Help/advice needed on eviction - MOD want house back!

[ShadowsInTheDarkness]

DP and I rent an ex military house. We have been here 4 years. It was leased (as far as I understand it) to a landlord company who let the house to us. We have received a letter from the letting agents this week giving us several months notice.

DP is a self employed carpenter, Im a SAHM as couldnt afford to go back to work, youngest due to start school in September, eldest is in year 1 atm. Letting agents Ive contacted so far dont want to touch us due to DPs self employed status and very few seem to even consider the idea of a guarantor although both our parents rent so we would struggle to find anyone to act as guarantor anyway.

To make things much harder both DCs have mild-moderate SEN so they are likely to struggle enormously with the upheaval.

I would like a handhold as am all over the place, and practical advice - places online to find private lets, letting agents recs that dont have issue with self employment/non existent credit rating (neither of us use credit so credit checks tend to be an issue), any other advice or services that might be worth a try? We are looking roughly around the Beds/ Herts area, ideally somewhere more rural due to DDs SEN.

Any thoughts/ideas massively appreciated.

[cometseekers]

A private LL may take you if you can prove your income via bank statements, I would an do this.

[Booboo27]

Have a look on gumtree for a private let. Private landlords are often less strict about things like self employment if you can stump up a higher deposit for example.
Do you have any savings as some letting agencies will allow self employed people without a guarantor to rent a property if they can pay the first 6 months rent up front.
If the worst comes to worst can you stay with parents/friends/family for a month or two whilst you keep searching? Not ideal but obviously better than being homeless.
If you can find an agency that accepts guarantors is there anyone whose a home owner that you could ask, such as a sibling?

[cometseekers]

Meant to add I ask for minimum 5 bank statements from your working current account. This always gives a good overall view of earnings an spending and I can see if you have gone overdrawn. Wish you luck with house search. Most private LL will use their discretion an past experience. Am presuming your present LL will give u a reference?

[Fivetoomany]

My husband is self employed, I'm a stap. We have bad credit and never have a problem letting through an agency.
Do you have an accountant? Ours just usually sends something confirming regular monthly income, we don't even have a guarantor at current house and this is the highest rent we have ever paid!

[ShadowsInTheDarkness]

Thats very interesting five, maybe Ive been presenting the circs negatively - do you tend to be upfront about the bad credit and self employed thing or only mention it when saying that you would like x property?
I think Im wary of paying referencing fees on somewhere only to be turned down so Im almost diving straight in with "these are our circs, would we stand a chance" and te answer is invariably "no!".

Ive had a look on gumtree, will keep trawling. No siblings that own property, Im the eldest and the yougest is still at school! I dont think we could stretch to 6 months upfront, not in this timeframe. Given a lot more notice we might have been able to but we had no warning this was coming. Next door rent from same landlord and theyve been here 12 years!

Thanks cometseekers, I guess its finding the private landlords - where do you usually advertise? Does anyone put ads in the paper anymore? Yes we could get a reference from landlord, always paid on time and DP did repairs on house for free, we replaced oven when faulty at our own expense etc so theyve said more than happy to provide references.

[Booboo27]

Yeah landlords can only see CCJs and bankruptcy. They can't see your general credit score or whether you have any late payments etc

[cometseekers]

I advertise on gumtree. You sound like a good Tennant, A decent LL will use common sense an gut instinct

[ShadowsInTheDarkness]

Oh thats fantastic info! We have no ccjs or bankruptcy. So we are unlikely to fail a credit check, and if DPs accountant could confirm income we might actually be successful via letting agents? Thats the best news, good old mumsent!

[ShadowsInTheDarkness]

Thank you comet

[DancingLedge]

Go on www.money saving expert.com/loans/credit-rating-credit-score
(Sorry can't link -anyone?)

There's a lot of info, if it was me I would need to read it twice and then sleep on it, because not doing the wrong thing is important here. Don't be put off by the site going on about improving your credit rating so you can borrow: the same principles apply to improving your credit rating for a credit reference.

#16 is about using the fact that you've been a good rent payer to improve your credit rating. If this is possible for you ,this could be what you need.
Good luck.

[DancingLedge]

Plus, can you ask your current landlords for a written confirmation that you've paid your rent OK for years; because you've got that bit of paper in your hand, agents won't take that as an actual reference, but, it might help getting you seriously considered by an agent or a LL who handles their own leggings?

[specialsubject]

Time to start using a credit card, paying it off every month of course.

With a good reference, kids, non smoking and no pets, plus being grown ups that can look after a house and will report what needs fixing, you already have quite a lot to recommend you. The main thing is ' can you afford it?'

Ask to contact landlords directly as talking to people is half the battle. Six months in advance used to be an idea but it is now a common drug dealer tactic so much less of a recommendation.

Also check the property is a buy to let, not landlords home rented out while they are away. That gives you more chance of being there long term.

Good luck!

[Fivetoomany]

Hi op, yes always upfront. I just call to view 'x' property. If we like it and want to commence we then tell them credits not great. They never bat an eyelid at the self employment thing. Don't make a big deal out of it, just fill in the application and state on there that dh self employed and roughly what his annual 'wage' is. Then if they want proof I.e wage slips, then that is when the accountant can send them a quick email stating he has earned £xxx for however many months/years.
Can you get a reference from the house you are in now. I find reference help alot. Even if it just says you have paid your rent on time and in full for xx years.
Good luck op

[Fivetoomany]

Sorry about spelling mistakes etc, toddler does not want me to be on mumsnet!