Problems renting with bad credit? Child?

GarethK

Hi everyone,

Next year we will be moving back to Norfolk and i have a couple of concerns.

Firstly we will have a newborn, does this put of landlords to the same extent as having a dog or cats? They dont really cause any problems until toddler age of course...

Secondly, my credit rating is bad. I have passed all checks on our current house, and have never failed to pay rent for any of the properties i have rented, but come April time, i am dreading the checks incase something bad comes up. My father has been a guaruntor on both occasions because my income isnt high, but does cover the house at least!

It would be nice to speak to a landlord direct rather than going through an agency, but dont know the right avenues to go through, any recommendations?

Gareth

Scarlett.1974

Hi Gareth,

We're currently looking for a rented property because our house is being repossessed, so obviously our credit rating is in absolute tatters. It's not actually causing a massive problem though, what we're finding is Estate Agents are asking for either a guarantor (but in some cases the person needs to be earning 3 x the monthly rental amount) OR 6 months rent in advance. The fact that they (the EA/LL) will be able to get references from your previous LL to say you've always been a good/on time payer will help too I would have thought

Regarding your baby (congratulations!) I can't see that being a problem at all. We have 2 children and we certainly haven't come across any EA/LL saying 'no kids' yet. Really, if they're renting a 2/3 bedroom house they must realise that they're very likely to appeal to families.

Best of luck and I hope this helps a little.

Scarlett xx

GarethK

Thanks for that Scarlett.

I am still concerned though, ive been looking for houses in the desired area, price is spot on, but alot are saying no children

blue_monkey_2

Hi Gareth,

We are having the same problem, we are being evicted come Feb and have nowhere to go. Don't have any guarentor or the money for 6 months deposit but I have found quite a few saying no children as well. If it does not say then call the EA/LA and ask. All you can do I guess is ask the Letting Agent and explain that it is a newborn baby. The other thing is that if after 2 years the owner says that you can't stay because Baby is now a toddler then you would have been in the area long enough to be able to get onto the council - albeit emergency housing like we are probably going to get (one room, grim, but beggers can't be choosers and all that). The cheapest place we have found in this area and everywhere surrounding my hubby does not earn enough money as far as they are concerned, the owner has some insurance saying that you have to be earning either 2.5 or 3 times the rent else you wont pass the checks. I guess it depends on how much they are going for and what you are looking for.

I am sorry that this has not been much use really, I just wanted to explain the predicament we are in as well, if you have anything but an A star credit rating the LA told me that we would not even be considered either. However, if you have passed the checks for your current house then I am sure that your credit rating is not as bad as you think it might be.

HTH.

GarethK

Hi everyone, well the time has now come to move, we have been given a section 21 notice by our landlord (no reason given, not in arrears, always paid etc)

Now this wouldnt be a problem but my wife is due to give birth end of March, so we want to move end of Feb at the latest.

As ever i am worrying about the checks. My credit as mentioned before is terrible, i cannot even get an overdraft even though i've been paying in £1500 a month and never gone overdrawn.

I have a number of debts, 75% are now on arranged payments so that should count, but i will have a number of defaults were i was unable to make big payments on cards, this would have been the same situation when we moved in May originally.

However, i did get a demand for payment of overdue council tax of £600 which was paid in full, but as i understand it, it did go to court and had to pay £50 on top of it.

I have a guaruntor, excellent record otherwise, but really worried i am going to lose a few hundred quid on checks, i wont pass and i then wont be able to put a deposit on a new place which would then leave us homeless. We have saved the money for the deposit anyway, and once we leave here, we will get it back from this property also.

If i have a CCJ, will they then just rely on the history of the guaruntor? Would like any good advice people could give me in this difficult time.

Gareth

blue_monkey_2

Hi Gareth,

Funny you should mail as I have had the same thing today - our situation is exactly the same as yours and we have been told in no undertain terms would they rent to us - and that is froms everal Letting Agents. your best bet is to look on Gumtree or the like to see if anything is available by a private landlord. Do you have ties (such as family) in Norfolk? if so then this should give you points so maybe give the local council a call and see what they say, plus HA etc... I would think your guarentor applies for the house otherwise you'll pay for the checks and you'll fail - they told me it would be a waste of money, unless debts are settled in full they would not accept me.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but thought I would share my experiences with you. Look also for the local paper online and see if anyone has anything available to rent in the lettings section, there will be no checks then. What are you going to do about veiwing the property if you find one though?

