from home - however some will, so keep looking. Have you thought about the insurance implications of this and what you could offer a landlord in terms of some kind of professional insurance paid for by you which absolves the landlord from any potential claim against them if something were to happen/go wrong with your child minding business?

Landlords who have a mortgage on the property will probably not be in a position to let to a tenant who works at home, as it may contravene the conditions under which the mortgage was given.

I imagine the difficulty with your business is that it involves other people - in this case children - being in your home on an almost daily basis. Probably more difficult situation re finding a landlord who agrees to rent than someone who works from home in a way that does not involve visitors. But I would be thinking in terms of possible objections a potential landlord might have - and think of how you can mitigate this right away in your first enquiry. So what might you be able to offer in terms of incentives/reassurances to a landlord that would be more likely to get a positive response and deals with the reasons a landlord might not want a tenant with a child minding business - worth thinking about.

Eton_Rifle

I agree, as Jenniefour has explained very well, I don't think some landlords are even able to let you work from home.

Even if there weren't these issues, having a childminder for a tenant would deter many a landlord, including me.

olly300

Jenniefour wrote: »

Many landlords will not take on a tenant who runs any kind of business from home

Not strictly true. I know people in IT, accountancy, marketing and graphical design who have had no problems with renting and running their business from their rental address with the landlord's full consent. This is because their work at home involves using a computer, printer and phone.

They however are not and have not been allowed to use the address as a trading or registered address.

What landlords' don't want is someone using their property for a business that involves clients visiting the property, stock being stored at the property or repair work being carried out on the property.

Reason's do include the mortgage however there are also covenants on houses and leases on flats that forbid disturbing the neighbours. Plus if the landlord has insurance on the property their insurance would be invalidated by businesses that involve visitors on the property.

Jenniefour

olly300 wrote: »

Not strictly true. I know people in IT, accountancy, marketing and graphical design who have had no problems with renting and running their business from their rental address with the landlord's full consent. This is because their work at home involves using a computer, printer and phone.

They however are not and have not been allowed to use the address as a trading or registered address.

What landlords' don't want is someone using their property for a business that involves clients visiting the property, stock being stored at the property or repair work being carried out on the property.

Reason's do include the mortgage however there are also covenants on houses and leases on flats that forbid disturbing the neighbours. Plus if the landlord has insurance on the property their insurance would be invalidated by businesses that involve visitors on the property.

I think you and I are saying the same thing - there are some people who work at home where landlords are more likely to say 'yes' - finding a landlord who will be OK with a child minding business will be challenging for exactly the reasons you have stated. I also know people who work at home in the kinds of work you mention. And, where there are visitors e.g. a friend of mine gives music lessons at home, a rented property, but has professional insurance cover which includes public liability - perfectly acceptable for her landlord.

And some people who work at home with a computer and a phone do not even bother to ask permission from the landlord - and plenty of landlords are fine with those kind of businesses anyway.

theartfullodger

If you run a business from home chances are the tenancy will be a "Commercial" tenancy not an AST (even if the paperwork says AST).

This is a real can of worms....