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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to ask them to waive the need for a guarantor

313 replies

Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 22:14

So I have got myself into a bit of a sticky situation.

I have given my house up (due out on the 3rd August) and I’m currently staying with friends to enable me to save up to rent a bigger house as the one I had was far far too small for me and a baby- let alone all the things I need to for the baby.

I have found a house and applied for this and divulged that I am going on maternity leave in November and they have asked for a guarantor.
I’m assuming they have asked for this as I will be on reduced income and/or in receipt of universal credit for a period of time.

My problem is I have NONE to ask. My mum has an IVA and my dad is apply for his second mortgage and doesn’t want to get into golfed with it. Can’t ask my sisters or anyone else really.
Foolishly I didn’t think I would need a guarantor - it’s my first baby and thought it would be a simple straight forward process with the only obstacle being the raising of funds to get myself through the door.

Do I NEED a guarantor? I understand the reasons behind asking for one, of course, but I have an impeccable history of rental payments and household bills. I have got into a bit of difficulty with my council tax once but that was sorted within a month, but would this show on a credit check? Maybe? I don’t own my car so can’t even put that down as collateral.

Really at a loss as to what I can do now, any rental experts out there who can offer any advice? I’m not in a position pay a huge lump of rent upfront as I’ll just be able to get together the deposit and first month rent needed in time.

Any help is appreciated! Thank you

OP posts:
Candyfloff · 19/07/2019 22:52

@Tiredunicorn55 I suppose so. Not exactly the best time to learn those lessons when your 5 months pregnant and intentionally homeless though.

Original poster
Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 22:52

Sorry how can you assume I am in sarcasm mode? There is no emotion from a written message so sorry if you feel that way. I don’t need to think about putting my baby to sleep in a b&b thank you and if you only came to this post to be negative then please take yourself elsewhere as I stated I needed help and advice in my original post. Thank you

OP posts:
CellularBlanket · 19/07/2019 22:53

Can the baby's father not stand guarantor for a home for his child? Or at least put up the moeny for a sx motnh up front payment?

Piehunter · 19/07/2019 22:55

Pram in car, don't shut your bedroom door 😕 surely more sensible than paying deposit and first months rent up front 4 months before you go on maternity leave and will be scraping by, only just able to afford rent and food? Your housing UC won't cover all your rent if you're private renting, and anyone on benefits requires a guarantor, or months up front and that's if their mortgage company will even allow them to rent to you (90% of buy to let mortgages don't, was the last figure I saw). Some councils offer one property and then remove you, others will offer another but if you say no that's it. Depends on whether that's emergency.

Original poster
Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 22:58

The aestate agent has asked for someone who owns a property. I have emailed advising I will call into the office tomorrow for a chat about my circumstance and see if they can help me but I understand the reasons behind asking for one from a complete stranger who would be living in their property.

I can’t really do much about it now, it’s not that the house wasn’t good enough it wasn’t suitable for me a baby, awkward location for parking, overrun with woodlice amongst other things but it was far too small for me and a baby and I thought I was doing the right thing by getting a head start, never even crossed my mind about being intentionally homeless because it wasn’t intentional.

OP posts:
stucknoue · 19/07/2019 23:00

Most buy to let mortgages forbid tenants on benefits. However unfair it sounds they do it because default rates are much higher. You don't actually have a way of paying the mortgage after the first 6 weeks, it takes a while for benefits to kick in and it seems pretty irresponsible to a landlord to not have a way to pay - what about the father of the baby?

HeadintheiClouds · 19/07/2019 23:01

The fact that you can’t produce a guarantor kind of proves their point about you needing one, doesn’t it? Sorry to put the boot in, but they’re allowed to stipulate this.

SimplySteveRedux · 19/07/2019 23:05

and if I refused a house based on a location

In most areas you are allowed one refusal. A second can lead to you being unable to bid for 6-12 months.

Mummy0ftwo12 · 19/07/2019 23:06

Don't some councils do a guarantor scheme?

MitziK · 19/07/2019 23:07

I gave you genuine advice - ASK YOUR CURRENT LANDLORD TO GIVE YOU A NEW CONTRACT.

Because the alternatives aren't going to be anything you would like and you seemed completely oblivious to them (even before you posted about potentially turning your nose up at a property on a council estate - the phrase 'beggars can't be choosers' is completely relevant here).

UC cannot be relied upon. If you get paid your Maternity Pay early one month, such as on the Friday before your usual payday, you might not get a penny towards your rent. People who receive an element towards their housing costs are seen as financially unreliable through experience, so most landlords/letting agencies won't accept them. You've told them you are going to become one of the highest risk clients in a few months.

Of course, you could hold out for a free council house in a nice MC area and everything will be sunshine and rainbows, but I suspect you will be sorely disappointed, especially as you have made yourself intentionally homeless.

Reality sucks. But that's what you have to work with. You have fuck all money, will be getting even less, have deliberately deprived yourself of what the council will deem to have been perfectly suitable
accommodation and now have a record of failing a credit/affordability check.

