Help! Advice needed regarding credit rating and renting

Nellie91_2

Hi all!

My partner and I have both received promotions in our job (we work for same company) and have been asked to relocate. Naturally we were super excited and have immediately started looking for properties to rent near our places of work. We had a viewing of a property through an agency and they asked us about our credit history I.e any bankruptcy, IVA, CCJ etc as they would have to do a check. I know my credit score is fine, however my partner has a default on his credit file, an old phone bill. The estate agent didn't think this would appear on their checks so wouldn't affect his chances in securing the property but said she would find out for sure. Anyway, she rang back saying that unfortunately it would show on his report. Now how does this work. When one person has good credit when the other doesn't? Can I apply to be sole occupier of the property and aslong as rent comes out my account, we are fine to live together? We have searched but had no luck with private rentals. Agency seems like our only option. Any advice, or experiences anyone has had with this would be great. Thanks! P.s we can provide good references as we are currently renting privately for the past year and a half

Hazzinho

They don't see defaults, they only see public data they are lying to you.

National_Debtline

Hi Nellie


It sounds to me like the estate agent got her wires crossed rather than deliberately misleading you. Letting agencies typically do "soft" credit checks on prospective tenants - these are designed to flag up major black marks such as CCJs or insolvencies i.e. bankruptcy, IVA or Debt Relief Order. Such a check will not reveal a mere default so I wouldn't expect it to affect your chances of being offered the tenancy.


Dennis
@natdebtline

Nellie91_2

Thanks for the reassurance Dennis, it is really nice to hear from a professional. I found it a bit odd that she couldn't give us the correct information straight away, it is almost like she wasn't knowledged when she asked us of our credit history. We have some potential viewings of properties next week and we want to be honest about everything. So fingers crossed!

Hutch100uk

I rent via an agent and had credit checks done on myself and partner. Everything went through fine. I have subsequently checked my own credit file for a mortgage application to find an old 'late' payment to British Gas from 3 years ago which is causing me problems. This didn't cause any issue with the rental though!!