Any estate agents here? So upset I don't know what to do.

[Nixpix1]

I'm so upset I can't tell you guys how I feel. I have 3 children and I live in a mice infested place. We see them quite often. Since being here my children and I have been ill time after time and suffering for a lot of itching and rashes stomach aches.

We gave notice and need to leave in a few weeks but we have been unable to find a landlord who will rent to us as we have housing allowance coming it. We don't need to admit we have received it according to the council but we can't hide it as it's on the bank statements.

I understand that there are some awful dss tenants but I'm not one of them. I've even offered guarantors references from estate agents and landlord from previous properties but to no avail. I pay my rent on time and keep my house tidy.

I don't know what to do. I have 2 weeks before I have to move out and I'm scared I'll be homeless.
Does anyone know what to do?

Thanks for reading

That’s shit of your parents. It sounds as if you could do with the help. I do understand your brother more tbh. I had tenants with a guarantor. They had 2 young children. Neither lost their job but just stopped paying for an unknown reason and the woman’s parents legally had to pay - was through a letting agent. The agent only told me after they missed 3 payments that the parents had paid the 3 months rent over the course of a year and were hounding them for the fourth. It was an awful situation. I felt really bad for the parents and the children. I immediately got the letting agent to talk to the parents. They agreed to house them and I then served notice. I expect the parents were angry with me as the ll but I honestly didn’t know.

Unless your brother is seriously well off, I wouldn’t hold this too much against him.

Poor you, I can't believe your parents won't help you, when they own four properties that they let out. They should give you a deposit so you could own your own house, rather than having to rent crap places. I think the whole rental sector needs a thorough overhaul and we need to have a system in place like Germany, which is much more aligned to the needs of the renters rather than parasitic landlords. We're only storing up trouble for the future, as goodness knows what the housing benefit bill will be in about thirty years time when renters retire. I would try your parents again and explain the dire straits you are in.

“Try to find a private landlord via gumtree, local paper etc than using an agency.”

Please don’t waste everyone’s time and lie, thinking once they meet you they will change their mind, etc.

I was an independent landlord (before I sold) and stopped advertising via gumtree due to so many time wasters who knew they couldn’t pass a credit check with an estate agency but thought an independent landlord was too naive to require one. Tenants complain about estate agents charging a fortune... they charge landlords a fortune too. I didn’t want to use them. But was forced to in the end because anyone who could pass a credit check went through an agency.

Your painting everyone with the same brush. This is where the problem is, a few bad fish ruin it for everyone and most landlords don't realise that they letting go of some really good tenants.

I'll have you know that we have great credit history so if I were to be checked I'd be fine.

what is the epc on this place?

Low d

Why can't you just get rid of the mice?

If you don't disclose you are receiving benefits you will get done for fraud....also some land lords insurance won't cover benefits tenants so if something happens you are fucked. You need to go to the council.

I am guarantor for my son to rent a flat for his third year at uni - I had to give them three months bank statements, three months playslips plus employer reference.

When I moved my mortgage last year they went through my bank statements for the previous 5 months with a fine toothcomb asking what each payment/DD was for, would I be able to stop paying it for the mortgage to be paid - it was incredibly intrusive and uncomfortable but I had to go through it

epc d means still legal to rent. Not sure if that is good news...

I'm a landlord and rent without an agent ask to see bank statements as I want to see that people manage their money.

Try gumtree, open rent, upad, spare room and facebook as landlords advertise direct on those. I'm sure there will be similar websites that are London specific too.

Best thing to get rid of mice is a cat or dog like terrier.

Op l am a LL and my mortgages do not allow for any housing benefit tenants, most don't.

This does narrow your choices but if you do a thorough search you can find some LL who own their properties outright and can let to you.

I would be upfront about your situation to letting agents, say you are in reciept of housing benefit, offer references and even character references can help. A reference from previous LL is very important.

If you can prove rent has always been paid on time, and previous property has been well maintained, and you only aim at those properties whose LL take HB you should find somewhere much quicker.

Personally l feel the(very) old system of paying HB direct to the LL was so much better, no chance of defaulting on the rent, so LL were happy to rent to HB applicants as long as there were no mortgage restrictions.

Hope you find somewhere soon.

It may not be the same in all areas, but my local council is happy to pay HB direct to landlords as long as that is a condition of the tenancy and is spelt out in the agreement.

OP, do you have any savings? Some landlords are happy to accept tenants on HB, if they have a few months rent to pay upfront, in addition to the deposit.

Anyway, you should go on the council register and ask environmental health to advise about the mice and other problems. If your home is unsuitable because of its condition, you may be a higher priority than the the lowest.

Rashes can be caused by an allergic reaction to spores in mould that is caused by damp and/or condensation, so worth getting this checked out.