Renting as a single parent

[hummusandpitta]

Wondering if anyone could answer this question for me please?

I'm a single mum looking to rent a £900pcm property. I've just got off the phone with the letting agent who said the 'affordability' for this is over £27000 a year.

I don't earn that much as a salary, but with Universal Credit top-up and child maintenance, I take home well over that amount per year.

Does anybody know whether they will allow me to rent this property? If not l, how the hell do single parents find anywhere nice to live?!

[NailsNeedDoing]

Some landlords will accept it, some won’t, it’s a very individual thing based on a variety of things, so no one here can give you a definitive answer.

If you really want the place all you can do is try, providing as much detail of your finances as you can and if you can offer a guarantor then see if that would help.

[hummusandpitta]

Thank you, I will try to speak to the landlord. I'm hoping that my previous landlord may be willing to provide reassurance that I have always paid on time and been a good tenant (even if I am a single mother 🙄)

[NachoNachoMan]

Do you have someone who could act as a guarantor? That might make the difference too. I do think if you can speak to the landlord themselves, they may be happy to rent, especially with the previous landlord reference. Good luck

[hummusandpitta]

Thank you, I could potentially ask my mum to be a guarantor. Just feels a little silly to have to!
I will ask to speak to the landlord directly.
Thank you so much for the advice!

[Megan2018]

The standard affordability calculation is that income must equal or exceed the monthly rent x 30. So £900 x30
As others have said what an individual landlord will accept as income varies.

I rent a house out for similar amounts but it’s not a family house so usually rents to working couples or singles where each has a salary of at least £30k.

[NachoNachoMan]

I know what you mean, but I think it will show that you're serious and confident that you'll be able to manage the rent and that your mum feels that way too and is therefore happy to be a guarantor. It's silly really to just look at your income if they don't look at your expenditure; you could be on a higher salary but have an expensive hire purchase car, student loan payments and a £50 per month phone but have less disposable income than you.

[Sunnyshores]

so you would pass the affordability criteria. Isnt that all the agent has asked? As previously said, any decision on a tenant after that is based on an assessment of their likelihood of paying, staying longer term and looking after the property.
So, as suggested above, good references, a guarantor, a secure job, previous rental history, child in a local school, working locally, no CCJs. Speaking to the landlord direct is a good idea if possible, as Agents may not make the same judgement