The difficulty in finding a house to rent?

[Deleted User]

I am wondering if this is kinda the norm now or just us having these issues?  We've been renting 15 years now, never been as much as late with 1 payment in all that time.  Rented 1 property for 10 years, the landlord decided to sell up, the estate agent selling the house managed to get us a new rental, it was a small terraced house, no good really for 5 people but it would do until something better came along.
The last five years trying to find something better has been a disaster, hopes raised so many times for it all to fall through,  first few properties all went the same way, We viewed the houses, said we were interested, and got told they would let us know, you never hear anything. I became suspicious at what was going on at one viewing, My wife went to view in the morning day 1 of viewing, told me it was great I should view, I phoned estate agent same day only to be told it was gone.  Obviously, the process of allowing everyone to view then picking a suitable tenant was not being followed, it was first to offer cash it seemed to go it.
I tried this approach the next time myself, went to view, said I would pay now, the agent said that fine, they would draw up a contract get in touch, I heard nothing a few days later so phoned back "Aw sorry the landlord took it off the market as a relative wanted it"
This Monday got a phone call from our letting agent, "I have the fantastic property, its perfect for you, as you have been such good tenants I'm giving you first refusal" We went to view it and it was indeed perfect, best we've seen, we said we'd take it instantly, the agent said great I'll let the landlord know and contact you tonight, he never contacted us, I've phoned the office several times and never in or rather isn't taking our calls, so its obviously fell through again.

It is soul-destroying tbh, the kids are planning who#s getting what room etc, it crushes them too. they're all squashed in the one bedroom at the moment. Is the norm at the moment? I know I've been following rentals for years now, about 5 years ago 5 house minimum per week came up, now you're lucky to get 1 per month and 9 times out of 10 its in some run-down area, a former council house.

Sistergold

Dear OP, I am really sorry to hear of your bad experience. Rental can be tricky as for sure estate agents can be less than honest. It’s unfair to raise your hopes only to dash them. I had a friend few months ago who had similar experience, he viewed a 1 bed flat. All seemed okay with EA, agreed to go ahead with rental only to be told after a few days that infact the landlord had decided to sell the flat or withdraw the flat, can’t remember exact excuse but to the effect that infact the flat was no longer going to be let? 🤔🤔. Still beats me what it is all about?. My friend got so fed up he decided to just buy a 1 bed house instead. I had advised him before that renting can be the most humiliating experience and it was better for him to just buy but he wanted to hold on to his money and rent instead. He wanted a flat to cut down on travel during the week as he stays some distance from work.

Are you in any position to buy at all as rental can never became easy? As you get older it can become more frustrating I discovered. Some EA/landlords just don’t like families, some don’t like single men or single woman. Some don’t like certain professions/occupations. 

I rented between 2016 and 2019 and it was the most stressful period of my life. Rented two flats and in both cases I told them I was happy to pay a years rent in advance in the end both places we agreed on 6 months rent in advance! 

So OP maybe could you offer paying twice yearly? In the end buying was the only long term solution I could see. I found securing a rental always difficult and I don’t think I am such a risky tenant.
The truth is from what you say you are a good tenant but somehow others are being preferred over you for whatever reason. Renting with children or pets can be less favoured I think? 

Good luck

AdrianC

Deleted_User said:

This Monday got a phone call from our letting agent, "I have the fantastic property, its perfect for you, as you have been such good tenants I'm giving you first refusal" We went to view it and it was indeed perfect, best we've seen, we said we'd take it instantly, the agent said great I'll let the landlord know and contact you tonight, he never contacted us, I've phoned the office several times and never in or rather isn't taking our calls, so its obviously fell through again.

Is "first refusal" up to the agent? It's normally the landlord who decides.

Your problem is basically that government policies are actively dissuading people from letting properties. It's not exactly profitable, even before the tax and SDLT changes. Tenant protection is strong in law - rightly - and there are a lot of abusive tenants who take the michael when it comes to it. House price increases used to be a justification for lack of revenue profit, but not in recent years.

Simply, the private landlord is being squeezed out of the market. And it's tenants like you who are suffering, through an excess of demand over supply. But there's no room for prices to increase, to allow that curve to rebalance, because many people rely on the benefit system to help them pay.

[Deleted User]

Sistergold said:

Dear OP, I am really sorry to hear of your bad experience. Rental can be tricky as for sure estate agents can be less than honest. It’s unfair to raise your hopes only to dash them. I had a friend few months ago who had similar experience, he viewed a 1 bed flat. All seemed okay with EA, agreed to go ahead with rental only to be told after a few days that infact the landlord had decided to sell the flat or withdraw the flat, can’t remember exact excuse but to the effect that infact the flat was no longer going to be let? 🤔🤔. Still beats me what it is all about?. My friend got so fed up he decided to just buy a 1 bed house instead. I had advised him before that renting can be the most humiliating experience and it was better for him to just buy but he wanted to hold on to his money and rent instead. He wanted a flat to cut down on travel during the week as he stays some distance from work.

Are you in any position to buy at all as rental can never became easy? As you get older it can become more frustrating I discovered. Some EA/landlords just don’t like families, some don’t like single men or single woman. Some don’t like certain professions/occupations. 

I rented between 2016 and 2019 and it was the most stressful period of my life. Rented two flats and in both cases I told them I was happy to pay a years rent in advance in the end both places we agreed on 6 months rent in advance! 