GarethK

blue_monkey wrote: »

Hi Gareth,

Funny you should mail as I have had the same thing today - our situation is exactly the same as yours and we have been told in no undertain terms would they rent to us - and that is froms everal Letting Agents. your best bet is to look on Gumtree or the like to see if anything is available by a private landlord. Do you have ties (such as family) in Norfolk? if so then this should give you points so maybe give the local council a call and see what they say, plus HA etc... I would think your guarentor applies for the house otherwise you'll pay for the checks and you'll fail - they told me it would be a waste of money, unless debts are settled in full they would not accept me.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but thought I would share my experiences with you. Look also for the local paper online and see if anyone has anything available to rent in the lettings section, there will be no checks then. What are you going to do about veiwing the property if you find one though?

Did you have a guaruntor then?

Begs the question what do people do if they go bankrupt, there must be a way around it otherwise there would be huge amounts of homeless familes. Dont even talk to me about the council!

blue_monkey_2

No, nothing, I just posted on the DFW board. We are waiting for the council to house us as everyone I have called just says no, can't help you. It looks like if the worst comes to it we'll either be in a homeless hostel. My son has been referred for ADHD so you can imagine how he is in a house with a garden let lone stuck in one room but beggars can't be choosers and all that. The council have been fobbing us off to rent private but there is nothing, we have nowhere to go and in Feb my mum (landlady) will be going to the court to get us out, which will be around the end of Feb I guess. Scary really, but it looks like we will be going into a hostel as they tell us nothing is available.

there is nothing private around here. I've asked that question before, I guess it depends if you have a guarentor, we don't have anyone. I don't know what people do. I'd get a caravan but even they are too flamin expensive around here.

binnie

blue_monkey wrote: »

No, nothing, I just posted on the DFW board. We are waiting for the council to house us as everyone I have called just says no, can't help you. It looks like if the worst comes to it we'll either be in a homeless hostel. My son has been referred for ADHD so you can imagine how he is in a house with a garden let lone stuck in one room but beggars can't be choosers and all that. The council have been fobbing us off to rent private but there is nothing, we have nowhere to go and in Feb my mum (landlady) will be going to the court to get us out, which will be around the end of Feb I guess. Scary really, but it looks like we will be going into a hostel as they tell us nothing is available.

there is nothing private around here. I've asked that question before, I guess it depends if you have a guarentor, we don't have anyone. I don't know what people do. I'd get a caravan but even they are too flamin expensive around here.

Your mum is the landlady??? She is throwing you out? Oh dear what a predicament. I am sorry, hope both of you (Gareth) and all get sorted soon.

xxx

GarethK

It sounds like we may actually be in a better position than yourself, i know my parents nor Vicky's would throw us out, cannot be an easy situation.

We are fortunate in that we do have alot of help. We do have money upfront which helps. We have 2 properties on Saturday to view which are through private landlords, one of which was not keen on us having a cat, but that changed when i said i was willing to agree to either more on a deposit or arrange for the carpets to be professionally cleaned incase of fleas.

Will give feedback on Saturday night!

Gareth

clutton_2

have you asked the council for their list of recommended landlords ? most councils keep a list of landlords who are "accredited" and they may well be more sympathetic to your plight. Would you consider putting an advert "HOUSE WANTED" in your local newspaper - i look in their first, when i am looking for new tenants.

Your council may well have a "Bond Board" - a scheme to borrow the deposit when you do find a place.

the council will have a statutory duty to house you when you are evicted (you will then get a CCJ). but, as you say it may be in a hostel - it all depends on what they have available at that time.

Shelter are very good about helping families in severe difficulties - having a 3 weeks old baby and homeless sounds severe to me. Contact them sooner rather than later.

Re credit checks - you can buy your own "Data Protection Statement" from Experian and/or Equifax for i think its £2 a go - but they take about a month to come thru - as these companies want to sell you a faster service. They may try to fob u off, but under DP they HAVE to provide this cheap record of all data they hold on you.

good luck