Credit checks for renting a flat?

Katymac_2

A friends son is trying to get his life together after prison

He has seen a flat but they want over £200 to 'do a credit check'

He doesn't have any credit cards but his mum doesn't know if he has in the past - he is in arrears with his council tax but he is paying it

Is it worth her paying this fee or is it pointless in his circumstances?

rizla_king

£200 for a credit check is ridiculous. If the landlord is going to con him out of such an absurd amount for that, then god know what other things they would sting him for.

I also seem to remember hearing of a scam like this. Landlord charging for an extortionate credit check that dozens of people conveniently fail and no-one ever passes. Landlord pockets all the fees and still has the property.

InsideInsurance

Katymac wrote: »

He has seen a flat but they want over £200 to 'do a credit check'

First of all, check what the fees are exactly. Many agencies charge half a dozen different fees which they drip feed in and the £200 may be only one of several.

Secondly, assuming the conviction hasnt been spent under the ROA then check this wont be a problem before paying any fees.

Where does his mum come into this? Why doesnt he know if hes had credit in the past or not? Council tax arrears wont show but they've had other credit products they'll need to own up to how well run they were

_Andy_

"He doesn't have any credit cards but his mum doesn't know if he has in the past"

Surely he would know?

Katymac_2

Yes but when you are a mum & you are bailing out your son (who has an interesting past) often the replies you get to questions are not entirely truthful

She has decided to help him in a different way

Thanks everyone

InsideInsurance

Katymac wrote: »

Yes but when you are a mum & you are bailing out your son (who has an interesting past) often the replies you get to questions are not entirely truthful

Of cause, if he fails they may ask her to be a guarantor to the rent which of cause is another £200 credit referencing and probably another admin fee after to get the contract ammended

sacha28

I have rented since the age of 16 (had a family member as guarantor back then) and credit checks are the norm. The 2 main things they will look at are - does he work where he says he works? Does he earn what he says he earns? Some agents have more in depth credit checks like checking for CCJ's and other credit problems whereas some don't look that deeply.
The agent I was with a few years back credit checked me and I passed. When I moved in (my first permanent address since leaving my ex) I then discovered, after a few months, that I had 2 CCJ's that I knew nothing about (council tax and water that, unbeknown to me, weren't being paid out of a joint account I had no access to). These clearly hadn't shown up as I hadn't declared them at the time of referencing.
A few months ago I filled out referencing forms for another agent, declared the past, then got whacked with 'you need a gurantor' (despite being told that I would avoid that as I had been upfront about it). As I filled out the forms under false pretenses (I told the agent at the time that I wouldn't waste his time if there was even the slightest hint I would need a gurantor as I don't have one) I demanded my £320 back which I got 3 days later.
If he does need a guarantor most agents apply a discounted fee to reference them. Beware tho, every agent is different!!