What are the options for renting with a ccj?

argh73

Just after some advice. I have recently moved in with my partner (allowed by the landlord) but then I didn’t pass the screening to be a joint tenant so I’m not even allowed to stay in the property long term. I had a CCJ of £500 3 years ago that I wasn’t aware of (my work meant I lived in many locations short term) & was paid off in full as soon as I was aware of it. I have no other debts & my partner is also debt free. Between us we earn over 50 times the monthly rent but have been told that we still require a guarantor. We are in our late 40s & would struggle to find someone. This has been mentioned to the agents. Neither of us has missed payments on our accounts (well apart from the ccj) my Experian credit score is 980/999.
Is a guarantor our only option?

Pixie5740

argh73 said:

Just after some advice. I have recently moved in with my partner (allowed by the landlord) but then I didn’t pass the screening to be a joint tenant so I’m not even allowed to stay in the property long term. I had a CCJ of £500 3 years ago that I wasn’t aware of (my work meant I lived in many locations short term) & was paid off in full as soon as I was aware of it. I have no other debts & my partner is also debt free. Between us we earn over 50 times the monthly rent but have been told that we still require a guarantor. We are in our late 40s & would struggle to find someone. This has been mentioned to the agents. Neither of us has missed payments on our accounts (well apart from the ccj) my Experian credit score is 980/999.
Is a guarantor our only option?

If a guarantor is what the landlord is asking for then yes unless the landlord can suggest an alternative. 

What difference would being a joint tenant really make? There’s nothing stopping you from living there as long as you partner is the tenant. 

MaryNB

argh73 said:

Just after some advice. I have recently moved in with my partner (allowed by the landlord) but then I didn’t pass the screening to be a joint tenant so I’m not even allowed to stay in the property long term. I had a CCJ of £500 3 years ago that I wasn’t aware of (my work meant I lived in many locations short term) & was paid off in full as soon as I was aware of it. I have no other debts & my partner is also debt free. Between us we earn over 50 times the monthly rent but have been told that we still require a guarantor. We are in our late 40s & would struggle to find someone. This has been mentioned to the agents. Neither of us has missed payments on our accounts (well apart from the ccj) my Experian credit score is 980/999.
Is a guarantor our only option?

Score is irrelevant. It's only seen by you and the relevant credit rating agency, not anybody else assessing your credit worthiness. What matters is what's on your file - namely the CCJ. The fact you have failed credit screening with a score of 980 shows how useless the score is.  If the score was accurate if would reflect that fact you have had a CCJ within the last 6 years. 

Snookie12cat

argh73 said:

Just after some advice. I have recently moved in with my partner (allowed by the landlord) but then I didn’t pass the screening to be a joint tenant so I’m not even allowed to stay in the property long term. I had a CCJ of £500 3 years ago that I wasn’t aware of (my work meant I lived in many locations short term) & was paid off in full as soon as I was aware of it. I have no other debts & my partner is also debt free. Between us we earn over 50 times the monthly rent but have been told that we still require a guarantor. We are in our late 40s & would struggle to find someone. This has been mentioned to the agents. Neither of us has missed payments on our accounts (well apart from the ccj) my Experian credit score is 980/999.
Is a guarantor our only option?

It depends on the agent. I worked in a letting agency and in this case as she can afford all the rent and has been referenced for it, we would put you as a nil share so it wouldn't matter as long as the landlord signed off on it. 
I don't see why you need a guarantor when your partner can afford the rent and you will both be jointly liable for all the rent. 

argh73

We offered rent in advance & keeping my partner as the sole tenant with me having no claim or responsibility for the property but they’re saying if I’ve not been cleared I cannot stay. I suspect it’s because the landlord had the property revalued earlier this year & realised we’re paying less than local market value so waited until we were out of contract so the notice period is shorter. The risk of being homeless is fun (I’ve recently had a stroke so that adds to the joy). 

Thanks for the advice.

ripplyuk

argh73 said:

but they’re saying if I’ve not been cleared I cannot stay. 

They’re wrong. You can stay for as long as your partner wants you. Letting agents like to get extra fees from running credit checks but in reality you didn’t even need to tell them you were moving in.