Any Housing Association tenants care to help???

[ScouseBird8364]

Has anybody had to undergo a credit check as part of a pre-tenancy interview for social housing, and have a poor credit rating?

I'm new to all this so could really use some advice?

Anybody who may have experience of mortgage arrears in this position?

I am HA and i never had a credit check. What they do is go through your income and outgoings to make sure you can afford to rent the house and to check that you are claiming all the benefits you should be, but as to an actual search of my credit file - No.

I moved into my HA house 7 years ago and they never did a credit check when we moved in. (A good job too as my credit rating is awful). I don't know if it's changed since then? They did got through income and expenditure with us though.

From your username, are you in Liverpool? I'm in Liverpool and my HA is Riverside. Which HA is it?

Aah, Thatdamned, Yes, Riverside!! we are basically being repossessed shortly by mortgage company - I spoke briefly with HA earlier and the lady who will be interviewing us advised that it's a credit check to check address history, which would be fine, still can't help but panic though

Did you have to do one? my hubby had a Stroke 2 years ago, so we both had to quit work and it's been downhill since then, but I'm also due to give birth in under 4 weeks I'm praying we won't get turned down due to mortgage issues, I mean that's the whole reason we got the priority banding with Property Pool

x

We have no BR, or CCJ's on credit file, just defaults and arranged payment plans...x

If it's to check addresses, it'll be an ID check, which cannot see any financial information. Just literally checks that you were on the electoral register.

Yes what Infinity said it'll just be an ID check. It won't matter about any credit defaults on your file (if they can see them at all anyway). We had an ID check done when we moved in, it's probably the same thing.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you so close to your due date. Riverside are quite good I've ended up with rent arrears a few times since the introduction of the bedroom tax and they've always been very helpful in letting me pay it back in instalments. I really don't think your mortgage defaults will have any effect.

Thanks Infinity and Damned

I didn't sleep much last night, worrying about it I think because we've viewed it and it's so, so close to my eldest son's school, ok it's not our home that we're in now, but we've long come to the realisation of the situation

Damned do you mind me asking which area? We're Knowsley, that's good to know, about how they've been with you. x x

I'm in Wavertree, so quite a way from you. I would imagine that all the Riverside offices do the same checks though.

I really can't see you defaulting on your mortgage having a negative effect on you getting the house. A lot of the people in HA houses are on HB and effected by the bedroom tax so may struggle to pay the rent. But it still wouldn't stop the HA from letting a house to them. They'd be more likely to help them with budgeting and things like getting grants. I know when we went to sign the tenancy agreement and they'd done the ID checks they also offered a welfare benefits check to see if there was any benefits or grants we may be entitled to that we weren't already getting. They'll probaby do the same for you.

I wouldn't be worried at all about this from a financial point of view, the HA will know your credit rating will be shot as you are being repossessed.

There is a piece of software called 'who's home' which checks where people have finance, and what financial agreements are attached to which address.

As far as I know this is a tenancy fraud tool - it'll be used to check you're not pay the gas bill or tv licence anywhere else - ie have somewhere else you could live.

Yeah, see we've been told that we are currently eligible for full H/B, until I return to work (unfortunately, this will be a little while as hubby can't watch kids alone since his Stroke, plus I'm now 1 year into a degree so hoping once that's completed to better my career a little).

I can't help but worry Thank you though guys, your comments have reassured me somewhat x x

If you are in mortgage arrears they may also assess your eligability for Mortgage Rescue, where they buy the property and pay the mortgage arrears. You remain in the house and rent off the HA. This will depend on your circumstances and the value, location & condition of your property.

Don't worry - HA officers are some of the most empathetic and understanding people I have ever met.

Unescorted, the MR has ended in our area, it ended back in early 2014 unfortunately

Now I'm panicking, wondering whether housing benefit would be rejected UNTIL repossession has been finalised???