Rental properties - is this normal?

[vfb14]

Partner and I are looking to rent a place together in his town; he currently rents in the area, I own my home 4 hours away. New house is going to be mostly his, I'll be paying about 25% of the rent/bills and staying there about 10 days a month.

Which all sounds fine EXCEPT that the rental market in his town is mental. I check Rightmove every day...call or email agents...and they're not accepting viewings or the houses are already let every time. One went on this morning, I just called and was told they've already closed applications on it!

I have limited experience of the rental market - I helped my partner find his current home, and the one before that, and never had any of this, at that time (2 and 4 years ago respectively) it was a good 2 weeks between him spotting the property online, viewing and signing any paperwork. Now it seems to be happening in hours!

There are about 10 agents in his town; all also seem to be operating a fee system for applications (again, not a thing previously) where they want 150-200 for you to apply as a tenant, which they'll refund within 21 days if you're not successful. Again, is this a thing now?

If all of this is just how it is, how do we actually get a house we want? Clearly somehow others are getting in ahead of us - how do they do it?

At the moment I can't even get us a viewing on any other than 1 which we could go and see (but the agent has already warned me that applications are being made, so it might well be let before we've even seen it!)

but if you don't give details then how is the landlord supposed to know that you can afford to pay?

Given the massive demand for property at the moment there's no reason for a landlord to take a punt on someone without details.

Yes its intrusive, yes its annoying, yes it seems ridiculous that you need to bed over backwards to persuade someone to let you give them thousands of pounds but alas that is the current reality if you want to rent.

It's the advance disclosure that he objects to, having to reveal a lot of personal financial info to the agent which they will share with a landlord before we're even able to view a property (especially as on viewing it we might not want to proceed). In his last 2 tenancies my partner has just had to confirm who he's employed by (is his own company) and then paid 6 month's rent in advance. Some of these agents are talking about seeing tax returns etc!

But that's the sac reality of renting now in certain areas where the market is boiling.

If you don't do it then the agent won't let you know about places and you will be stuck.

Sad obviously!

OP your situation is nuts. If he pays X amount and the new property is Y amount, how is it a "compromise on living together" for you to pay the difference? He benefits from you being there too (because he wants you to be there, he likes you and enjoys your company) so why isn't the difference between X and Y being split between both of you instead of you paying all the extra?

With the rental situation, I don't know why but you're not listening. Post after post telling you what you need to do to secure a property and still you're banging on about Rightmove and other places property gets advertised. Why aren't you listening to all the people saying that by the time it's advertised its either too late or it's a problem property that fewer people want? Why are you judging how many properties an agent has, or how many they get rented in a week, on how many they're publicly advertising? Literally everyone has been telling you only the less desirable properties get advertised, so the amount advertised means absolutely nothing when it comes to obtaining a nice property.

Also think your partner needs to be the one dealing with this. Needs to be phoning the agents and viewing property immediately if there's anything suitable, as he's the one in the area and available to do this. If that means he has to take time off work to do this then so be it.

The way you're running round trying to organise this from a distance (and organised all his past ones!) I can see you back here in a few years, living with him, new baby, complaining that he never steps up and just leaves all the life admin and mental load to you. He can't even be bothered to rent his own homes FFS.

I'm beginning to wonder whether his apparent apathy and concern about disclosure etc is actually a stalling tactic

@vfb14

It's the advance disclosure that he objects to, having to reveal a lot of personal financial info to the agent which they will share with a landlord before we're even able to view a property (especially as on viewing it we might not want to proceed). In his last 2 tenancies my partner has just had to confirm who he's employed by (is his own company) and then paid 6 month's rent in advance. Some of these agents are talking about seeing tax returns etc!

And this - Why can't you see it from the landlord point of view? They've got eg 50 people interested in a property, they don't need to waste time showing it to someone who can't make the rent or who they'd never accept as a tenant. With eg 50 people interested it makes perfect sense to ensure the person you're showing round is someone who can afford the rent and is an acceptable tenant for you in advance of the viewing. They're weeding people out even before the viewings just because they can.

