Do landlords/letting agents need to know how many kids?

[brellas]

Ok I'm not going to go into my whole situation but it is pretty desperate!

I have 3 dcs and need to move ASAP. There is a 2 bed house right by my sons school which would be perfect. Also opposite the park and so close the dcs friends houses

We only need this house for 6 months, it's just a stop gap and nothing more. It's cheap and the money we would save would be great also.

Youngest dc is just a baby so doesn't need his own room yet.

Ideally the dcs in one room and me and dh in another OR....if the bedrooms are tiny then I'd even get a sofa bed for the living room and me and dh could sleep down stairs.

The house is small but it's for 6 months and exactly what we need.

The ad says short term let is fine.

My question is, do you have to say how many children are living in a property?

I'm only asking as i rang up about another 2 bed last week which was much more expensive and not really the right location but we got told we couldn't look at it as I told them we had 3 dcs and they said the property was too small.

Can I just say I have 1/2 dcs and miss one out?!?!

I would not volunteer any information. Say it is for you and dh and your children. If they ask how many children say two, and think of it in your head as two plus baby.

I don’t think so, I know a family of 5 living in a one bedroom, I assumed they kept it quiet

@Coralfish yes that's what I'm thinking as even now, the baby is in our room and we have a 4 bed so he could have his own room.

I'll just say 2 kids and hope for the best!

No as they will never check anyway and they won't be named on any contract.

What Coral said. 2 plus baby.

@TantricTwist thank you! That was my thinking too, I've rented for years on and off and never once had anyone check up on us

Keep quiet ime. We looked at a 5 bed and apparently 5 dc were too many!

You would be putting the landlord in a difficult position as it is overcrowded. They may get in trouble with the council.

I'm a LL and in your circs would keep quiet.

I worked in accounts in a lettings agency years ago and it's not something they are bothered about or ever look into.

Keep quiet! My neighbour rented out his flat and turned away a single mum with a teenager as he felt the flat was too small.

As a landlord I’d want to know because it will impact the level of wear and tear on the property.

They may ask, up to you if you lie, they don't need to know though. It's not like you're saying you don't have any. But definitely don't say anything unless asked, or until you've decided you v want it.

We got asked if we were considering children in the affordability check, which i didn't think they could ask.

Not that I’m aware of. What would happen if a couple move in with one child then end up having twins shortly after? Could happen.

Could you word it in a specific way that's truthful but not fully explanatory. "We have two children that share a bedroom" and leave it at that? Might sound better to the LL?

And only if they ask!

Two children sharing a room and a baby in with mum and dad isn't going to impact on additional wear and tear for six months... Hence deposits anyway

Two kids sharing a room is hardly unusual, nor is a baby sleeping in a room with its parents. For 6 months I would keep quiet, a long term situation would be a different story.

My parents are ex landlords and they wouldn't have a problem.

popcorndiva

That is complete nonsense! Why come on a thread and spout total rubbish?

As a LL I would need to know because my local council is extremely vigilant on overcrowding.
If I was caught with more in the property than is legally allowed I would get an immediate £350 fine and maybe a conviction that could result in my ability to let property ending.
A LL could take you to court for possession under ground 17 of Section 8 of the Housing act 1988

I'm a LL and the letting agreement states "Mr & Mrs X + 2 children".

I have no idea whether my agent has ever counted the children, nor do I care. What I do care about is that the rent is paid on time and after every visit, the agent reports that the property is being maintained in a clean and tidy condition with no sign of damage. They are dream tenants.

If they in fact have 15 children and are overcrowded, that's between them and the council. I have not knowingly let to them on that basis, so I don't see why I should be in trouble with the council over it.

For my part, whenever the agent rings up and says "the tenant reports X is broken, shall I send a contractor to fix it" I always say yes. In fact I said yes once when the boiler was on the blink, even though the tenant was behind with the rent, because there were young children in the house and it was the depths of winter. Not the children's fault that their parents were cf'ers who diddled us out of thousands.

Pay the rent. Look after the house. You'll be fine.

Overcrowding depends on the age of the children. My understanding is that children under 1 don’t count for overcrowding and children under 10 count has half a person. Also it’s based on the number of rooms available for sleeping not the number of bedrooms so in some cases living rooms can be counted.

I am a LL and I would be fine renting to you.

That is complete nonsense! Why come on a thread and spout total rubbish? I suspect someone doesn't live in an area with LL licensing!

Having said that, if you really are only going to be there 6 months then yes, fudge a little!

I'm a LL. It all depends on your area but in your position I'd keep quiet and go with your current plan.

Well I made the call to the letting agent and asked for a viewing. She asked if I had children and I said yes..but she didn't ask how many!

She did say the property is small and may not be suitable for children. I said it would only be for 6 months and we spend a lot of the time out and do stay at my dads quite often on weekends - which is true. All we would do is sleep there and spend as much time going out as possible as I know it will be small and crowded and probably drive me insane at times!

She said she would speak to the landlord and call me back.

The property as actually been vacant for 6 months (can't believe I didn't realise as I do go past it at least 4 times a day!) so keeping fingers crossed 🤞🏻

When I asked my old ll about occupancy he said if more than x amount then the house has to have an extra emergency exit. Another door or fire exit window.
That's why they need to know. 1 extra baby won't matter op!

Sounds like the LL have already stated they don't want DC if she's already using the excuse of 'it's too small for DC' and 'I'll speak to the LL first'.

fingers crossed though.