Renting with ccjs/rent in advance

mazleeds

Hello

I'm hoping to rent a property in Leeds asap

I have a terrible credit rating and one old ccj (2016)

I am willing to pay 12 months rent upfront but I'm not sure if that will be enough to persuade a landlord to take me on.

Any one with previous experience or advice?

MaryNB

They won't see your credit rating, only you and the credit rating agencies see that. Nobody else sees it, not landlords, letting agents, lenders etc.

The CCJ will be the issue. Is renting in Leeds as manic as many other places in the UK? Many renters are struggling to find places. Landlords can and will favour tenants with a good track record. Paying upfront may not help because if you don't pay after the 12 months is up the landlord can't just boot you out so they'd rather go with a tenant with a good payment history. A lot of landlords got burnt with nonpaying tenants during covid, exacerbated by the eviction ban, so they'll be more wary now.

Often landlords and letting agents require a tenant to be earning a gross salary of something like 30x the monthly rent. Can you cover that? Won't override the issue with the CCJ but it's something they often consider.

mazleeds

I've been told I have to have a monthly income of 2.5 times the monthly rent which including my housing benefit I do have.

I just don't want to get stung paying a holding deposit for nothing

MaryNB

As long as you provide accurate information they cannot keep the holding deposit if you fail a referencing check.

From the Tenant Fees Act guidance for tenants (see Q5):

luvchocolate

Do you have guarantor?
Most landlords ask for this now as it takes such a long time to evict .
My son advertises on Openrent you will be dealing with LL who can take each case separately 

theartfullodger

Why ccj,. If from eviction landlord/agent will very likely see it 

Best pay it off now as evidence that you are an honourable and decent citizen (now ).

martindow

You seem to be in a sound financial position now and presumably earning a decent salary if you are in a position to pay a year's rent up front.

I agree with artful's sentiment that you should try to sort your 'terrible credit rating' by paying off the CCJ, if you haven't already, and settling other debts or paying them off as much as you can.

A potential LL seeing efforts to straighten things out after a difficult time in the past will be more inclined to consider you as a tenant. Your CCJ will drop off the record, I think, next year which will also help.