Aibu to just want a home for me and my dc!?

[chubbycake]

Looking for a rental property for me (38 year old woman) and two dc (3 and 6) I work full time self employed and we get a UC top up. Total income £32k. We come from rental properties with no black marks.

We are leaving because my soon to be ex husband is an abusive horrible man.

NO ONE will rent to us in our area. They say I have to earn at least 30x the annual rent (which would be on average 39k) They all make excuses to avoid being discriminatory but one of the lettings agents claimed a property was not suitable for children as it had stairs… 😩

Private landlords are pretty much non existent.

I’m really struggling. What do single parents do? I have offered a guarantor and I have money ready for a deposit too!

Yikes. My guarantor would be my parents, but they are retired. Would they not be suitable in that case?

I think a guarantor must be in full time employment

If they have the financial means to pay rent that might also be accepted.

OP please speak to housing. You need a homeless assessment and you need to disclose and be ID'd as a victim of domestic abuse. But stress you cannot stay there. Get a letter from your brother in law if necessary. You need them to find you homeless and give you extra priority on your housing application ASAP. Then you.might get some success if you're only 100 down the list with no priority at all.

If you are wanting help with finding a private rent they do offer bond schemes and know LLS who will accept people who want to rent and will accept the council bond.

Update : I have spoken to womens aid and also a local DV charity who have sign posted me to a council housing rep. I have left them a voicemail and sent an email explaining my predicament. Hopefully something will come from this.

Well done @chubbycake 👏fingers crossed for a positive outcome for you.

I briefly got my hopes up today when I saw I was in position 1 for a council house... but quickly dropped to position 2.

Ah well, we keep going.

You never know tho! You might still get it. My sister was number 8 and was offered a property.

Good luck.

Sorry! Didn’t see this until now. They can still be your guarantor if retired (particularly if they own their own home) but they’d still need to meet the thresholds with a combination of savings/pension income which is a big ask given the multiples. Agents also vary as to whether they’ll accept multiple guarantors per tenant, or need it to be a single one.Guarantors can can also qualify if they have significant savings.

Hi, Just thought I’d come back and update this thread because we are getting absolutely nowhere and I’m feeling very disheartened.
No one will rent to me, and the rents I am finding are going to be only just affordable. I have an appointment to view one with a private landlord on Saturday (my first viewing i’ve been able to secure!) but its expensive and would leave me about £200 a month to live on after all outgoings are considered.
I’m honestly considering staying with my husband until we can get a social housing property.

I'm sorry to hear this. Would a refuse be of use, if you went there surely you might qualify for some temporary accommodation? maybe contact somewhere like Woman's aid. Kind thoughts

Hey, sorry you're having such a tough time. Is there anyone who could act as a guarantor for you? As that may make landlords more willing to rent to you. That's what I've ended up doing, although it doesn't solve the problem of extortionate private rents.

Hang in there, sorry it's so shit.

My area is approx £2800 pm for a basic 2 bed flat. Areas vary tremendously.