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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

As a single parent, have you ever dealt with prejudice when finding somewhere to rent?

23 replies

snorkmaidenmummy · 14/02/2012 18:46

Because that is the situation I have found myself in. I have rung countless letting agents/landlords for private properties being advertised and as soon as I say I have a child they say they will not accept children. I don't know to be honest if being a single mum has anything to do with it, but I feel like I'm being prejudiced against....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Sandalwood · 14/02/2012 21:06

I'm pretty sure it's a children thing, not a single thing.
Many don't like to enter into housing contracts with DCs involved.

useyourloaf · 14/02/2012 22:52

Certainly had problems trying to rent when agencies asked:

"Who will the property be for"
"Me and my son"
"Are you working"
"Not at the moment. I have been made redundant after 10 years in a profession"
"Do you have any pets"
"Er.. yes.."
"Sorry, we don't have anything at the moment".

Happened on several occasions. I think stereotypes of single mothers may come into play here with some agencies/landlords.

AMAZINWOMAN · 15/02/2012 07:29

Yes, I have experienced it too, as soon as they know I have boys the place has been taken.

HappyMummyOfOne · 15/02/2012 09:52

Lots of landlords dont like children in their properties or pets as they can cause a lot of damage. They are just looking after their asset, i highly doubt its personal.

Theres also the risk that with just one adult (parent or not) that the rent may not get paid or that HB plays a part and a lot of mortgages and insurances exclude renting to tennants on benefits.

You could offer x months rent in advance and a higher deposit so that they see a lesser risk.

PaigeTurner · 15/02/2012 10:05

I had to offer a guarantor (at my age!) even though I paid 6 months in advance and it was only a six month contract. When I questioned it they said "oh, we ask all our single parent tenants to have a guarantor."

Mondaybaby · 15/02/2012 13:21

Yes, I had to look for a new flat when I was 4 months pregnant and I am single. I found it almost impossible to find somewhere because I would be going on maternity leave from 38 weeks pregnant for 6-9 months so they were worried about how I could afford it. I found a horrid place and stayed there until my daughter was 8 months old and as soon as I was working again I moved but it was still very hard to find a place. I ended up having to pay 6 months rent up front which is almost impossible. And yes, a lot of landlords just will not have anyone with babies or kids. Very very hard and soul destroying.

notfluffyatall · 15/02/2012 13:26

Nope, never had an issue. I don't remember being asked beforehand if I was single or not and as it's no one's business I wouldn't have volunteered it.

I reckon it's kids and pets that's the off putting thing. Also people on benefits, unless the benefit is paid directly.

I wouldn't rent to a pet owner.

lookbutdonttouch · 15/02/2012 13:35

Yep. And I will name and shame. The agents were Jordans.
I was separating from ex, DD was small ish, I worked full time.

Called Jordans having seen a perfect place for us and explained it would be me and DD, yes I worked full time, no benefits, no pets, yes full deposit etc. Did explain that I wanted to be sure the landlord was ok with a child as I did not want to waste time viewing the place if he wasnt.

Got all the way over there, met landlord himself, place was great. Mentioned DD and shutters came down, he turned into an arse. He said he had made it clear to Jordans that he wanted no kids, made me feel very small at a very vulnerable time.

I blame them.

Its not hard to take instructions from a landlord and follow them though is it? I fully understand if a landlord doesnt want kids, but dont ignore that and waste my time and upset me (a lot at the time).

God it was years ago and still upsets me now.

startale · 15/02/2012 15:20

I was in a flat with a 'no children' rule when I got pg as a LP. Got an eviction notice which meant I was considered homeless, so it fast tracked me up the council list which was a good thing in the end. Feel bloody glad I don't have to fork out for private landlords, when I see my old landlord in the street I feel pleased that I'm paying a fraction of his rip off rents.

missymarmite · 16/02/2012 22:43

Yes I have beeing in this situation, LP with child. No one wants to know. It is soul destroying. In the end we had to go the homeless route, and now have a housing association flat, so it all worked out for the best in the end, but it was a nightmare at the time, and you can´t help taking it personally. I was so desperate I was considering renting a shed, or living in a caravan, anywhere.

It makes me so angry that successive governements just aren´t facing the housing problem in this country. Eventually people will have no alternative but squatting, whole families sharing a room, or living in favela type illegal dwellings. It´s only going to get worse.

purpleroses · 16/02/2012 22:50

Are you working and able to pay the deposit upfront? If not, it could well just be that many landlords don't like taking people on benefits - they often have to wait for the housing benefit. You can try and see if your local council has a list of landlords that will take people on benefits or will take families if that is the case.

cestlavielife · 17/02/2012 11:30

i hve a good job and three dc was not a problem - have been in same rental now for four years and just renewed tenancy - at same rent since 2008.

a family single parent or not with a good wage earner can be good long term prospect

i tell landlady when anything wrong eg floor collapsed - sh replaced baords etc ; and she has always been good - eg basin literally cracked open in bathroom - something fell on it from bathroom cabinet so my fault in a way - but she replaced with no quesiton of me paying .

some people dont like pets or children full stop.

if you have ggod job and good credit it wont be an issue.

if you dont then it isnt single parent issue as such but just general cedit worthiness.

