Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To be SO fed up with not having a home?!

97 replies

missyelloww · 29/04/2020 15:57

I'll keep this as short as possible but it has been a few years in the making!

DP and I lived in Cornwall when we found out we we're expecting DD. In December 2018 we moved in with DP's parents (approx 150 miles from Cornwall) temporarily as we wanted to be closer to family when DD was born. The plan was to wait until she was a few months old and then find somewhere of our own to rent.

We have now been looking for over a year and I am absolutely at my wits ends with the constant let-downs and rejections. Living with PIL has always been temporary (we thought we would be out by Christmas 2019 at the latest!) so we are crammed into one room with most of our belongings in the garage. Whilst I am so grateful that PIL are letting us stay here, we are all in need of a bit of space, and DP and I are so desperate to have a home of our own again. We must have enquired about hundreds of properties and gotten absolutely no where. Either they're already gone by the time we ring up or there are no agents to take us for a viewing.

We have put offers in on 4 out of the 5 properties we have managed to view, and they have all been turned down. 2 of those properties are still on the market 3 months later!

Since Covid we have stopped looking due to viewings being stopped (understandable, obviously!) On a whim, I looked on Rightmove yesterday afternoon. Found a beautiful property - well within our budget, exactly what we are looking for. It had only been added on Rightmove 12 hours before. Rang and asked about a virtual tour, and they said they would get back to us within 24 hours. We said that as long as we could have some more pictures of specific things we would happily put a deposit down without an in person viewing.

Just received a voicemail saying that as they can't do viewings the property has been taken off of the market until at least July. I am so frustrated! We are SO desperate to move, but it seems that no one wants to take our money?! Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Is there anyway we can make ourselves more appealing to landlords?

OP posts:

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 29/04/2020 16:00

The way I've always got a flat ahead of others was offering to pay more in rent. We viewed a two bed flat and there were twenty others, lots put offers in but we put an extra fifty a month and the landlord was impressed and offered it to us.

We've moved a fair few times, always offered slightly more and got every single flat we've put an offer on and always been competing in the London market.

ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 29/04/2020 16:05

We have put offers in on 4 out of the 5 properties we have managed to view, and they have all been turned down. 2 of those properties are still on the market 3 months later!

What do you mean by put on offers? Do you mean put in an application which was unsuccessful or do you mean you made an offer that wasn’t the rental rate they were asking?

Anyway if the houses are still available to rent apply for them again.

Original poster

missyelloww · 29/04/2020 16:09

What do you mean by put on offers? Do you mean put in an application which was unsuccessful or do you mean you made an offer that wasn’t the rental rate they were asking?

All of our offers have been the rate they were asking or above. We applied for a second time for 2 of the 4 and were turned down again.

OP posts:

iwampix · 29/04/2020 16:12

If your offering the asking price and being rejected could it be your credit rating? Or do you have pets? There must be something putting the landlord off?

enjoyingSun · 29/04/2020 16:15

Have you checked yoru credit rating has nothing amiss and that references if needed are reponding and positively?

Otherwise have you tried offering x months rent up front if you can - so it reduces the landlords risk.

ShyTown · 29/04/2020 16:15

What do you mean by ‘put in offers’? When we rented in London it was a case of just getting in there first to offer the advertised amount, sometimes even more. So if you’re offering lower then that’s probably why you haven’t been successful yet. We also once rented a flat without viewing it! We saw one we loved which went by the time we finished the viewing but they had another one in the building for rent with the same layout so we just went for it straight away. You have to be quick and not mess around.

2bazookas · 29/04/2020 16:18

if you moved 150 miles, does that mean you're not working?
Lots of landlords won't touch DSS with a bargepole, since DSS stopped paying rent direct to LL.

Grumpos · 29/04/2020 16:23

Could you ask for some genuine feedback from the agents? Assuming it’s going through a company? Or even if not, ask the landlords.

It sounds like there’s an issue, have you checked your credit rating? Is there a CCJ or unpaid debts / defaults etc.

If the places you wanted are still on the market then they’ve specifically turned YOU down.
There must be a reason(s). I think you need to ask.
People on here can give you all the rental tips in the world but if there’s specific reasons you are being turned away then only the people doing the rejecting can tell you what they are. It’s fine to ask why not.

Schuyler · 29/04/2020 16:23

Yep, I’m another one who is wondering what you mean by put in offers and then hopefully we can help a bit.

ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 29/04/2020 16:23

All of our offers have been the rate they were asking or above. We applied for a second time for 2 of the 4 and were turned down again.

Ah ok, thank you. I’ve never heard of putting in an offer for a rented property. It mustn’t be a thing where I am. Here everyone just applies via an application. It’s not a question of who can pay more rent.

ShyTown · 29/04/2020 16:24

X posted with you- clearly you’re not under offering so that’s not it. Could it be that your lack of rental history is a problem? Do you have poor credit? Are you on the electoral role at PILs? Are you low income/receiving benefits? Not sure if this applies to you but many mortgage providers won’t allow landlords to rent to tenants who get housing benefit.

ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 29/04/2020 16:25

I agree with asking the agents for feedback on what was the off putting factor.

Are you working? Have pets? Can offer 6 months up front?

ChandlerIsTheBestFriend · 29/04/2020 16:27

Could it be a problem with your guarantor?

Original poster

missyelloww · 29/04/2020 16:36

Will try not to miss out any questions -

We have not even got as far as a credit check yet! But our credit is fine, no CCJs etc. DP works FT and I work PT. We have offered guarantors, rent upfront, evidence of previous rent being paid on time and a reference from previous landlord. No pets.

What do you mean by ‘put in offers’? When we rented in London it was a case of just getting in there first to offer the advertised amount, sometimes even more.

Yes this was the same with our 2 previous flats in Cornwall, we got there first and were accepted straight away. Here it seems to be that the agents set up X amount of viewings, and then everyone who wants to puts in an offer. The landlord reviews them all and chooses to accept one or keep it on the market.

Asking the agents for feedback is a good idea!

OP posts:

Genevieva · 29/04/2020 16:42

The good news is that it hasn't been bought by anyone else and is likely still available. I can understand why they might have decided to hold off until July. I would be tempted to write to the actual owners. Say you expressed an interest with the estate agent, but they said it had been withdrawn because of the pandemic. Don't ask for anything of the owners. Just say you are interested, you are first time buyers (so no chain) and you would be grateful if they could let you know when they decide to put it back on the market. We bought our first house that way. It turned out the owners were really annoyed that the estate agent had told us it wasn't on the market at the moment because this was not the case - the estate agent was playing games.

FAQs · 29/04/2020 16:42

Do you have references you can provide? Really odd two are on the market post you applying, can you put a note in the door (post lock-down of course) or write to the owner via land registry details

Genevieva · 29/04/2020 16:44

Just really this is for renting not buying. That was so long ago for us that I can't help you.

PlanDeRaccordement · 29/04/2020 16:46

Are you sure you pass the affordability test? I think it is that your annual income must exceed 3x the annual rent.

mencken · 29/04/2020 16:47

how odd - you tick all the standard boxes for rental. Unless you smoke, you are ideal tenants!

six months rent upfront is actually a bad idea as that is a drug dealer tactic, and young couples are quite often the 'front' for that. But there should be no need given that you work, have good credit etc etc.

ReluctantHillCrester · 29/04/2020 16:47

Do you think they want to rent to local people? Your address is coming up as 150 mile away. Do they know that you were living in Cornwall.

It seems like a very weird system re getting several people to put in offers.

Could you pay 6 months rent upfront? Just wondering why you aren't being taken on.

Winter2020 · 29/04/2020 16:48

Do you live in a very expensive region? If you are both working and can afford to pay rent can't you try to buy a modest home with a mortgage? Have you managed to save towards a deposit while living with your in laws?

If your jobs are secure I would see if there is any chance of buying once lockdown eases. We might be facing recession/falling house prices so buyers will be in a strong position.

habibihabibi · 29/04/2020 16:48

Perhaps it's the baby. My lettting agent / management cimpany always promotes to young professionals. They says it is less bother wear and tear wise. Actually one tenant was in my flat for over 2 years and never once used the cooker. It still had polystrene and plastic on it when he moved out.

TheSheepofWallSt · 29/04/2020 16:50

Maybe they want to rent to locals? If you’re new to the area perhaps there’s a risk that you won’t like it and will move on?

DoneAdulting · 29/04/2020 16:52

Haven't you been able to save a deposit to buy a property whilst living with in laws?

Aquamarine1029 · 29/04/2020 16:54

Why don't you try to buy a house, not rent?

Flip

1 2 3 4