Private renting on HB-can I apply for more than one tenancy? for more than

Dawn248

I am looking for a private rental as a matter of urgency after leaving my abusive ex with 2 daughters. This all happened suddenly and we can't be helped by the council as my name is on the joint mortgage.
The council say I could claim housing benefit for a private rental while we sell the family home but I have struggled for months to find a landlord that will take benefits.
Now, as always happens, two properties have come up at once that have said they'll accept me. Can I pay admin fees and apply for a tenancy for both and see if one of them accepts me? My concern is if I go for just one and miss the other. However, I don't want to be tied into TWO, or do anything illegal. Of course I may fail the checks and get neither.
If anyone can shed any light or give any advice I would be very grateful. I have until the end of today to pay my admin fees for both.
I have no financial experience as my ex was extremely controlling so apologies if this is a dumb question!

HappyMJ

Dawn248 wrote: »

I am looking for a private rental as a matter of urgency after leaving my abusive ex with 2 daughters. This all happened suddenly and we can't be helped by the council as my name is on the joint mortgage.
The council say I could claim housing benefit for a private rental while we sell the family home but I have struggled for months to find a landlord that will take benefits.
Now, as always happens, two properties have come up at once that have said they'll accept me. Can I pay admin fees and apply for a tenancy for both and see if one of them accepts me? My concern is if I go for just one and miss the other. However, I don't want to be tied into TWO, or do anything illegal. Of course I may fail the checks and get neither.
If anyone can shed any light or give any advice I would be very grateful. I have until the end of today to pay my admin fees for both.
I have no financial experience as my ex was extremely controlling so apologies if this is a dumb question!

Apply for one at a time....unless you have money to burn.

A guarantor will help you get the property that you want.

A good income will help, a large chunk of savings will also help.

Get a benefits advisor with experience in domestic cases such as your own. If there is proven domestic violence as in court appearances even if the charge in court was ultimately discharged you can get the perpetrator removed and excluded from the jointly owned home.

There is also no need to sell the home in those circumstances if you're forced out and you cannot get your name off the mortgage.

WombleBat

If you can afford two sets of fees then you could try both BUT if you were to fail a reference check in one you will almost certainly fail in the other so you may end up losing both admin fees dependent on the letting agents terms.

I assume it is two different letting agents?

nkkingston

My understanding is that you can apply for both and then pick one, but you won't get your fees back from the one you don't choose. Just don't sign both tenancy agreements!

thesaint

What you may get tied into is dependant on the agreement you make with the agent(s).

It is unusual(but not impossible)for you to get tied in by paying an admin fee.