Finding property for rent in Sheffield area??

JacobEdgar

Hello all, I have been much time outside UK, and now I am planning to return with my family. Question is that I cannot find any property for rent, I am looking for a 3 bedroom property with garden, budget 700-1100 GBP.

I am flexible and for me it is good about 20 km around Sheffield, just that the drive to the center is in around 30 minutes.

I am staying at a relative's luckily but I have been now 20 days looking with no luck. I am usually made to wait weeks just for a viewing, once I view there has been other round 20 people, and so far I have confirmed for one, but the agent has not even bothered me to reply to any of my calls, sms or emails . Others are too small. I can't believe how there are so few properties out there for rent.

Moreover, I am afraid others will always be preferred than me for renting. As I have been living abroad, I can only show for income made in another country, and I have the feeling that even if I pass the credit checks, landlords will prefer tenants with UK incomes etc. (I am british citizen, just for the record, so no problems in that area at least). I have been renting abroad for the past 3 years a 700-800 GBP rent without problems with money to spare.

I have been thinking that renting directly from a private landlord would be much easier and better, but for the life of me I cannot find any.

I have been looking daily at openrent, zoopla, rightmove and onthemarket with no luck.

Any recommendations?

MultiFuelBurner

Unfortunately there is no point sugar coating the issues for renters these days.

A perfect storm has occured with the rent reform bill due 2025, High interest rates and the fact many Landlords are of a certain age. 

This means less property for rent and the need to be very picky when it comes to tenants.

You may have to cast your net wider and join social media groups for Sheffield rentals and get yourself lodged with all letting agents in the area.

In certain areas rentals are going to sealed bids way over the monthly amount originally asked.

In the area we let properties there would be 20-30 applicants for each property and we could be charging £200-£300 more each month for each property. The system is currently broken.

Flugelhorn

agree with @MultiFuelBurner it has become very difficult lately - rents in many parts of the country are double that figure, certainly a 3 bed near me in the SW is on for 1500. There are large numbers of people booked in for viewings and goodness knows how the landlord chooses, they probably go for the very least risk. 
At one time from Sheffield you could have got longer term rents in more distant villages but those are probably all AirBnB'd now 

Grizebeck

I hear Page Hall is a lovely inclusive area , very tidy and very cheap!

jimbog

Have you thought on asking on a local facebook page?

RelievedSheff

A quick look on Rightmove suggests that there are properties for rent within your criteria (48 currently available)

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/find.html?searchType=RENT&locationIdentifier=REGION^1195&insId=1&radius=0.0&minPrice=700&maxPrice=1100&minBedrooms=3&maxBedrooms=&displayPropertyType=&maxDaysSinceAdded=&sortByPriceDescending=&_includeLetAgreed=on&primaryDisplayPropertyType=&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=&oldDisplayPropertyType=&oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType=&letType=&letFurnishType=&houseFlatShare=

You just need to get in there as quick as they appear on the sites. Get your details known to the agents so that if a property comes on their books they can give you the heads up.

We moved out of Sheffield because you get a lot more house for your money further out. We currently live in Worksop and commute into Sheffield for work. Its outside your ideal 30 minute drive to the centre but then you might well have to compromise on something.

Tallulah_Chicken

What time of day are you expecting to drive to the centre in 30 mins? I lived in Chesterfield for years and could easily drive into the centre in 30 mins outside of rush hour, but 7am - 9am and 3pm to 6pm it was closer to an hour and a half. To be honest, you could live very close to the city centre and still not be able to drive there in 30 mins in rush hour.

JacobEdgar

Thanks for all the comments. Can you recommend me any specific social media groups? all the ones I have seen seem either dead or full of scams. I am sure I am missing some but cannot find them... I am not much into social media usually.

Last property visited lasted less than 24 hours on the market! I was not the first in visiting, it was up late on Sunday, I visited in the morning, I let the landlady knew I was interested, in the afternoon she had accepted a deposit of somebody else, I was the last visit of the day, so somebody before me. Not sure if they offered more than the advertised price...

I am now looking at roughly less than 45 minutes drive, at least on google maps automatic distance. Just that getting into Sheffield is something less than a day's whole effort. I've widened my search to include Chesterfield and Doncaster. But I don't have a car yet and just getting to see them is becoming a 2 hour effort if they are in a small town badly communicated. I have relativs in Sheffield and don't want to be tremendously far from it. As I work from home is not important to live in a small town, that I have accepted.

Worksop is more or less on the edge of what I still I am considering as acceptable.

CSI_Yorkshire

Location, price and competition.

At best you can choose two.

Grizebeck

not sure why you dont look at the area i suggested
Or any where on tram route, eckington is on a decent bus route in to sheffield

london21

Rightmove and Openrent but the rental market is very competitive.

Check going price with increase in interest rate rent prices have also increased plus you have to be in a position to move quickly.

Proof of income, bank statements, affordability etc