Question about renting as a couple

purito

Hi all,

I'm soon to be moving into rented accomodation as a young professional, but would like my girlfriend to move in with me. However, she is a PhD student who currently has no income so i'd be worried that an application for a joint-tenancy agreement would be rejected (can't get a garantor for her as she isnt British), and we would lose agency fees/ holding deposit.

I'm perfectly happy to be responsible for the rent, and earn enough to do so. Ideally, I would like to her to go on the tenancy as a 'permitted occupier', but from what i've read most letting agencies and even some landlord don't like doing this.

An alternative I suppose would be to just rent the property myself and let her move in as a "guest", and then ask for her to be added to the tenancy agreement later in the year, once i've been able to prove i'm a reliable tenant- although i'd much rather be up front with the LL and LA.

So basically just looking for advice on how to present this situation when applying for a tenancy so as to avoid getting shafted with agency fees if they decide they dont want to let to my girlfriend.

Cheers.

Jim_Jupiter

Unless she's funding the PhD herself she will have income.

If she's funding the PhD herself, she has more than enough money to afford rent.

Also, you said yourself your income alone more than covers the rent...so what's the issue?

penguingirl

Does she get a bursary or stipend for her PhD? Lots of couples don't both earn (e.g. if they have chidren, one is a student, one is unwell) so it's not unusual. Speak to the letting agents and explain the situation. I don't see why there would be a problem with a joint tenancy as long as it is affordable for you.

Modgepodge

My partner and I relocated 3 years ago. As part of the deal, his work were paying 100% of the rent. I was unemployed when we first moved. Letting agents created a fuss about the fact I was unemployed - even though my partner's work were paying the rent!! They still wanted a guarantor for me because I wasn't earning. My dad agreed to this (because there was no danger of him paying anything!) but we were bemused.

In the end we found one who saw sense and didn't require a guarantor, so keep trying and hopefully you should be ok.

purito

Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll just have to wait and see what the letting agencies say.

Jim_Jupiter wrote: »

Also, you said yourself your income alone more than covers the rent...so what's the issue?

I think the issue is that, despite me being able to cover rent myself, most letting agents want to ensure that all tenants are able to afford the rent individually in the event that one tenant leaves. My girlfriend is self-funded (well, parent-funded is probably more accurate) so proving to an LA that she can afford the rent might be difficult.

Soot2006

I had no problem renting a flat while I was doing my PhD and my OH was not yet employed at the time (as in looking for work as we'd just moved to this town to do my PhD). We explained situation to a private LL and there wasn't a problem. I think in university towns this situation is not uncommon and many LL prefer a postgrad student to an undergrad!

dimbo61

There maybe a couple of issues!
What happens if you fall out with each other and You move out but not her!
She signs on as unemployed and starts claiming HB with her tenancy agreement.
She will not pay council tax but you will so 75% single person discount.

sulphate

purito wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll just have to wait and see what the letting agencies say.




I think the issue is that, despite me being able to cover rent myself, most letting agents want to ensure that all tenants are able to afford the rent individually in the event that one tenant leaves. My girlfriend is self-funded (well, parent-funded is probably more accurate) so proving to an LA that she can afford the rent might be difficult.

I doubt many people would be able to rent at all if that was true. Plenty of couples need to both work to afford rent and living expenses.

My now husband and I started renting in 2010 and the letting agent said that we had to earn 2.5 times the rent between us to be accepted. They said if one of us earnt that then only that person would be credit checked but if it needed both incomes then we would both be. But no matter what both of us would go on the tenancy agreement. Unless things have changed a lot in the last few years..