Letting agents, is this legal?

[Ballcactus]

Any answers appreciated on this…

Private rental market is obscene and just getting worse at the moment, houses being snapped up immediately and rent sky high. It’s looking like in order to stay in the area we are settled we’re going to need to rent a 2 bed rather than a 3, as the rent has gone up so much (not in a posh area either)

when trying to book viewings the letting agents are asking who the house is for, I tell them (me, husband two small kids 7 & 1) they then refuse to let us view it, as they say we can only rent a 3 bedroom.

Are they legally allowed to do this? My kids are small enough to share under council rules?

nb: council list is huge we wouldn’t get a place unless homeless, there are no private landlords to go to directly, we’re trying to save up to buy but not looking likely anytime soon- increases in rent have decimated our saving capabilities.

thank you

I'm afraid it is legal for them to refuse to let to you if they consider the property to be unsuitable.

I’d forget to mention the kids. You fully intend them to stay at boarding school/grandparents/extended family.

That’s the issue though isn’t it, their consideration. Each house has been plenty big enough for the kids to share and not be overcrowded.

You have to declare everyone otherwise they can boot you out for lying

Sadly entirely legal, just like 3 bed homes can be advertised with "no children" clauses when perfectly designed for families.

We'll be in this situation if our landlord wants us out. We're at the ceiling of what we can afford which is luckily 3 bedrooms but the local market is now pricing 2 bedrooms (the 2nd not being a full sized room either) at the same price. There's no way we can afford the extra £300/£400 a month elsewhere.

Might be worth contacting council housing anyway. They may have private landlords they deal with who can help you out. I know a couple of people who have secured private tenancies through council contact. The rent is still at private rates, but at least you might get housed.

Best of luck.

I'd declare 1 child & 1 baby who will be in with us for a minimum of 2 years.

best of luck!

Thanks everyone! It’s so wrong isn’t it…

we have also been stung by the no children thing, he let us move in when I was pregnant then made us move out when the baby was born. Arsehole.

might have to go the down the co-sleeping lie route… or claim homelessness and go into a b&b but I can’t let my brain go there yet 😫

We went after a 5 bedroom house. We weren't allowed to have 4 dc on it apparently..