So OP maybe could you offer paying twice yearly? In the end buying was the only long term solution I could see. I found securing a rental always difficult and I don’t think I am such a risky tenant.
The truth is from what you say you are a good tenant but somehow others are being preferred over you for whatever reason. Renting with children or pets can be less favoured I think? 

Good luck

Tried a couple of times for a mortgage. The issue was we could never get the deposit, all our wages are going to pay the rent etc, we’re both minimum wage workers.

[Deleted User]

AdrianC said:

Deleted_User said:

This Monday got a phone call from our letting agent, "I have the fantastic property, its perfect for you, as you have been such good tenants I'm giving you first refusal" We went to view it and it was indeed perfect, best we've seen, we said we'd take it instantly, the agent said great I'll let the landlord know and contact you tonight, he never contacted us, I've phoned the office several times and never in or rather isn't taking our calls, so its obviously fell through again.

Is "first refusal" up to the agent? It's normally the landlord who decides.

Your problem is basically that government policies are actively dissuading people from letting properties. It's not exactly profitable, even before the tax and SDLT changes. Tenant protection is strong in law - rightly - and there are a lot of abusive tenants who take the michael when it comes to it. House price increases used to be a justification for lack of revenue profit, but not in recent years.

Simply, the private landlord is being squeezed out of the market. And it's tenants like you who are suffering, through an excess of demand over supply. But there's no room for prices to increase, to allow that curve to rebalance, because many people rely on the benefit system to help them pay.

I’m not sure how it works, I think you turn up I’ve a house to rent can you sort it out? The letting agent sorts it out, but in the mean time wee Johnny sees it up online, wee Johnny knows the house knows the owner and contacts the owner directly, the owner then goes with wee Johnny and the agent is left high and dry, happened us twice now. 

Cakeguts

Are you absolutely sure that there isn't something about you and your family that is putting landlords off renting to you?  This can be something as simple as owning a pet.  It could also be that you will have to give notice to your current landlord so that you can move and with a shortage of rental property available because landlords are selling up properties tend to go to tenants who can move in straight away.

Have you tried any of the build to rent companies in your area to see what they have available rather than small landlords?

Atomix

Used to be half a dozen houses, at any one time, up for rent in the town i live. There are none. When they come up theyre gone in a day.

Cakeguts

Its is a combination of things. At the moment it is very difficult for landlords to evict tenants so houses are remaining occupied even if the best thing for everyone would be if the tenant moved out. 

Also it is becoming more difficult in general for landlords to evict tenants so a lot of landlords are now selling the rental houses that they own. 

The loss of privately owned rental property is being made up by the big new build to rent private companies.  They tend to build flats rather than houses though and they can be quite expensive.  However this seems to be the way that rental property is moving.  I think people looking for rentals in the future will be relying on property that belongs to big companies that has been purpose build as rental property.  There are build to rent developments in most cities now. 

ognum

The system for renting is quite simple. 

The property is advertised, appointments are made and viewings take place.  For my agents we then send out a form asking for information on prospective tenants this ask for details on Name, Current address, Salary, information on credit worthiness.  Also ask who will be living in the property, ages etc and pets and any other information the renter would like to give to support their application.

I then review all of these and with the help of the agent decide who we will take on, they are then referenced etc at my expence and place a refundable holding deposit which goes to their first moths rent. If they fail salary levels we ask for a guarantor. If they fail referencing we go to other applicants again at my expense so it's important to make the best choice first time.

I seldom have tenants move on but there does seem to have been a shift around post pandemic and I have advertised a few properties, we have had hoards of applicants, too many so maybe that is the reason for not getting the property you want.

[Deleted User]

Atomix said:

Used to be half a dozen houses, at any one time, up for rent in the town i live. There are none. When they come up theyre gone in a day.

Exactly same around here. You get maybe one house per month now and maybe only one every 6 months that is suitable

[Deleted User]

ognum said:

The system for renting is quite simple. 

The property is advertised, appointments are made and viewings take place.  For my agents we then send out a form asking for information on prospective tenants this ask for details on Name, Current address, Salary, information on credit worthiness.  Also ask who will be living in the property, ages etc and pets and any other information the renter would like to give to support their application.

I then review all of these and with the help of the agent decide who we will take on, they are then referenced etc at my expence and place a refundable holding deposit which goes to their first moths rent. If they fail salary levels we ask for a guarantor. If they fail referencing we go to other applicants again at my expense so it's important to make the best choice first time.

I seldom have tenants move on but there does seem to have been a shift around post pandemic and I have advertised a few properties, we have had hoards of applicants, too many so maybe that is the reason for not getting the property you want.

Yes thats how it should work, how it used to work but don't think is working like this anymore.  As I said we've been renting 15 years, perfect references, never a missed or late payment yet we were always getting overlooked. As I said above i became suspicious that this process wasn't being followed when my wife went for a viewing in the morning, I then went to go after work but got told the property had gone, this was despite the closing date for applications not being up.  It was first to turn up with cash it seemed.
I tried this approach myself, a listing went up, within the hour I had the forms in, following morning I had the viewing and made the offer and it was accepted by the agent, she went to draw up the contact I heard nothing, contacted them and got told the landlord and went with a family member privately.