You and DP seem very stuck on wanting things to be how you want them to be and to hell with everyone else, but you seem unable to see that's it's only you and DP who are the ones suffering by taking that attitude towards the situation. The landlords and agents aren't suffering, they've plenty of more compliant people to rent to.

@vfb14

It's the advance disclosure that he objects to, having to reveal a lot of personal financial info to the agent which they will share with a landlord before we're even able to view a property (especially as on viewing it we might not want to proceed). In his last 2 tenancies my partner has just had to confirm who he's employed by (is his own company) and then paid 6 month's rent in advance. Some of these agents are talking about seeing tax returns etc!

You don't provide your tax returns/payslips to the landlord or the letting agent, it will be to a referencing agency who do credit checks. You might find it hard to rent a property if he isn't willing to provide proof of income although if he is offering to pay 6 months rent up front, some landlord's might agree.

I have taken on board what's been said about agents and I've said we'll go in to them in person to register which it seems has to be done in person and with a whole host of financial info; the soonest we can do that is next weekend.

My partner can view at short notice, but he is on calls most of the day so can't be phoning 10 agents a day, hence I've been looking on Rightmove. I accept some people are saying not all properties go on Rightmove or by the time they do other people have already got the jump on them, well the only way we can possible get in sooner is if we are registered with the agents and somehow get info earlier than on Rightmove.

Some posters and landlords have said they've found or let properties via other sources, hence I've responded to say that I will continue looking on those, but in the town we're looking in they're not very active.

In previous rental properties I was simply a sounding board for my partner; I'm good at identifying issues and problems, so when he viewed he asked me to come along and provide some input. That was the extent of my involvement, he arranged everything himself. This time as the move is for my benefit I'm more invested and happy to do some of the admin, albeit at present because there are no properties to view there's not much I can actually do.

My partner doesn't need to move, he could stay where he is, it's fair I pay the additional costs. It's not a huge sum, and I can afford it. And there's no need to worry about me coming back with a baby etc, we will not be having children. And I certainly don't do all his admin either, just this one thing which is for my benefit.

One other option is could you hire a desk in a shared workspace? Given as its only ten days a month?

The you could stay at his current place and see how it goes?

At least one of the agents said in their registration info to be accepted as a potential renter (even though they might not have any properties we're interested in, but we can't find out what they have til we're registered...Catch 22) that anyone registering had to confirm and evidence their income.

So not just for referencing!

Given that my partner had reservations about financial disclosure back when he was applying previously - which he avoided by paying 6m up front - I don't think it's a stalling tactic, he's just cautious about sharing his financial info with all and sundry.

@NewKitchen123
OP has clearly said that the reason he is moving is that there's not enough space for a couple.
I read this as if it wasn't for OP he would stay put

That's kinda bullshit though isn't it? I mean, does he want to live with his girlfriend or not? It's not like he's doing her a favour, he benefits from this too.

And OP this "not enough room for a couple" thing is bullshit too. If I wanted my partner to move into/stay over frequently at my home, I'd put into storage or sell some of my stuff to facilitate them having some room for their stuff. I wouldn't have them chasing around from a distance to rent me a larger home and having them pay the difference in rent. I question his commitment to your relationship.

Clearly the whole process is different to what you were both expecting and were used to. So you have been given loads of advice and clearly need to talk to him about next steps etc.

I think the main thing to realise that, given the current market, if you want to rent then that needs to be your number one priority in life until it is sorted. Need to treat it as a job and be really really proactive.

