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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can I make myself more desirable to landlords?

84 replies

Hulke · 15/12/2022 13:43

I've been viewing houses recently but seem to be having no luck. I'm moving because landlord is putting the rent up (I don't mention this). I seem to view houses but don't get offered them, they go to someone else, I suspect because I'm a single mother, and others earn more than me (I'm on 34.6k a year so not a low wage but not as much as a couple would ordinarily earn). Is there anything I can say or do to make myself seem more desirable to a landlord? I'm looking for long term as have applied to schools in the area so this might help. But keep getting knocked back. I have good credit and references, always payed rent on time etc. Any advice?

OP posts:
Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 13:45

*paid! Not payed. Can't stand my own spelling mistakes 😅

OP posts:
viques · 15/12/2022 13:48

Connections to the locality as you say, eg child in school or nursery, other local connections such as church membership or family close by, good reference from a previous landlord, no pets. Take photographs of your present home, or invite new landlord to visit to see how you keep the property - not a nice thing to have to do, but if you are desperate.

Untitledsquatboulder · 15/12/2022 13:56

How old is your child(ren)? Some landlords will avoid letting to families with tiny children due to noise/potential damage (esp if you are looking at flats). Not much you can do about that though, except emphasise that they'll be out all day.

Tbh though nothing you've written would put me off.

Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 13:57

Untitledsquatboulder · 15/12/2022 13:56

How old is your child(ren)? Some landlords will avoid letting to families with tiny children due to noise/potential damage (esp if you are looking at flats). Not much you can do about that though, except emphasise that they'll be out all day.

Tbh though nothing you've written would put me off.

He's just turned 4, though has never damaged anywhere before and I have good references!

OP posts:
Dancingdragonhiddentiger · 15/12/2022 13:58

Wear a really smart suit. I had this issue as a student and decided as an experiment to go wearing a suit and got offered the flat. I didn’t lie about my circumstances or anything and both times I had a guarantor. It was just first impressions.

caringcarer · 15/12/2022 13:59

I am a LL and I do prioritise couples if both are working because it means less risk to me eg if one loses their job the other still working so more likely rent will still be paid. However I do look at reference from previous LL stating all rent paid on time and if any problems with property LL notified immediately. The quicker any problem reported the less it tend to cost to fix. Could you get me a guarantor? I know everyone can't get one but I would accept a guarantor for a single parent who was working. I have a waiting list and no longer advertise any empty house. My tenants often ask if a family member or friends can go on my waiting list because I have 8 houses to let but in reality one rarely becomes empty. I have some tenants who have stayed with me for 12 years and their children born in the house. I put up tent each year by a small amount linked to inflation. Most years it has been about £7.50 but this year it will be higher.

Kentlassie · 15/12/2022 13:59

Nothing you’ve written would put me off. Could you offer to meet the landlord? We met a prospect tenant who was unemployed/ used housing benefits to pay the rent. We liked him and his son (single dad) and he was a model tenant. We now use an agency to manage the property and the agency always advise against riskier tenants, so if you can get to the landlord directly that might help.

Dancingdragonhiddentiger · 15/12/2022 14:00

Oh and (again ridiculous) but use your child’s full name. Discuss their “education” rather than school and look like you’re sizing it up for suitability from a long list of potential places.

Kentlassie · 15/12/2022 14:00

PS agree with pp about a guarantor. Tenant I mentioned also paid 6 months upfront.

caringcarer · 15/12/2022 14:01

I don't mind pets as I have 2 dogs and 2 cats myself so can hardly refuse tenants a pet.

Hopeyoursproutsarealreadyon · 15/12/2022 14:01

We got a reference off current landlord. Even self employed they took that without a guarantor!

tabulahrasa · 15/12/2022 14:03

It’ll be a waste of time wearing a suit or saying education instead of school if it’s a letting agency btw.

I literally just get a list of people who have applied - with jobs, salary and a really brief description of any other circumstances.

Mintleafcocktail · 15/12/2022 14:04

I used to be an accidental landlord (was left a house from my elderly nan). I had no issue renting to those with young kids. I rented to a woman who was married who then split up with him (had two young kids) and came to me and said she was going on benefits and did I mind carrying on renting to her considering she was a single mum now on benefits. I told her of course not that I understood everyone goes through rough times and wished her well. All ended well- she eventually met a really good guy and ended up getting a well paid job. What impressed me about her was her honesty and candour about her situation and she loved my nan's house and treated it well. I would be honest with people about how you feel and lay your cards on the table- maybe even write them a letter. People respond well to honesty and they do understand that life sometimes has its ups and downs. Try it.

