No DSS, No Smokers, No Pets

[JustAnotherPoster00]

Sick of seeing those 3 on every single house I look at, I'm disabled (mainly MH related) and I need to move but can't simply because of those

catam it doesn't matter HOW good a reference is. I am not going to breach the terms of my mortgage which stipulates no rental to persons in receipt of housing benefit

Anyone with a property to rent out wouldn't want complaints. And from what I've heard from other LL's ( we are buying a BTL property) most complaints are about their tenants children

You don't want the neighbours pissed off and on the phone constantly so I guess you have to do your best for a quiet life for all

The whole phrase is reminiscent of the shameful 'no dogs, no blacks, no Irish' stipulations of the 70s.

Basically if you're at all vulnerable, this country isn't interested

'Vulnerable' tenants usually translates to high maintenance problem tenants. What private LL needs the hassle? That's why the council house right to by scheme should never have been allowed to happen, or at least not without automatic replacement of the social housing stock. We have a collective social responsibility to make sure vulnerable people are housed, not an individual personal responsibility.

Yes but children are loud, if you get complaints over 'loudness' you tell the person to stop calling you. It's discrimination against children and especially mothers as they're more likely to be single parents than men and more likely to be in need of benefits

I'm in a similar position at the moment; long term disability benefits for past 6 years (as need a transplant etc) and have a small dog- who has pet insurance with additional accidental property damage with it and can provide excellent references for him- and have offered to pay for profession carpet cleaning at the end of tenancy even though most I've seen have no carpet downstairs anyway. But still no luck!! I'm 52, recently separated, don't drink/smoke/party, have an excellent credit history and have never been to police/court etc for anything in my life but stigmatised by the effects of programmes like Benefit St portraying benefit claimants as wasters who live like pigs! The majority of HB claimants statistically are working on a low wage, yet still ads say no HB, no pets, and yes no kids. Also being a Guarentor means earning at least £21Kp/y and preferably being a homeowner, which can be difficult to meet. With renting becoming a necessity for more and more people something really should be done to make it easier and fairer for renters And landlords in the circumstances given in responses as clearly not working right atm

It might seem unfair, but it's as a result of experience. When you've had a DSS tenant strip your house bare (kitchen units, fridge etc.) after not paying rent for 6 months, you'll understand why many LLs say this. It's happened to several people I know, and they've all said never again.

This happened to us when a tenant was claiming HB for several properties and it was only discovered after 2 years ... guess what the council wanted 2 years rent repaid, not by the tenant but by me!! We ended up negotiating an agreed amount to be repaid but it was a nightmare.

I didn't know that could happen until I read this thread. Now I know it I am amazed that anyone would risk knowingly taking a tenant on HB. It seems absolutely ludicrous - I can hardly believe it's true, but it obviously is.

And I'd love to buy but unfortunately our money goes on paying others' mortgages!

No it doesn't. It goes on paying the rent on the house you choose to live in.

The LL pays their own mortgage using money left over from your rent after their tax and other expenses are accounted for.

It's not quite the same thing.

Or perhaps your LL doesn't even have a mortgage - how would you necessarily know?

Are we equating smoking with a class drugs now ?

Er...cigarettes are a drug. A very addictive one at that.

Er...cigarettes are a drug. A very addictive one at that.

Also lethal. And smelly.

You might as well say that your money goes on the mortgage of any sole trader you deal with. Or on the mortgages of the shareholders of Tesco. Or of your employer.

The trouble is a hell of a lot of ex council houses are now in the hands of private land lords and are in areas where the elusive working couple with no kids and no pets wouldn't dream of spending £700 a month renting. So if HB tenants don't rent these holes who will ?

Pisssssedofff

If the LLs cannot rent except to HB tenants and get their fingers burnt I won't weep about it!

It's food for thought. I was house hunting last week via gumtree and private landlords and some of the shitholes for £750 a month were beyond belief. I now have a guarantor and a whole new world has opened up

I'm a landlord and I wouldn't rent to DSS, pets or smokers either, I'm afraid. There is a statistically higher risk of a property being trashed/rent arrears among DSS recipients than "working professionals". I'm fully aware that you cannot paint everyone with the same brush and for every DSS recipient who goes into rent arrears, there are many more than pay rent, treat the property well, just as there are professionals that make for less than ideal tenants but I just wouldn't be willing to take the chance. Even less so since I have started watching my guilty pleasure Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away.

I am a LL and I always say 'DSS considered, no smoking, pets considered'. I had a tenant with a teeny tiny dog who didn't cast that didn't bother me, and the DSS it depends on income.

However I draw the line at smokers after having one (who ininstructed to smoke outside) I spent a fortune repairing the yellow walls that were once magnolia, the scumbag had smoked in every single room including the bathroom

he scumbag had smoked in every single room including the bathroom

Scumbag??

Wow, just wow

I prefer letting to students rather than families tbh. They pay more, all have guarantor, pay up regularly etc. Last time I had HB tenants it cost me thousands to evict. Students leave at end of course

JustAnotherPoster, you don't think scumbag's a reasonable description? Pinky trusted them to smoke outside as requested. Instead they stank the place out (I would guess) and ruined the walls. How is that not scummy?

Just

He didn't pay last few months rent, smoked in all the rooms needing serious redecoration, broke several doors, left cocaine in the house which I had the call the police to remove, oh and did this to my shower tray (it's dirt, he never cleaned).
Managed to obtain a CCJ against him but doubt I'll ever see the money back (I'm out of pocket about £1500 including rent arrears and damages).

I think scumbag is being kind. Although I still think the smoking in every room warrants 'scumbag'. Sorry not sorry

Only on MN

Oh and left the fridge in a lovely state.

Sorry posted here in error and dont know how to remove it, please ignore!

LK2 have you been on the sauce?!