ScroobiousPip · 26/02/2012 11:11

Are you working OP? As someone else said, a lot of mortgages and insurances won't let landlords let to people on benefits - the tenant must be in employment.

MissCrocus · 26/02/2012 15:32

Prejudice is always a problem, as, incredibly, landlords are allowed to specify things like 'no children, pets or DSS (sic.)' I always think it's none of their bloody business as long as you pay your rent on time and don't trash the place.
Guarantors, don't get me started on that. What if the only ones available are your controlling parents/ex partner, who you are moving to try to get away from in the first place! Duh!

MissCrocus · 26/02/2012 15:34

Sorry. To answer your question, no, I haven't personally felt discriminated against by agents/landlords because of being a single parent, but rather because of receiving housing benefit, and having children. Makes you wonder who they expect to be renting a family home, if not a family.

SwimmingThroughSickLullabies · 29/02/2012 11:20

I've never come across the no children thing although I do know it exists.

I have come across the no pets thing though my LL allows them here.

I do think its a lot to do with as area as to what you can find to rent.

Emmielu · 01/03/2012 09:35

In my area i've had a fair amount of luck. Only 1 estate agents has my details because they have more rented properties, i have numbers of landlords that friends know & i have told them that i have a daughter, looking for long term & will they allow HB. Im viewing one today, one next week & possibly another one next week too. I agree with a previous post i think it depends on the area.

Although one house i looked at on rightmove said:

2 bed spacious house etc.

No children. No smokers. No pets. No sharers. No students. No housing benefits.

needless to say that house has been on the market for 6 months.

BorderDancer · 03/03/2012 00:32

Nope never had a problem. I didn't always volunteer I had a child/was single parent, but even if I had I don't forsee problems. We're inspected regularly and we've passed so far!

When I was a lettings agent most landlords were realistic- if they have a house with more than one bedroom someone who has a child would in all likelihood want it. I did have one who didn't want any pets, smokers (he went on a rant about how evil people who smoked were which was amusing) and children in his home. After a few weeks I felt I should point out it was a three bedroom bungalow with a big garden. Who did he think was going to want it? A professional couple or single wouldn't pay that rent for that big a property! Duh! He relented on kids and I rented it out within the week.

Some landlords are prize idiots. I thank God mine is lovely!

slowginny · 04/03/2012 20:47

Never had a problem myself although I have been known to invent a husband when enquired about. My relationship status is immaterial IMO.

Re housing benefits, I'm also a landlord and like many, have been badly bitten in the past by bad tenants. I wouldn't take a HB tenant without a deposit and many come without. I would like to but if they trash the place (and I've just spent £10k sorting out the last one that did) I have nought to fall back on. Why should I fork out again? HB tenants with a deposit can be brilliant though!

NowThenWreck · 07/03/2012 11:47

If you are not working, you need to LIE.
I have NEVER told a landlord I get housing benefit, and have always said I work full time, even when I didn't.
How I pay the rent is my business.

The thing is, 60% of all renters in the UK do claim some HB.
So landlords who say "no dss-meaning no HB" are living in cloud cuckoo land anyway.

Emmielu · 19/03/2012 06:26

My soon to be landlord said he'd only take me if I give him deposit first. There's a few bits need doing first though so he gets the deposit when it's done. Weirdly his only issue is "no boyfriends." if I do want to live with a partner I have to move again. I can see why a little but it's not exactly nice. But saying that, I've wanted this house for over a year so I'll live with that rule!

MaisieMama · 19/03/2012 09:51

I had MASSIVE issue with this last summer. I was looking for a 2 bedroom for my daughter & I and out of the nearly 24 places I inquired about/looked at all but THREE refused me when they found out about me having a child.

I couldn't believe you could discriminate against someone for being a parent (I mean you couldnt' because they were black or gay so why a parent?) Turns out the UK is the only place in Western Europe where it is legal and as far as I'm concerned only further evidence of the devaluing and marginalization of single mothers in this country.

In the end I found a fab single parent houseshare in a link right here in our Lone Parent's section! Best thing I've done!

BertieBotts · 19/03/2012 09:57

It is really weird that it's legal. I assumed that it wasn't, until I was househunting.

Of course even if it wasn't legal there's nothing to stop them putting "Professionals preferred" and then skirting around the issue.

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