Worried About Credit Checking For Renting

younglutonmum

Hi everyone,

Just looking for a little advice. I viewed a lovely house today and tomorrow i'm going in to the estate agents to pay the holding deposit and fill out the paperwork. However I am now worrying myself silly over the Credit Check. I'll be claiming housing benefit which the landlord is happy with and I have a deposit, month in advance and a guarantor but im still worrying over my credit. It's quite frankly rubbish. Most of it is a few catalogues from when I was 18 and silly (would they even still show on my report? Im 24 now) there's a debt to one catalogue from last year and a small debt to Virgin Media. Oh and tv license. I'd say it all comes to under £1000. Over the last 2 years I have had a mobile phone contract. I have paid late a couple of times but ive mostly been pretty good with it. Last year my bank recalled my £600 overdraft. I entered a repayment aggreement with them which I stuck to and have now cleared. Would this be a positive for me? As I said I have a guarantor (my mum) She is a home owner but has a low income. However her credit rating is excellent! She took out a catalogue account years ago which now has a credit limit of £10,000 :-0 Do you think i'll pass the credit checks? How indepth do an estate agents go with their checks? Im so worried as i'll lose my £200 if the checks fail Thanks In Advance

princeofpounds

The main thing you need to worry about are CCJs, not the amount of debt you have. Do you have any CCJs?

If you have a guarantor with a clear record and enough income to cover the rent then that will solve most issues on your own record. But it's a totally subjective decision of the landlord.

theartfullodger

I did full credit checks (with National Landlord Association) on a tenant last October: She was nervous for similar reasons but came up fine, albeit her income was flagged as low. (And she's an excellent tenant - pays on time, place immaculate, no complaints from neighbours.,..)

So, agree with PoP, go for it & good luck!

gustav

princeofpounds wrote: »

...
If you have a guarantor with a clear record and enough income to cover the rent then that will solve most issues on your own record. But it's a totally subjective decision of the landlord.

I'll second this. I recently had the same thing, and the credit checking company wanted income details for the guarantor to make sure they could pay the rent if you disappeared.

G.