Flamingogirl08 · 15/12/2022 14:05

Its shit, but I would put my money on the fact that you have a little one

dreamingofsun · 15/12/2022 14:18

Do you have documents showing your credit rating that you can share with LL? Will you be getting benefits to help pay the rent (if not i would state you arent as some mortgages preclude tenants on benefits and some tenants keep the UC element and dont pass to LL).

How long have you been in your current job? Is it in a sector where you are unlikely to be made redundant?

Basically I want a tenant who isnt going to trash the place and will pay rent on time. I dont care if you have children (means you probably wont party too often). If you dont pay rent and trash the place i want to be able to do an attachment to earnings, so a decent long term job makes this easier.

Thefriendlyone · 15/12/2022 14:20

It’s not the child, most houses will have families applying. Landlords would be fucked if they refused to rent houses to families.

it is likely the single income and could,also be about time in role.

Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 14:27

Thefriendlyone · 15/12/2022 14:20

It’s not the child, most houses will have families applying. Landlords would be fucked if they refused to rent houses to families.

it is likely the single income and could,also be about time in role.

If this is the case I'm screwed as stsrted my new job on Monday....

OP posts:
lifehappens12 · 15/12/2022 14:27

What type of work do you do and how stable is your employment? Last time I rented (before we had children) I spoke to the agent and gave them a potted summary of what I do and how longed I had worked there to give a sense of stability.

At the time I didn't have a long rental history (had moved from owned with my husband to rent on my own) so wanted to show I was financially stable

Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 14:31

lifehappens12 · 15/12/2022 14:27

What type of work do you do and how stable is your employment? Last time I rented (before we had children) I spoke to the agent and gave them a potted summary of what I do and how longed I had worked there to give a sense of stability.

At the time I didn't have a long rental history (had moved from owned with my husband to rent on my own) so wanted to show I was financially stable

I work for a domestic abuse charity and it's a permanent post.

OP posts:
dreamingofsun · 15/12/2022 14:39

starting your new job last monday would be a major red flag for me. sorry. it means you are still in a probationary period - so could either lose your job or you might move on easily and make it hard for me to track you down. sorry but once someone has had a really bad tenant it makes you very suspicious, which i know is very unfair to the 99% decent people.

dreamingofsun · 15/12/2022 14:44

have you stayed in previous jobs a long time? that might help soften any concerns about my previous post.

Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 14:44

dreamingofsun · 15/12/2022 14:39

starting your new job last monday would be a major red flag for me. sorry. it means you are still in a probationary period - so could either lose your job or you might move on easily and make it hard for me to track you down. sorry but once someone has had a really bad tenant it makes you very suspicious, which i know is very unfair to the 99% decent people.

Hence why I'm probably going to be evicted before anyone will even think of letting to me 😭 I hate it. I can afford my rent. I pay on time. My son is really lovely and has never damaged any of the landlords property. I am super clean. A good neighbour. Etc etc

OP posts:
EndlessRain1 · 15/12/2022 14:44

We rent out our old house, we are landlords by default rather than commercially really, so I am not sure it'll be the same, but what we have always looked for is someone (1) who we think will stick around for a while (so the school thing would be relevant, or expressing yo are looking for a long term let, perhaps even offering to commit to a longer fixed term) as readvertising etc is expensive and a hassle and (2) someone we think will look after the place/ not cause too much trouble (so pay on time, not do loads of damage etc). I guess the second you can prove with a reference, but not sure you ever get that far.

Original poster
Hulke · 15/12/2022 14:45

The only other thing I can think of is that I already live on the street of the house I would like to move to. I already know all the neighbours. Have a car permit etc. Can see the school I want me son to go to from my house. Just not holding out hope...

OP posts:
Dotjones · 15/12/2022 14:45

Think about what landlords want from a tenant. I've never been one but I guess the main things are

  • They'll pay rent on time
  • They won't trash the place
  • They won't annoy the neighbours

To be the best candidate you have to be the one that most closely seems to meet this criteria. I think your main problems are having a child (risk of trashing the place and annoying neighbours) and being a single income person, who has recently started a new job.

There's not much you can do about any of these things in the immediate term, so your only real option is to offer to pay a higher rent than other people are willing to pay. That way the landlord will at least know that if the tenancy goes tits-up a few months in they'll have made enough profit out of you to cover the downtime whilst you're evicted and they remedy any damage before they find a new tenant.