I've suggested something that could avoid the consequences of your actions. I suggest you try it.

user1474894224 · 19/07/2019 23:08

The lady that was saying about the b&b wasn't trying to be rude. She was only trying to tell you that if you can't find somewhere, and if you are lucky enough that the council will help (and I do mean lucky because having chosen to leave the cottage does mean you have made yourself homeless) the likely outcome will be 1 room in a b&b with shared cooking facilities and bathrooms and many other people. You will look back on the 1 bed cottage and weep at what you gave up. You do what someone else said....keep the pram/pushchair in the car and cut back on all other equipment to fit your space....some where to sleep (Moses basket or crib) some where to eat. (high chair) somewhere to play (playmat/bouncer) the high chair folds flat for storage as does the playmat or bouncer. Go back and see if your original landlord has let out the cottage and see if you can get back in there. If not .....good luck.

astoria5 · 19/07/2019 23:08

You can ask by all means they might say it's not a problem. But rental property seems to be in high demand so if they have the option to go with someone who seems more suitable on paper they probably will.
Is there any way you could ask your old landlord for the property back ? Baby's are small and you might be in a better position once you are back to work off maternity. How long are you taking off ?

Original poster
Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 23:09

I don’t really see how I need one though. I’m capable of paying my rent up until I go on maternity and even when I go on maternity leave I have done a benefit calculator (approx figure, I know) and I know I will be okay. I understand what people are saying by scraping by but I know I will be able to meet this rental payment it’s not much more than I am paying now.

Don’t worry about sticking the boot in, I know I have messed up hence my opening line ‘got myself into a sticky situation’ as long as it’s not an intentional kick me whilst I’m down I’m happy to take the constructive criticism. Guess my options are to find a private landlord because I can’t stay in the house I have. Easy for people to say shut the door, do this, do that but it’s me who has to live there with the problems.

OP posts:
Antigonads · 19/07/2019 23:09

Can the baby's father not help?

And what a lot of stuff you have already for the baby. Where are you going to store it when staying with friends?

HeadintheiClouds · 19/07/2019 23:11

You need one because the landlord will ask for one. You may know you wouldn’t dream of reneging on the rent; he does not.

Lockheart · 19/07/2019 23:13

Where is the baby's father? I am assuming that staying with him or asking him for help is not an option?

HeadintheiClouds · 19/07/2019 23:14

And stop buying so much stuff? Tiny babies really don’t need oceans of crap.

astoria5 · 19/07/2019 23:15

But benefits can't be relied on. There are posts on here daily from people saying they have been sanctioned for one reason or another. Also it can be a long process to actually get them.

astoria5 · 19/07/2019 23:17

How long are you planning to take for maternity leave ? You will obviously be in a more favourable position as far as landlords are concerned when you are back in full time work.

groundanchochillipowder · 19/07/2019 23:18

All you can do is ask but they are well within their rights to decline to rent to you. Wasn't really a well-thought out idea to give notice on your present lodging, tbh. Can you ask your LL if she/he will let you remain on a new contract? A lot of LL's won't have anything to do with tenants in receipt of UC, sadly. And depending on the council you can't really be choosy about location. Why is this child's father not paying for his child to have suitable housing?

Original poster
Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 23:20

I am aware if I don’t find a house and I am asked to leave where I am then I will be homeless mitzik. I don’t think it’s all sunshine and rainbows and I think you’re being very rude and it’s uncalled for. I know I have made a bad decision but you don’t need to post insinuating I’m an idiot for doing what I have done. Like I stated I thought I was doing the right thing. Why would I make myself intentionally homeless when I have a baby on the way? I wouldn’t. I thought I was making positive movements for my baby to be able to have a nicer house and a garden to play in and for him to have his own bedroom. No offence to anyone who has council properties but I didn’t want to take one even before I left my house because I don’t feel that I am in need of this personally and given the state of homelessness at the present time these homes can be put to better use than for someone to take one who could get a private rent or as I can save up money to move but like I said before, didn’t think it would present the problems it has.

OP posts:
el1zabeth · 19/07/2019 23:20

We let a married couple of nurses rent our house a few years back. Too long a story to go into, but because they didn't pass the credit check which was allegedly due to some mix up in their job change/wages being paid late, we asked them for a home-owner guarantor. They had nobody to ask, so against my better judgement, and because my husband had 'a good feeling about them' we let them move in. 12 months later they eventually left (we gave them notice to go) owing us god knows how much in rent and the house in the filthiest state you can imagine. Now we always insist on a guarantor - no exceptions, it's just too risky as we've been stung once with financial loss. Very sorry to OP but I too would be asking for guarantor and sadly if you can't get one, I wouldn't rent to you.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 19/07/2019 23:21

The benefit claim alone will be an issue for many landlords much less no guarantor. Lots of mortgages and insurance policies exclude benefit tenants.

A baby takes up little space, a one bedroom place would have been absolutely fine. They don’t need much equipment.

Original poster
Tiredunicorn55 · 19/07/2019 23:22

I don’t have loads of stuff. I have the bare minimum due to being unable to store this. Moses basket electric breast pump bottles and steriliser a pram. My sister has some other things. Haven’t bought any nappies or anything yet but where would I put them? You don’t understand house small my house is. Can’t swing a cat

OP posts:
MyOtherProfile · 19/07/2019 23:23

I was involved in a mother and baby hostel for a while and the mothers there had one room for them and their babies. If you can't fit in a 1 bed house with a baby maybe you need to have a look at your stuff, get rid of some and ask the landlord to let you stay. Babies really don't need much stuff. I pine for the days when mine were babies and didn't fill the house with clutter.