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How to get a flat as a graduate

My son has just graduated and has a job lined up which starts end of August. He has been flat hunting, with his brother, who plans to move up north with him, so they can share rent/bills. His brother earns a good salary, but they are not having any luck so far.

Is he being marked down because he obviously doesn't have any income history and if so, how to we get round this?

Comments

  • Flugelhorn
    Flugelhorn Posts: 7,451 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    it is very hard to get flats - bit of luck really if you "win" the place. One of my kids got a flat on not huge pay but I was guarantor and that seemed to help (or maybe he would have got it anyway ) 
  • We have already told agencies that we will be guarantors.
  • Flugelhorn
    Flugelhorn Posts: 7,451 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    can still take a lot of viewings before you strike lucky - definitely need to be very quick in booking a slot and keep chatting to the agents in between. it is very tough at the moment to find somewhere
  • Albermarle
    Albermarle Posts: 28,940 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Name Dropper
    It has been in the news many times over the last couple of years about there being a shortage of rented property, especially anywhere that is not a dump. Many stories of 20+ people queuing outside any property that becomes available for viewings.
    I believe it has actually calmed down a bit recently and there are some regional differences, but can still be tricky.
  • RAS
    RAS Posts: 36,093 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Try looking on the forums occupied by LLs rather than agencies.  Accept a downgrade short-term in area to build a history?  Commute from less popular area. Try getting short-term lodging, perhaps even asking to post on soon to be work staff network. Know any ex-students from the new area also living there?

    The "North" is a pretty big place with areas of very high demand cheek by jowl with areas of considerable poverty. 

    I'd also add that they need to research travel area boundaries, as often the cost of crossing those is massive. In one direction the rail boundary here is under 20 minutes, in others nearly an hour. So the cost of commutes to cities equa-distant away vary by a factor of three.
    If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing
  • lr1277
    lr1277 Posts: 2,199 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    This might be obvious but they need to look at total cost for renting and travel.
    When I was a graduate with a job in London,  I initially lived in Zone 5 (I think). The rent was less but the commute time and cost was considerable.
    I then moved to Zone 1 where the rent was high but not eye watering but the travel costs were much less and sometimes free as I could walk to my client.
    On the way back from my interview for the London job, two men were talking on the train.
    One lived in Scarborough and commuted to London. The other lived in Harrogate and commuted to London. Both would be at their desks by 9am and leave at 5pm. They probably had interest free season ticket loans. What they lost in time and money from travelling they made up with quality of life in their chosen homes.
    Again obvious but if your sons choose to travel some distance, they need to look at trains and cars. Also the quality of the train service. You don't say where your sons have jobs, but on the news regularly are bad reports of the trains in and around Manchester.
  • lr1277
    lr1277 Posts: 2,199 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    It might be helpful if you told us where they are getting stuck in the tenancy process?
    Are they not finding suitable properties?
    Or are they finding properties but their offers are being knocked back?
    Or are their offers acceptable but tenant screening stops them?

    Some landlords don't like an all male tenancy when there is more than one tenant. They think there will be raucous parties and such.
    Some landlords will perform a credit check. What is the credit file of each of your son's like? That may be negated by you offering to be a guarantor but you never know how each landlord thinks.
    Lots of recent graduates go into house shares for their first residence. Is this something the newly graduated son would consider? I suspect the other brother who has been working for some time has more options. Going to a house share is a way to get to know people in a new area. Whether you like those people or not is a different matter.

  • RHemmings
    RHemmings Posts: 4,894 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Is it possible that they could pay the first year's rent ahead of time? Either alone or with your help? That could be one small factor which may help.

    Is the brother who is in employment receiving enough salary to afford the rent by themself? If so, this would be another factor that may make your sons more attractive as tenants, even if the lack of income history for your newly graduated son is a factor. 
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