HELP! Couple/joint tenancy, 1 poor credit history..?

tommythetank

Hi, I've been reading and searching this board for a few weeks, but I have a bit of a specific dilemma and was hoping someone could clear some things up for me.

My boyfriend and I are looking for our first shared-tenancy flat. We've lived together for going on 2 years now, but it's either been his flat or mine if that makes sense, and we're currently of no fixed abode (but staying in my nans spare room much to her chagrin!) Problem is, I really messed up with my last flat, didn't give a forwarding address for bills - as I was forced to sofa surf for a few months - and now I've found out I've got a CCJ. I'm paying it off tomorrow, but as I understand it this will stay on my credit history for years.

I suppose my main question is, will this cause me to fail a LA credit checks? And if I fail but my partner passes will they let us move in? They want £300 for the two of us and this isn't refunded if we fail, and us both being on quite low incomes we can't really afford to lose this money. Especially as the stress of having us both here is affecting my nans health, we've been saving virtually everything we make since staying here, and losing £300 will put us back 2 weeks!! Sorry for the sob story, just thought a bit of back story would help. Would explaining some of this to the LA work in our favour, or is it a case of 'she has a CCJ, she'll be a terrible tenant'?

Cheers

Fire_Fox

Welcome! You may not have to pay that CCJ, you may be able to apply to the courts for a 'set aside' on the grounds you were not aware of the court case so not able to defend yourself. You can then pay your debt without getting another CCJ. Alternatively if the CCJ is very new/ you pay it off within the first month it never appears on your credit file. Check out the Debt Free Wannabe board for more information.

Also your credit worthiness will be affected by your stability in terms of having all your bank accounts and other credit facilities registered to your home address and being recorded on the electoral roll at the same place. Is that the case for both of you? Have you checked this CCJ is actually on your Experian and Equifax files?

The easy option is not to rent via a letting agent whilst you sort this out but just get a private let from the small ads. Go for a room/ bedsit in a shared house/ HMO/ as lodgers for the time being - it can't be any worse than sofa surfing or staying with your nan! If you are on a low income too this should be cheaper than a flat giving you time to save up.

Your final option is to get a guarantor, someone who can afford to pay your rent every month as well as their own rent or mortgage. They would also need to be credit checked which is a cost implication so would not be my preferred option.

tommythetank

Wow, thanks for the quick reply. We were actually hoping to go with a private landlord, but there's been nothing suitable come up in our area for weeks, so I thought I'd look into whether an agency would even accept us. As far as my credit/registered address stability goes, I'm only 22 though and have moved cities 3 times so I've never lived in one place for more than 6 months!! And I'm really disorganized so I've always been on the electoral roll at my mums place, despite having never lived there. Don't know if that counts for anything, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Feeling a bit more positive having had some feedback, so thanks for that I'd worked myself into a nervous frenzy that we were going to get rejected at every place we try!

Fire_Fox

tommythetank wrote: »

Wow, thanks for the quick reply. We were actually hoping to go with a private landlord, but there's been nothing suitable come up in our area for weeks, so I thought I'd look into whether an agency would even accept us. As far as my credit/registered address stability goes, I'm only 22 though and have moved cities 3 times so I've never lived in one place for more than 6 months!! And I'm really disorganized so I've always been on the electoral roll at my mums place, despite having never lived there. Don't know if that counts for anything, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Feeling a bit more positive having had some feedback, so thanks for that I'd worked myself into a nervous frenzy that we were going to get rejected at every place we try!

I suspect you will get rejected by letting agents, low income and bad credit and messy credit file and no recent utility or council tax bills in your name is not great. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/credit-rating-credit-score

IMO you might be best accepting a place that is not ideal for your needs and getting everything in order. It is a legal requirement to be registered to vote at your main address so get that regularised. https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/electoral_registration_applica.aspx
You only have to stay in a bedsit/ room in shared house/ lodgings for six months whilst you get your credit file sorted: register to vote at the same place as your bank statements and other bills, save up and offer a much larger deposit or three months up front.

Just because you have been disorganised in the past doesn't mean you have to be in the future, start writing lists and doing a few things a day. There are sites that help you change all your addresses and locate old bank accounts.
http://www.iammoving.com/
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/reclaim-lost-assets-free