Full time student, with permanent employment. Reference checks

JimboCapri

Hi,
I have searched this question on the site but not found a similar thread so thought I would ask the question.
I'm a full time university student coming to the end of the first of three years study.
I currently live with my partner in her parents house and have done for the past six years. Unfortunately our relationship has broken down and I need to move out.
I have a permanent job working two days a week for a local firm, and have worked for them for a little over six years also. They do not pay for my studies and I was employed full time before I started Uni last september.
My main question is how will my employment and studies effect a LA's reference checks? In the last year I have earnt around £15000 and over the summer I will return to full time employment until September.
Do they look at your current monthly earnings or your annual income? And do they include student maintenance loans?
Renting is going to cost around 500pcm.
I believe my credit record to be good and I have a large amount of savings which I had been gathering for a deposit.
I have found a flat and want to get the paper work underway, the reference and paperwork fee (£300) is non refundable so a little concerned.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you

JimboCapri

Well I have rung the letting agencey to discuss my finances and they are being less than straight forward. The say that the £300 must be payed in full to complete the credit check and hold the property, but its non refundable. If they can't advise whether I should pass the checks is that not a large gamble? Surely a credit check is only around £20 to them so how can they be set to make so much yet be so unhelpfull?
I have asked for the forms to read through which they were reluctant to allow, but gave in and have now sent me.
Does the credit check tell them musch of my income or is that all down to them liasing with my work?
As I said my wage fluctuates depending on term time but as an average covers the rent adequately. I worry if they look at the last two months alone it will look like a pittance and they will say no.

Any advice really appreciated!

V_Chic_Chick

Find a better letting agent.

sandsni

Would it be worth your while to check your own credit rating? I think some of the companies offer a free trial period. At least you would have a better idea of what's likely to show up when a LA does it. Alternatively you could try renting direct from a LL and bypass LAs altogether. Any decent LL will carry out their own checks but they might just charge you what it costs them rather than trying to make a huge profit out of you.

JimboCapri

Hi thanks for the replies.
I have held off signing anything today as I have an unneasy feeling about the letting agents. Having said that, although the property is at the top of my budget, it is by far the nicest that I have been to see. It also has a massive perk of a garage which is unnusual at this end of the market.
Is there a specific site I should be looking at for private landlords? This area (St Neots, Cambs) seems dominated by letting agents.

sandsni

Not entirely sure about websites, although I've read on this forum that some private LLs advertise on Gumtree. Local newspapers might be worth a look.