Splitting up, renting, credit

[Imaturkey]

Dh and I have been talking about splitting for a while. I still don’t know if it will happen but I do want to be prepared.

The big problem is where I’ll live. We have a joint mortgage but there’s just not enough equity for me to buy somewhere else and in any case, my credit rating has been destroyed over the last few years. I very stupidly got a CCJ in 2016 (it was an unpaid water bill and went to my old address and then I got pregnant and didn’t pick it up - difficult pregnancy) and so obviously that won’t come off my file until 2022. Then while I was on maternity leave there’s been various problems with credit cards and late payments, nothing too catastrophic I suppose, but no savings, always living in my OD, relying on credits cards to get me through when it’s week 3 of the month ...

Anyway, I contacted a few letting agents who just couldn’t seem to help. The costs are pretty high anyway, with a months rent as deposit plus the first months rent but it seems most can’t help because of the CCJ in particular being a problem. But also general poor credit.

So where do people with poor credit histories live, because surely I can’t be the only one?

Hopeful bump

Hi OP, your best bet will be to look for a private landlord not using an agent. DP & I lived overseas and struggled when we came back to the uk when we tried folate through agents as we'd had no fixed address or income for many years (we spent time travelling and picking up odd jobs to fund it)
Private rentals without agents aren't so common but do exist - try gumtree, openrent, local newspaper and Facebook groups etc. On our experience the landlords we rented through that way looked more at income and expenditure to assess affordability rather than credit ratings, and took several references. Do you have anyone that could act as guarantor?

Nobody and I don’t have references either! Bloody hell, I’ll be on the streets at this rate!

References we gave weren't from previous landlords as we'd been overseas - just people who could confirm our good character sbs honesty so I used on old boss and my friends dad who is a rotation and well known local business owner - there must be someone! You will find something OP, it'll just take longer than if you had good credit

Thanks

Hi Op, I was in a very similar situation years ago when I split from my ex. Most letting agencies will accept you with a CCJ if you have a guarantor. Do you have parents or other family member who would be prepared to do this for you?

Alternatively, they may accept you if you can pay 6 months rent in advance.

Otherwise, you can speak to the housing team at your local council or Shelter for advice .

Sorry, just seen you said there's no one who can act as guarantor.

Thanks violet, parents aren’t around unfortunately. I think I’d be laughed out of my local council as my income is actually good, it’s just my credit!

Can you offer a higher deposit? Don’t move until you have soldiers your house or have part of your equity firm being brought out by your ex.

I had bad credit due to my ex not paying our council tax which was in joint names. My landlady took 3 months deposit instead of 1.5. Initially she asked for 6 which I couldn’t afford, but we settled on 3 as she liked my family and wanted to help.

This was through an agency but a small one not a chain and I asked to meet the landlord at the viewings as had had dealings with landlords previously which if I had met them in advance I would not have rented their property.

Five years later even though I’m still paying off debt so still a rubbish credit history I would now have a reference from my landlady to say that I have paid early every month. (I get paid on the 26th and rent due 1st, so I usually pay by the 28th just to get it Out of my account)

Have you paid off the CCJ? You can get a certificate of satisfaction from the court if so, then the CCJ doesn't show as unpaid.