Anyone else find it hard to rent/move?

[hahshbsbskao]

The prices for renting are extortionate! We are currently in a 1 bed (boyfriend & I + dog) top floor flat.

Been looking for over a year now as so many places near us are
A) extortionately expensive but crap condition.
B) won't allow dogs EVEN if it has a garden.
C) charge so much in deposit fees and want a bloody months rent in advance on top of that.
D) no parking (viewed one recently that had so many cars parked up along all nearby streets we had to park over 10mins walk away from the actual property!)

It's so defeating. We must have viewed about 8 properties in the last year- the only 8 that would actually consider a dog. All were either asking quite a lot in rent but awful condition/dirty/small etc or had no parking and ended up saying no dogs when we got there!

We're viewing one today that looks lovely- £565pm newly renovated and actually will consider a dog + had a small courtyard garden. Except they want a deposit of 6 weeks rent (£847.50) as well as 1 months rent advance (£565) PLUS £300 admin fee for letting agents.

That's £1712.50 to move. We need that much spare money, that's ridiculous! We can afford the rent each month but the deposit of 6 weeks as well as a months rent advance is really getting us. The place we have right now just asked for one months rent deposit (£500- no extra for the dog) and we paid rent at the end of our first month like usual.

We don't live in a particularly expensive area (seaside town, south east) and have looked at towns near us but I can't move due to uni plus we like where we are as lots of family around and amazing dog walks.

I feel so angry tbh, how can they charge so much and expect people to have that in savings? --Don't even ask how we would get on the housing ladder eventually with the way prices are rising for shit properties.
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[hahshbsbskao]

No one?

[TheYellowOctopus]

Renting seems to be getting ridiculous! We're in the South West and you can be paying over £550 a month for one room in a house share around here

We're saving for our mortgage deposit at the moment as it's going to end up as £500 a month, which is considerably cheaper than any rentals around here!! And as you say about the fees for renting it could end up cheaper buying!

[hahshbsbskao]

@TheYellowOctopus £550 for a rented room? That is extortionate!!

Good luck in saving and getting your own place- I definitely agree mortgages for houses can end up so much cheaper than renting once you have the deposit! House costs are rising though and it's crazy, around here you're looking at at least £340,000 for a nice house in a nice area where you'd actually want to live long term and raise children.

Landlords here don't take care of their properties either- peeling paintwork outside, flimsy doors, no parking etc but then expect you to pay £700pm for the pleasure of living there.

[Houseonahill]

I think a months rent in advance and a months or 6 weeks deposit is fairly standard, ivemoved into rented places twice and both times I needed roughly £1300 to pay in advance, that was deposit rent and estate agent checks. I couldn't have done it without help from my parents, can anyone help you? Can you put it on an interest free credit card and pay it off monthly?

It is shit I totally agree but on the other hand moving is expensive, whether buying or renting. I've never heard of paying rent in arrears and landlords take a lot of risk I can see why they want money up front incase you move in and never pay.

[Rat1nthek1tchen24]

You can go to any agency and offer a lower price and ask if the landlord would take a lower fee. Landlords prefer to have a property rented out, rather than it being empty and paying council tax and other bills.

[CarlGrimesMissingEye]

Well rent ahead of the months you are staying there is standard and after the first month it's keeps rolling so you are paying for the next etc etc.

And 6 weeks deposit is pretty usual too. It goes in a protection scheme so not like the landlord is just spending it.

I think that sounds pretty usual to be honest.

[notangelinajolie]

If you don't live in an expensive area and can afford the rent then it may be better for you to stay put a little while longer and save for a deposit to buy.

[YouSayPotatoesISayVodka]

Those costs are all pretty standard now. Doesn’t mean it’s fair or reasonable but it’s what to expect.

I will say as far as dirty places are concerned I wasn’t too arsed myself because I couldn’t afford to be and just put my efforts into cleaning when I moved in. It’s bloody frustrating though.

[RubyWho]

I moved from SW London to Surrey in 2017. The move cost me about 4K all in. This was:
-admin fees
-deposit
-rent up front

• moving costs
  

The admin fees were about £600.

