Nobody will let me rent

[dazedandconfuse]

So I'm a student with a part time job. I have a 3 year old and I currently live with my mum. It's becoming pretty unbearable for a few reasons and I'm desperately looking to move out.

The problem is because I don't earn that much and most of my rent will come from my student loan, nobody wants to let me rent :( most properties want me to have a Guarantor who earns over 20,000 and the people I do know (siblings/ other family members) will not be my Guarantor (frustrating but I don't hold it against them.

recently had the most perfect property come up, fell in love and was desperate to rent but once again no Guarantor. I was thinking about calling and saying I do have a Guarantor who earns 15,000 would they consider that? Feeling very miserable about this :(

[specialsubject]

Waste of everyone's time and your money to say you have a guarantor if you don't.

Landlords cant get rent guarantee and legal insurance if they rent to someone who fails affordability tests. Not of course saying you would - but a tenant can move in, stop paying and then stay for months, so those insurances are needed.

[May09Bump]

Maybe contact the YMCA - they have people to help you find rented accomadation. Not sure of the process, but worth a chat.

[SilverSpot]

Can your student support at university help?

[dazedandconfuse]

No I DO have a Guarantor who earns 15,000 just not one who earns 20,000

[SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed]

Have you tried your university accommodation services?

[another20]

Another way to do it so that you dont need a guarantor is pay each 6 months rent in advance. You can then often negotiate a cheaper deal as they have your money up front. All you need to show is a bank statement with the funds. We did this for our elderly MIL. Maybe save up for the next 6 months if you can?

[northlondonlassie]

Could you pay a big chunk of rent upfront? They might be reassured / tempted, faced with a large advance payment.

[dramallamakarma]

I've had a tenant who didn't pass the affordability test & as PPs have said she paid 6 months up front.

Following that she paid her rent monthly.

[another20]

Have you done all the other figures - sunk costs of 6 weeks deposit, estate agents fees etc due before you move in and then ongoing utility bills and council tax.

[LIZS]

If you have a student loan could you pay say 3 months in advance? Do uni have any discretionary funding, links to landlords or family accommodation?

[specialsubject]

Ah right, not clear. Try that then.

[johnd2]

I had to pay the whole year up front once due to no guarantor, but my advice would be don't rent from a letting agent. Not sure where you are, but usually the fees and the rent will make it much more economical to find a flat on gum tree. We saved quite a bit doing that in London and there's plenty available. Not sure about other areas though.
The checks are a lot less strict but sometimes the landlords are not so clued up and you have to really understand your rights.

[another20]

Also never pay the full advertised rent - offer 10% below.

[Sunnyshores]

Paying rent up front doesnt interest me as a ll. Either the tenant can afford monthly payments now and in the future, or they cant.

Whats your plan for when you finish college and your student loan stops? Full time employment? In a particular career? Or is it all a bit wooly or a niche career? Showing your future earning potential would help.

Also having a home owning guarantor can be more important than what theyre earning.

If you affordability is borderline, then asking to meet the lls would help enormously. However if the affordability isnt there Im afraid you will struggle without a brilliant guarantor.

[GreenTulips]

Can you get housing benifit?

[GreenTulips]

Or other benifits

[BordersMumNow123]

Try private landlords through gum tree or a small local estate agents. Try to speak honestly about situation with them, go in to offices and meet people face to face.

Also, I feel telling a landlord your future career plans, dreams, aspirations, etc is a breach of privacy and I would avoid nosey landlords personally. It's none of their business, all they need to know is that you can afford the rent (either through student finance or work) and that you are reliable through your references.

Some landlords are against single parents letting their property too, if you are one. I know as I was a single parent and student. They have this misconstrued idea that some 'awful' boyfriend might move in, in the future. Or that young single mothers are irresponsible (completely wrong I was a scholarship student and graduated top of my year). It's very sexist, and I doubt men have the same problems renting??

Anyway, I am surprised they don't take student finance as income, including your tax credits. My LL did and it was fine, my student loans covered my rent.

GreenTulips fulltime students can't claim housing benefit but part-time students can.

OP you have my sympathy! I went through all this when I was younger.

[ChuckysLoveChild]

I’m a single parent of 3 at uni and pay 6 months in advance for my family Home so it is possible - mine to s also a private let so I’m very lucky and have a lovely landlord - I’ll problem be here until the kids are all grown up! Keep trying op and yes worth asking about the lower earning guarantee and a six-months in advance arrangement! Good luck

[Branleuse]

this is a massive problem for a lot of people.

I have a friend who worked FULL TIME and still wasnt able to get a tenancy as apparently she didnt earn enough. She had to provide 6mths up front AND a guarantor in the end. Thank god her dad stepped in. Not everyone has that.

Massive problem with scummy rip off landlords that overcharge and scummy rip off employers who underpay

[specialsubject]

nsurance problem - La la laa mumsnet not listening....

[BordersMumNow123]

special we heard you. But doesn't solve her problem, and problem of people who can afford the rent but the affordability criteria is very strict nowadays. And why isn't student finance included in earnings? I thought it was?

[Sunnyshores]

I feel telling a landlord your future career plans, dreams, aspirations, etc is a breach of privacy and I would avoid nosey landlords personally. It's none of their business

How ridiculous! I guess it depends how much you want to be seen as reliable and stable (when your finances dont look like that). Lls dont want to know because theyre nosey, its about assessing a prospective tenant and OP says under 'normal' methods she doesnt look suitable so I was suggesting other ways she could show her suitability . Anyway the info received from credit and reference checks is far more personal than saying you are training to be a teacher or whatever.

[Bananasplit47]

Student finance is taking into consideration. It was for me, anyway!
I paid 6 months up front. When the 6 months had finished, I was re assessed for affordability and showed them my student finance England letter. They used that combined with my wages and tax credits.

[dazedandconfuse]

Update on a house I REALLY wanted to rent: I explained my Guarantor didn't earn 20,000 but was a home owner and they accepted it! Over the moon! When the lady called to say the landlord would accept that I think I was as excited as someone who'd been told their offer had been accepted on a mortgage 🙄

(The neighbour has chickens next door which my little boy hasn't stopped talking about since we viewed it, it's got a small walk in wardrobe in what would be my room AND a living and dining room!!! It's a bit shabby but Still EXTREMELY exciting since the last house I rented was a two up two down terrace with no garden 😩)

Let's hope everything else goes smoothly!!! Thanks for all the advice guys!!

[Sunnyshores]

Congratulations dazed.

(make sure your deposit is protected, smoke alarms are fitted, gas safety is up to date, check the inventory very thoroughly photo and record any differences)