How Can I Rent Without a Guarantor

janeyjayjay_2

I am in a very difficult situation. I rent privately from a big company who buy houses cheap then rent them out. I have lived here for 3 years, its a 3 bedroom house. When I moved in there was me, my son and my daughter. My son moved out a month after we got the house, then September last year my daughter started university so only comes home in the holidays.. I have been on the council housing list for over a year looking for a 2 bedroom house

In September all my maintenance and benefits stopped when my daughter went to Uni, dropping my income by £500 a month. I was working 30 hrs on minimum wage and started being topped up with tax credits as I was living below the National Living Wage. Then November last year I lost my job. I've been a bit unlucky but not after a pity party, just some advice.

To cut a long story short I am still looking for work, I am now only receiving £600pm to pay £460 rent and £280 bills, so am getting seriously in debt with my household bills and cannot afford to live in this big house.

The council are dragging their heels with getting me alternative accomodation and have told me to contact letting agents and ask if they take tenants on benefits. I have tried to get a guarantor but I have no-one that can help me.

I don't want to live on government handouts, it is horrible, I am currently taking a back to work course through the jobcentre to get a much better career, rather than just a job, and a higher wage to get off benefits. I am selling stuff in my house to just get by.

I have been told I cannot rent a house because I cannot get a guarantor, yet I cannot afford to stay where I am. Is there any way around the guarantor malarky?

Cakeguts

Follow the advice of the council for now and see if you can find a landlord that accepts housing benefit. You can always move when you get another job.

JuzaMum

I don't have any helpful housing advice but wondered if you live in an area popular with language students. I have hosted foreign students myself and it can pay quite well. Also maybe consider air bnb or a short term lodger?

Marktheshark

You should be claiming income based housing benefit ?

G_M

janeyjayjay wrote: »

.... I rent privately from a big company who buy houses cheap then rent them out. I have lived here for 3 years, its a 3 bedroom house.
Surely the current landlord should be your first port of call? They may have a 1 bedroom property available.


...... I have been on the council housing list for over a year looking for a 2 bedroom house
I doubt you are a high priority, especially for a 2 bed now that you are living alone

To cut a long story short I am still looking for work, I am now only receiving £600pm to pay £460 rent and £280 bills, so am getting seriously in debt with my household bills and cannot afford to live in this big house.
My friend just got a job at Asda a week after starting to search. There are jobs out there....

..... I am selling stuff in my house to just get by.
expand this to buying and selling to keep the inome flowing?

I have been told I cannot rent a house because I cannot get a guarantor, yet I cannot afford to stay where I am. Is there any way around the guarantor malarky?

Paying 6 months rent upfront is sometimes an alternative but I suspect this might be problem.....

You have 2 spare bedrooms. 1 or 2 lodgers is an obvious solution, either short or long term.




LODGERS (Licencees/Excluded Occupiers)
A lodger (broadly) lives in the same property with a resident landlord & shares facilities. Unlike tenants, lodgers have few rights.

The Housing Act 1988 provides definitions of 'Resident Landlord' & 'same property' (S31 & Schedule 1 (10).

See:

LodgerLandlord (21 tips from solicitor Tessa Shepperson + General information site)

Landlordzone (Various articles on taking in lodgers)

Renting out rooms in your home (Government info)

Rent a Room Scheme (HMRC guide for tax-free income from lodgers)

Mela322

We have just gone through something similar. We were on a very small amount of housing benefit and were stopped flat out from viewing many properties. We have 10 years rental history and both have excellent credit scores. We were being forced out because our landlord wouldn't agree to let us foster a family member. Anyway, after so many refusals, my husband decided to look for a better job. Found one and didn't need to rely on housing benefit. However, we still needed a guarantor due to my husbands new job. We move into our new home tomorrow. Keep hitting the pavement for s better job. It's hard work that pays off but you have to be the one taking action to make it happen.