Maybe you could bothe agree a target date for your move to give you both a focus and a drive. At the moment there's no fixed deadline and thus no driving force, eg at least a week until you can go and see any agents

I rent out a house and never known the market to be as hot as it is now. Pre covid, my letting agent would always offer to list of potential tenants just before it was advertised and generally we had tenant secured that way. Post covid we advertised as they didn’t have a list of potentials (they had other requirements - flats etc) and had 10 viewings and 2 applications in less than a week, one of which now progressed to move in

I’d get in with the letting agent, abs talk to them daily to find properties before they are advertised as they’ll know when they’re coming in the market (from prev tennats moving out / work being done etc)

I already stay at his several nights a month, and it's ok but we are very much on top of each other and need a bigger place so we can spend more time together, so that it can feel more like a joint place than me stopping over at his house.

We plan to live together full time in a few more years, but as that involves me relocating I want to gradually spend more time in that area first, so I can be sure I can be happy there. And this move will allow that.

@vfb14

At least one of the agents said in their registration info to be accepted as a potential renter (even though they might not have any properties we're interested in, but we can't find out what they have til we're registered...Catch 22) that anyone registering had to confirm and evidence their income.

So not just for referencing!

Given that my partner had reservations about financial disclosure back when he was applying previously - which he avoided by paying 6m up front - I don't think it's a stalling tactic, he's just cautious about sharing his financial info with all and sundry.

You're still not getting it. They're referencing you in advance of showing you any property. In advance of even having any property to show you perhaps. This is their chosen system now. If you want to potentially rent a property from them, you have to get on board with their system and accept it.

As for the second part. Your partner is...odd...with this behaviour over his finances. Tons of people rent. Thy don't get ripped off somehow/robbed etc by providing evidence that they can afford the rent. His behaviour is another level of "cautious" that's well outside the norm.

Why is he so nervous about completing absolutely normal financial information forms?

Why would an agent, in a hot market, bother telling someone about a property let alone showing it unless they know that the individual can afford it

@AmberIsACertainty I get that you think I'm being taken for a ride here and my partner's getting all the benefit but honestly I'm not and he isn't.

In terms of putting things into storage, or getting rid of stuff, I can assure you he already lives a pretty minimal life - everything he has is online for ex, so no DVDs, CDs, computer games, books (all of which I have loads of at my own house) When he moved last everything he owned fitted inside a large transit, including white goods, tvs, furniture and so on. He's not surrounded by clutter his home is just quite small. I'm used to my own space, my house is quite a lot bigger, and I want us to have a place where there's room for a chest of drawers for my clothes, a table to eat at, a bath rather than just a shower. A chair as well as a sofa. Plus of course space to work.

A lot of the pre application info started when the social distancing restrictions were introduced last year. It was advised for the estate agents to restrict the number of viewings any why not make sure those few viewings were worthwhile.

You also don't need to register with local agents in person. If be surprised if their offices were open to public tbh. You can do it on the phone or online.

Probably a really obvious reason why not but given as you have the bigger place why doesn't he move and wfh at your place for a couple of weeks a month?

ah of course covid.

You might not be able to go in and see people in person now. You'll need to phone and register.

Plus even more reason for all tenants having to be preapproved .

His business is based in the area where he lives, also he has family commitments there. He does visit me at weekends and that will continue for the weekends I'm not at his, but he can't really work from here. The long term plan is for me to move to his area. It's also a much nicer place to live with a significantly better quality of life.

OK. In which case then I think setting yourselves a hard deadline and prioritising the move is your best plan.

Yes it is insane. I have been looking for 2 years we just want somewhere bigger with a garden. Viewed maybe 5 properties in that time. Most go before we can view - we had one viewing we went to and we were very happy with it- went to apply an hour after the viewing to be told it had gone.

Just wish people didn't blame women for not leaving or staying with or going back to violent partners when this is situation. I was told I was making excuses when said how hard to just rent private. Landlords don't want people on disability benefits look at amount of detail and personal information they want before you even allowed to view somewhere. Bad even if you have the money cos landlord allowed to be anyone can be fraudster or violent criminal and they want to see all your bank details and everything. Dangerous and wrong situation.