Need advice to rent with bad history

Peterdad

I need advice to find a place to rent in England under difficult circumstances. I have been away from the country for a few years but I have these circumstances:

Disadvantages:

1- I had rented a property there before, I may be in records

2- I will have zero credit rating. Last time I was there I had serious financial problems and defaulted on c/c payments, etc.

3- Last time I rented I had a big problem with the landlord (not arrears). I would not be able to give references, only in the AirBNB places abroad where I have stayed and where I have a good history.

4- I am self-employed, I cannot give employer references.

5- I cannot get a guarantor

Those are not the reasons I left the country but it is a bad history.

Advantages:

1- I am able to prove my income.

2- In the time I have been working abroad, I have managed to recover financially I would be able to pay a deposit and months (6 or more) of rent in advance.

3- Good references from AirBNB

Please advice how to go about it. If they set about checking things like my credit history, I will be in trouble and I do not want to end up ripped off having to get a horrible place for lot of money that no-one else will take.

Thank you

kinger101

Looking for self-managed LL is probably your best bet. Letting agents are probably quite formulaic in whom they pick.

Get your credit record from Experian/Noddle etc and find out what it says. Then lay cards on the table as necessary so the LL gets no surprises. The six months you can pay in advance will be your saviour.

anselld

Peterdad wrote: »

I need advice to find a place to rent in England under difficult circumstances. I have been away from the country for a few years but I have these circumstances:

Disadvantages:

1- I had rented a property there before, I may be in records

There are no general property records so unless you go to the same agent this should not be a problem.

Peterdad wrote: »

2- I will have zero credit rating. Last time I was there I had serious financial problems and defaulted on c/c payments, etc.

Not necessarily a problem unless you actually have CCJ recorded. Agents and Landlords cannot see the detail of defaults.

Peterdad wrote: »

3- Last time I rented I had a big problem with the landlord (not arrears). I would not be able to give references, only in the AirBNB places abroad where I have stayed and where I have a good history.

Might be problematic depending on the Agent/L

Peterdad wrote: »

4- I am self-employed, I cannot give employer references.

5- I cannot get a guarantor

Problem for some agents/landlords.

Peterdad wrote: »

Those are not the reasons I left the country but it is a bad history.

Advantages:

1- I am able to prove my income.

How can you prove UK income if you have "just landed"?

Peterdad wrote: »

2- In the time I have been working abroad, I have managed to recover financially I would be able to pay a deposit and months (6 or more) of rent in advance.

Will be treated with suspicion by some but will tempt others.

Peterdad wrote: »

3- Good references from AirBNB

Not sure that will help much.

Peterdad wrote: »

Please advice how to go about it. If they set about checking things like my credit history, I will be in trouble and I do not want to end up ripped off having to get a horrible place for lot of money that no-one else will take.

Probably try to avoid agents who generally operate a tick-box referencing mentality without any flexibility. Look on sites like OpenRent where Landlords advertise directly and then be straight with the Landlord about your situation.

theartfullodger

A simple start, provide copies of last 4 year's tax returns. I'm sure that was what you were planning

Peterdad

Thanks for the replies. More comments and questions below.
What is LL?

Peterdad

anselld wrote: »

How can you prove UK income if you have "just landed"?
Will be treated with suspicion by some but will tempt others.
.

Thanks

To prove your income in the UK you only need to show you can take your money to the UK. I work for an agency that pays me in dollars and I can instruct the payment of my fees to a UK bank account. Many people in the UK work for that agency. I will also start collecting my pension shortly and that is a UK pension.


I do not see why paying rent in advance will be treated with suspicion. Why?

Peterdad

theartfullodger wrote: »

A simple start, provide copies of last 4 year's tax returns. I'm sure that was what you were planning

I was not planning on presenting copies of tax returns. Where did you read that?

I have not worked on the UK for some years as I said, so I did not pay taxes in the UK during that time. Why would an agency be interested in seeing tax returns?

restless6

I had to rent a house . Never rented before so no references and no one to be a guarantor either.
I was moving across counties - not country- to a new job so was a financial risk too.
I went with a National estate agency and the thing that got me the property was paying six months rent in advance .
Once I offfered that the other problems disappeared!

Peterdad

Another quick question: Does anybody know if agents give information (under the table) to each other like "we had this individual called Peter, we checked his credit record and it is really bad, do not talk to him" Like with Homer Simpson?
Also aren't the same landlord credit checking agencies used by several agents?

Peterdad

restless6 wrote: »

I had to rent a house . Never rented before so no references and no one to be a guarantor either.
I was moving across counties - not country- to a new job so was a financial risk too.
I went with a National estate agency and the thing that got me the property was paying six months rent in advance .
Once I offfered that the other problems disappeared!

Hi,
Thanks, When you say national estate agency, do you mean a large nationwide one?

restless6

Peterdad wrote: »

Hi,
Thanks, When you say national estate agency, do you mean a large nationwide one?

Yes sorry I meant to type nationwide agency - I used William h Brown.