Renting

[Twogirlsonemom]

Am i being unreasonable to be disgusted in the renting prices? I really dont want to private rent as they are charging way too much..... i am waiting for a council property, although i am getting fed up with waiting. I just dont know how ill realistically afford to private rent and i definitely can't afford to buy. What can i do apart from actually really consider private renting and struggling to get through each month. I have private rented before but was struggling so i am currently living with my parents and 2 small children. I just really want my own space to bring up my kids without having to worry about getting rent paid.

In 8 years I have paid my landlord 60000 that it over half the cost of a house here and the only repair was to fix boiler we have paid for the rest as he takes ages to sort i can afford to save as my rent is to high the council won't house me as I am upto date with rent the system sucks

HeyHoLetsGoAgain@ thank you.

Stay at your parents and keep bidding on the choice based letting system. If you move into private rent you'll be classed as adequately housed and you'll never get a council property.

@TheSunIsStillShining

not unreasonable to be disgusted by rental prices. But on the other hand I'm a bit baffled that you honestly think that council flat is your best option. I pay fuckloads for private renting, pay another fuckload for taxes (incl council tax) so you can get council flat? How is this fair?

The problem is that there is a real need for council flats, but so many ppl have abused the system (and I knew 2 personally who I am not willing to talk to any more) that now even me, the extra liberal person is up in arms as in f.off and don't try to live off my money.

You can go on the council list too if your not happy and you would like a council property like OP.

Are you over crowded at the moment OP? Can you get supporting letters from any where to help you get a higher priority. There’s some shitty comments on here.... I’m not sure why as OP said renting in general OP didn’t seem like they were having a dig a private LL at all.

Maybe you could try your local councillor.

I broadly agree that private housing costs (both to rent and buy) are too expensive. In relation to the average wage housing costs have increased a lot in recent times. It would take a huge amount of political pressure to change things though and bring back more affordable social housing.
It seems like things are very unforgiving for women with children who don’t stay in a relationship and maintain a career. I think a lot of us are one relationship breakdown away from being in your position.

If you are staying with your parents are you in a position to start saving for a deposit to buy somewhere?

It is hard to have sympathy for people who move from area they can afford to tent to live in London where everyone knows house prices/rental prices are astronomical. I live in a 4 bed detached with 2 bedroom and shower room loft extension but could not afford to buy 3 bed in London. The solution is simple move to an area you can afford the rent. Housing is far far cheaper in other large cities such as Birmingham or Manchester.

Rent is expensive wherever you live. We live in the southwest (and always have) and can't just move miles away. Our jobs are here, can't move and just hope a job turns up.

Housing costs in this country are ridiculous, whether you are renting or paying a mortgage, unless you bought a place years ago.

This is why I only have one child. We simply couldn't afford suitable housing with more than one child. We've waited 5 years, and now we're more financially stable, we're trying for another.

@caringcarer

It is hard to have sympathy for people who move from area they can afford to tent to live in London where everyone knows house prices/rental prices are astronomical. I live in a 4 bed detached with 2 bedroom and shower room loft extension but could not afford to buy 3 bed in London. The solution is simple move to an area you can afford the rent. Housing is far far cheaper in other large cities such as Birmingham or Manchester.

It’s bloody hard to just move though.

We did as we had no choice in the end. It was that or stay until we were evicted and end up in B&B accommodation for years on end (council waiting lists where we were were at years long). That was a ridiculous option when we had good, but just poorly paid local authority jobs.

It has affected our children and their education terribly. We were only able to do it as luckily Dh job was flexible enough to allow him to work from home - otherwise we’d have been in the situation of him having to find a new job here. Not such an easy feat as in this area, unemployment is high as it is such a cheap area.

We’ve had to leave everything behind. Not everyone can or wants to do that.

Moving to a cheaper area is not the simple solution it sounds either...

1. Who in the current climate wants to leave a job they already have in the hope of getting a job in the cheaper area.

1. Cheaper areas to live often pay lower wages. So if you’ve got a job in London paying say 60K, you wouldn’t get that same wage in the North West. So whilst you may find a cheaper property or rental your wages will be lower too, so it doesn’t necessarily equate to being any better off.

I rented when I was young, a flat in the NW it was 1 bedroom up 3 flights of stairs, rent was £336 per month. I bought my first house for 105K and monthly payments were £550. Ex and I split, he kept the house. I assumed I would easily buy again, and possibly may have were it not for being absolutely and utterly stuffed on a rental property. DH and I went through numerous checks to be allowed to rent this house, they wanted a guarantor which we couldn’t provide so agreed to pay 6 months upfront instead. 3 months in we were evicted, and not by the landlord but by the landlords mortgage company/bank. We had an hour to gather essentials and leave, I couldn’t believe it!!!. We had to live in a hotel until another rental could be found, so we had hotel costs and new moving costs all over again plus the lost rent which we had already paid upfront. We lost thousands!!! I saw several different solicitors all who advised that it wouldn’t be worth paying to be awarded the money back and that if the landlord was in such a position as to have had her property repossessed even if we were to win and be awarded we would likely end up not being paid as would not be considered a priority debt. So all of our savings gone (which we had been keeping and adding to for a house deposit) and then before we could renew our savings for a deposit there was a financial crash/recession and so this saw us trapped in the rental market for years. It’s just crazy that two working full time adults should struggle so much and sadly this is a struggle many face.

The system as it is is simply not sustainable and needs to change. It’s ridiculous that hard working people are unable to afford to live, how demoralising is that!!!

I am saving all that i can. I moved from south west back to the Midlands. Yes its alot cheaper here, although still pretty pricey, around 600 to 700 for a 2 bed in the area close to my parents, ive come to realise that that is just the way it is right now. To save for a deposit would be beyond ridiculous right now. Ive looked at whats available to me. You need a 20% deposit these days... There is help to buy but you still need around 12 thousand which would be 5% deposit with an equity loan on top, this would ensure you own all the property. Although you can do it cheaper by only part buying a house, lower 5% deposit with the equity loan on top. But then you have to pay a mortgage and rent on a house you only part own. Then after 5 years pay back the equity loan which increases in price every year you still owe it. I will save to get a private rented property, and in the mean time hope i mange to get a council house. This seems highly unlikely as the waiting list is vast. Financially that will be the best option. Lets face it, if you are in a situation where uou can save thousands of pounds, then go for it. Im just not right now. Maybe when the kids start school, ill be able to up my hours or get a better paid job.