Credit checks on private renting

sasp

Hi, my hub and I lost our home and had to rent in June last year due to debts etc. We have a lease until June which I know might seem a long way away but have been told we may have to move (LL considering selling). We have never rented privately before and the house we are in used to be ours (long story) so we didn't need a credit check as we knew the LL.
We haven't missed any rent payments but I'm worried we may not be able to rent privately with our credit rating (very poor). Would a prospective LL accept a refernce from our current LL, how does it all work?

Sorry for any confusion, I just worry as we have 4 children, one of whom has just had major surgery and is still recovering. I just need to know we will have somewhere to go.

Please help

Sasp x

msmicawber

It won't necessarily be a problem that your credit rating's not good. LLs and Managing Agents don't tend to run checks via all 3 agencies, generally they just carry out one check with, say, Experian.

When I started renting privately, I owed a lot of money, had a low income and two small children and a bad credit rating, but I passed the credit check and have done each time I've moved since. They may just be looking to see whether you pay back money you owe as well as to check that you are who you say you are, I think.

Debt_Free_Chick

LLs or LAs might want 6 months rent up front, in addition to the deposit

clutton_2

when i do credit checks/references i am looking to "not find any surprises" and i tell my prospective tenants this - we all get into muddles in our life from time to time and i am more interested in people fessing up and showing that they have/are sorting these muddles out - if they lie to me, i wont offer them a tenancy.