Renting - Credit Check

[SillyBillyyy]

I’ve always paid my rent but my credit history is awful, with recent CCJs, lots of missed payments on stuff. I would like to move house as my house is two small now but it worries me about the credit check letting agents do. Is there any point in me applying?

And when I say my credit is awful, I literally can’t get excepted for ANYTHING that requires a credit check, mobile phone, high interest credit card etc
Thanks

Thanks everyone
Do all private landlords do a credit check?

I managed to rent with bad credit but it was loans and credit cards rather than CCJs. I was also upfront and offered a guarantor. My current flat said I passed the check (by that point my debts were all paid off via a debt management plan) but my previous flat had a guarantor. I had never ever not paid rent anywhere I’d lived.

With CCJs and recent missed payments honestly you really will struggle, especially now when evictions are so difficult, LLs won’t want to take the risk.

I think your best option is to stay where you are and work at sorting your credit out, not move to somewhere bigger and more expensive

I agree with @Brighterthansunflowers - instead of trying to move somewhere bigger (and more expensive) talk to a debt agency about trying to sort out the current issues, instead of trying to move. The debt and CCJ's are current, this isn't historical debt (or at least that's what it sounds like) get on to an organisation which can help to talk to debtors, organise interest freezes if possible and try to sort this out first.

I'm not sure. A while ago we were renting and had (and passed) a credit check prior to getting the keys. Anyway a few months later it came to light that someone had fraudulently taken out shit loads of credit it our name resulting in 6 ccjs.

So either the letting agent lied to the landlord and didn't really credit check us. Or they did but the landlord didn't care?

@SillyBillyyy

Thanks everyone Do all private landlords do a credit check?

Not all! Sme are daft enough not to do them, maybe not all of the other checks too!

They are often the ones that are unaware of all the rules and regs, like smoke alarms, proper deposits etc etc.

They are as poor a bet for you as you would be for many landlords.

Focus on sorting your credit rating now. If it is as poor as you say you won't get passed the first check anyone does.

And when I say my credit is awful, I literally can’t get excepted for ANYTHING that requires a credit check, mobile phone, high interest credit card etc

You are being excepted from anything that involves a credit check. You are not being accepted for anything that involves a credit check. You need to talk to letting agents and landlords directly, and be clear about what you mean, otherwise they might think you have misled them.

You could possibly rent with a guarantor. I know some letting agents try to help everyone.

What's happening with the CCJ's? Have you arranged payments on them?

Your income on paper could be enough to manage the rent but less so if you have lots of CCJ payments to make.

Most private LL's do do credit checks especially in the current climate.

Have you looked into housing associations or LA housing?

@MaskingForIt

And when I say my credit is awful, I literally can’t get excepted for ANYTHING that requires a credit check, mobile phone, high interest credit card etc

You are being excepted from anything that involves a credit check. You are not being accepted for anything that involves a credit check. You need to talk to letting agents and landlords directly, and be clear about what you mean, otherwise they might think you have misled them.

I meant the word accepted not excepted

If there's no one who would act as a guarantor for you, I suggest renting from a LL who doesn't use an agent. TBF it would be a poor idea for any landlord ever to take on a tenant with such a poor credit history, so your best bet is to find a LL who doesn't realise that. Some LLs who don't use agents will do a credit check and some won't. Maybe offer up proof of income and a reference from your current LL at an early stage, hoping it won't occur to the prospective LL to look any deeper.

Such a landlord is likely to be amateurish, so check first that they appear to be maintaining the property to a reasonable standard. Once you've signed the agreement, make sure they have put your deposit in a deposit protection scheme and had the gas and electrical inspections done. (DPS, gas and electric inspections are things you can sort out after you've secured the tenancy - because there are serious penalties for failure to comply, once you've brought it to their attention, I'd expect the LL to scramble to comply!)