I got a loan to enable me to do this and it’s crippled me.

[bingoitsadingo]

I don't think 6 weeks rent as a deposit is unreasonable especially as you have a dog. I've always had to pay rent at the start of the month not the end so I think you have been lucky there! £300 fees is OTT but thankfully the law is changing in a couple of months so this won't be allowed. You should get your last deposit back too so that will help - can you borrow the money for a month or so from anywhere/anyone if you don't have it?

My last two flats have been through independent landlords so no fees, have you looked on gumtree etc rather than through agents? They might be more flexible re the dog as well.
As a renter I do have it in the back of my mind I might need to move at any point so I do keep savings for that eventuality.

[Hearhere]

Things are very difficult at the moment I know lots of people in this sort of situation

[Cheerybigbottom]

We removed house last year in England, the agency wanted one month rent up front, one months rent as a deposit, £250 application fee + £50 for second applicants, two times £200 pet bond (we have two housecats). If you needed a guarantor this was £50 extra and fees were non returnable if you applied and were refused. They only took their fees in cash too why?!

My friend in Scotland moved and they wanted first month up front and one month deposit only. No application or holding fees, no pet bonds, no fees to create an inventory etc. I was gobsmacked at the difference.

[MondeoFan]

I used to be a renter and the last house I rented was £1,400 per month for 3 bed house.
We had to give 3 months rent up front and half as deposit and £300 estate agent fees so ended up costing £5,200 to move in.
Crazy prices.

[Barrenfieldoffucks]

None of that sounds unusual tbh, you always pay rent in advance so that's the same as where you are presumably, and a deposit is standard. Presumably you will get your deposit back from where you are, so I would credit card the new one and pay back when you receive the old one.

[jay55]

6 weeks as a deposit, plus fees is normal. I'd expect a separate pet deposit too, as you have a dog.
It is shit but normal and the amounts you mention sound super reasonable to me, but I'm in London and live alone.

[S00perSunny]

I've rented and own property. A couple of years ago I moved to relocate for new job, costs included; solicitor fees, stamp duty, hire of self drive vans, mail redirection, other fees. The second day at new job, my old banger car broke beyond repair, so had to buy another old banger. Everyone has costs that they need to pay !

[hahshbsbskao]

@Hearhere it's really bad. We looked at the place just now, turns out the landlord won't take a dog so there was no point going, I think the estate agents thought we might love it and give up the dog? Waste of time.

Money is shit atm, struggling and my mental health is declining because of it, add in uni and I'm in over my head.

[Snowflakes1122]

This is why we didn’t get a pet when we rented. Nowhere accepts pets

It’s definitely sadly a landlords market, which means they can be picky.

Hope you find something nice soon

[BlueSkiesLies]

The place we have right now just asked for one months rent deposit (£500- no extra for the dog) and we paid rent at the end of our first month like usual

That is not usual.

Rent is usually paid in advance.

[Tinkerbellisnotafairy]

There are a few places that have No Deposit Options - have you tried looking into these? They're becoming more and more popular as it's a safer bet for the landlord. This was the only way I could move because, as you say, the prices are unreasonable.

You pay a small amount extra each month instead.

[AmyUnreasonable]

We had to take out a £2500 loan to get into our place, 1 bed flat in London.

It's extortionate isn't it.

[Princessmushroom]

Don’t you dare be self employed or have two pets!

We’ve had to pay 6 months rent in advance AND double the deposit for having two cats. It’s ridiculous.

But then we pay a fixed fee every month, no surprises that come with home ownership.

[bloodywhitecat]

Have you tried looking on Spare Room and Open Rent? On both sites you usually deal directly with the landlord so they might be more open to negotiation. We rent, we paid a six week deposit, the agents fees and a month up front, I have never rented anywhere you didn't have to be a month up front in rent, we are also allowed pets (we have 10 chickens in the garden and plan on a dog once I stop work) but we live in a rural county and landlords here seem more open to tenants with pets.