renting privately

movingforward2010

my mum is trying to rent a property via a letting agent there have branches thro out the uk, the problem is that they are being very akward.

My mum recieves DLA and income support so gets her housing benefit and CT paid for her, she has a pre tenancey determination and the council are ok with the rent of the property. We have spoken to the company whos house it is - a large building firm who also build house to rent out aswel as buy, they said there is no problem and they have let to people on housing benefit before.

The staff at the letting agency are being really funny about it, i have agreed to be a guarentor, and have paid £60 adim fee last friday but they still havent proccessed it they keep fobing her off , this is really upsetting her. We have spoken to the manager at the local council where she is renting from at the moment and they have spoken to the compnay who owns the house and they have also said there is no problem (mum has been a council tenant for 26 yrs and never been late with rent, before she was on DLA)

Not really sure how to go about this

linlin_3

Can someone who knows about these things please answer this!

This bit sounds wrong to me:
i have agreed to be a guarentor, and have paid £60 adim fee

rosysparkle

A £60 admin fee for a guarantor is pretty standard.

What do the agency say? Have they done referencing on you as guarantor? If so, did you pass?

If they aren't processing the application, have they said why not? You shouldn't have a problem if the landlord has stated he will accept a tenant on benefits, especially now you have a PTD.

I would contact the agency and get them to explain exactly what the delay is. Without knowing what the problem is, I can't really advise you.

movingforward2010

rosysparkle wrote:

A £60 admin fee for a guarantor is pretty standard.

What do the agency say? Have they done referencing on you as ? If so, did you pass?

If they aren't processing the application, have they said why not? You shouldn't have a problem if the landlord has stated he will accept a tenant on benefits, especially now you have a PTD.

I would contact the agency and get them to explain exactly what the delay is. Without knowing what the problem is, I can't really advise you.

yes im fine as a guarantor, they even phoned my line manager lol. They keep putting it off, we phoned at week and they said they would be proccessing it that day, but now they have to speak to some one all the building company , no reasons really, i dont know if it is beacse my mum is on benefits - BUT they've already said its ok , this is why im starting to think its the letting agencey who are a bit prejudice against people on benefits

tbh honest their starting to irratate me slightly!

lynzpower

Maybe they are prejudiced against people on benefits, in that if its not making them a stack of cash, its the last thing to be processed. they are an EA/LA after all!

If I were you Id go in and have a bit of a talking to with the person whos meant to be responsible. I usually approach things from a "now, I believe youve still not done it, is there a reason for that, are you underskilled? Shall we discuss with your manager any training needs, otherwise can we just go through everything now, while Im here? that would make it more convenient for everyone wouldnt it?

Yes, a bit patronising, but it does get results.

silvercar

could be that they haven't been formally appointed as letting agent for the property so the hold up is not at you end.

your almost a dream tenant - council paying the rent and guaranteed; older tenant unlikely to be throwing wild parties.

cattie

Just wondering why your mum wants to go into private rented accomodation after being a council tenant for so long? At least with a council tenancy she has security, she won't have this with a private rent & could find she needs to be looking for new accomodation every 6-12 months, depending on length of agreement.

If she wants to live elsewhere, couldn't she do an exchange with somebody?