Advice needed about private renting please

[nutcracker]

We have just rung up about a 3 bed semi in New Oscott/Sutton Coldfield. It is 475 a month and deposit is 475. They said that they would prefer long let, which obviously is what we are looking for. We have arranged to have a look tommorow at 1pm.
The question is, if we like it and want it, how soon would they want the deposit do you think. I'm assuming that the months rent in advance could be paid on the first of next month if that was our agreed date, is that right. Are they likely to want the deposit straight away, as soon as we say we want it. If thats the case we would have to turn it down, unless anyone has any very good money making schemes up their sleeves.
I have rented privatly before but can't seem to remember what happened then.
Sorry about the rambling

I used to let property for a living and, if my memory serves me right, they will want to take out references before-hand. Once these are all okay, you need to pay the deposit and one month's rent when you sign the lease, ie. when you move in. Good luck - it sounds lovely.

Well it's not with an agent so i'm hoping that they won't credit check as we would fail. Refs from work and our current landlord wouldn't be a problem though.
I'm just a bit worried that we will look at it, love it and then not be able to get the mney together quick enough.
We should have started saving for a deposit i suppose but were really hoping that we would get rehoused by the council.

Dp has just been and had a look at the outside and said it isa in a nice quiet road (no through rd) and looks like a nice tidy house.

Maybe i shouldn't even look at it.

Oh Nutty - that's an advantage. I have also rented property privately and always acted on my gut instincts. To be honest, it they're after a long let, then work references and current landlord will be fine. You can carry out bank references (which I did) which are not credit checks; they basically write to your bank asking if they would consider you good to meet the monthly rent. It is not a legal document and, I do know that a lot of banks have stopped doing them know (eg. Abbey National). Credit Checks are carried out when you apply for finance. I think the rental market is quiet at the moment so you will be able to come to some arrangement. Go Get It Girl!

Have now checked out the local school and it looks lovely, not sure if i would have trouble getting dd2 in though as she starts in september and presumably all reception places will have been offered.
Only thing buggin me at the mo is secondary schools. Royal mail are classing the address as sutton coldfield but all of the nearest secondary schools are kingstanding and great barr. The nearest good one is less than 3 miles away but i'm not sure that they would get in.
Jumping the gun again as i always do, but i like to check these things out to give myself a clearer picture.
Will let you all know how it goes.

would they be eligible for streetly secondary school? ( long way off i agree but you do have to think about these things) which is the primary? new oscott school? ive got a cousin who goes there, good school.
were on the move to either pheasey or great barr soon, want to get ds1 into either pheasey park farm or glenmead, went to view two houses yesterday and put an offer in for one but still waiting to hear.
hope you get the house nutty, you deserve it! x

if you go into private rent, then u will lose a lot of HA points. i know its hard, but u really need a place of your own, i know you are desperate for a house, but private renting is an arse, i did it for a year and it didnt feel like home at all as we couldnt do a thing with the place. drove me mad. mine u we were paying £650 a month for a 3bed place and it seemed like such a lot of money for an 'ok' place.

In my experience (been renting for 3 years) you will have to pay the deposit before you move in. It's usually a months rent but sometimes 6 weeks. Sorry nutcracker. Also, do you have to give notice on where you are now? And do you have a deposit on it? Could you use that? Sorry if these are irrelevant questions, just a thought.

nutty, how did they come across when you 'phoned them? Did they ask you anything about yourselves? Did they seem friendly? And (GULP) I know this might be a bit contraversial, but with all those M'netters out there, does anyone else feel like clubbing together to make the shortfall on the deposit?

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply.
The house was crap. It was obvious it hadn't been lived in for ages and every room needed something doing to it. Yeah it was big enough (just) and had a garden but i'm sure i'm not going to pay 475 a month to redecorate someones house for them.
My firend told me about a 3 double bed flat for rent in Walmley today. Its above shops but a nice area. Give me two weeks stuck in here with the kids and i'll be begging for it. No garden though so probably not a good idea, and 475 a month again and never our own.

Misdee - You are right. I would lose most of my points and wouldn't feel completly settled either. I know i should just wait but i'm worried that in desperation i would give in and accept something that i don't really want or in an area that i don't want.
The two most important things to me are that we stay in this area and have a garden, but i know something will have to give.

WWW - We are supposed to give a months notice here but considering how little help they have given me, i wouldn't think twice about leaving straight away. We didn't have to give a deposit either.

Carla - Thanks for that, but don't worry, i would find the money somehow. Would have to get a loan or something i think.