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Property/DIY

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Original poster

To be thoroughly annoyed that we need a guarantor

16 replies

ohnonotyouagain · 13/05/2012 14:10

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but I do need some advice and know you guys are brilliant with providing advice and support.

My partner and I have both made a rental offer on a flat which is bigger than the one we have now. We need a bigger flat for sanity reasons as he has kids that come and stay every weekend...this means the move is pretty essential.

Now my credit score is great. I work full time and have no problems in the credit area. I don't earn very much at all but it's enough to get by on.

The problem is with my partner. He (way before I met him) had a couple of CCJs taken out on him. He is also self employed and has been working extremely hard to sort himself out. I'm so proud of the way he's worked his arse off and got back on his feet.

Now the only way we can move out of out our box flat before I kill someone is if we can find a guarantor for him. His has fallen through.

The letting agent has suggested that if we struggle to find a guarantor that we can just put me on the tenancy...however she has already said I'd need to be earning (19K) which I'm not...so this is a little confusing.

I think the term was "assisted tenancy" or something like that.

Do any of you know what it means or what it's called when a letting agent suggests having someone on the tenancy agreement but not "full time"?

Also, would I be unreasonable to completely blow my stack over this? Can't go on much longer like this.

OP posts:

TheMonster · 13/05/2012 14:11

We have the same problem, despite good earnings. I would not bother with agencies and look for a private rental.

Original poster

ohnonotyouagain · 13/05/2012 14:14

Good advice, but we have totally fallen in love with a flat through an agency...my dp was convinced his guarantor would be able to do it. Have already paid the referencing fees. I am going to be so devastated if we have no other option but to let it go.

OP posts:

spg1983 · 13/05/2012 14:15

I did the same for my brother and his wife - although they earned enough between them to cover the rent, they needed someone who earned over a certain amount to be a guarantor. I just signed a form and haven't heard anything since - they have since moved out into a privately rented place.

Original poster

ohnonotyouagain · 13/05/2012 14:20

It's very good of you to do that for your DB and DSis-in-law SPG. I imagine they'll appreciate that gesture forever. I have no family able to help and neither does DP. Only options I have in order to escape this situation: 1. Stay (private landlords still want guarantors for self employed tenants) and get madder and madder every weekend which means I lose. 2. Move out and find somewhere on my own. Again, this means I lose. THIS SUCKS!

OP posts:

StrandedFuckingBear · 13/05/2012 15:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 13/05/2012 15:14

Same problem here OP, I really do sympathise. My credit score is fine but because I don't work (SAHM) it's only my partner's that matters in that respect. He earns good money now but his credit is shit (he was a careless bastard in his yoof and ran up loads of debts) so we need a guarantor. Luckily his dad has stepped in otherwise we'd be screwed.

I don't have any advice I'm afraid as the whole thing confuses me too but really hope you can move somewhere bigger soon.

GrahamTribe · 13/05/2012 15:16

You're damn right the system sucks OP. :( Personally I wouldn't dream of asking a friend or family member to be a guarantor for me. I'm an adult, not their responsibility, for one thing. I'd be looking for an alternative property rented directly from a landlord.

samandi · 13/05/2012 15:22

Sorry but I think you're being a bit unreasonable to be angry if your partner has had two serious debt issues in the past. Even I've had to have a guarantor before and my credit score is fine. But you can't expect the same level of trust in the future if you've not paid your debts back in the past.

emsyj · 13/05/2012 15:22

Is she saying that they will basically rent the flat to you, so that only you are responsible for the rent, if you can't find a guarantor for your DP? This happened to us in London, DH was self employed and couldn't present 3 years' accounts so they wouldn't let him put his name on the tenancy - was solely in my name as I was employed. I had to show them my pay slips and everything! Was very intrusive, but hey you do what you have to do I guess.

MNHQ

CatherineHMumsnet · 13/05/2012 15:22

Hi - we're going to move this into Property/DIY and out of AIBU.

emsyj · 13/05/2012 15:23

And PS - we own a property that we let out and the tenant has just moved out without paying her last month's rent. We can keep the deposit, but as she has also caused damage and made a huge mess in the house, we need that to pay for cleaning and repairs - so we will be going after her guarantor. I'm grateful that she had one!

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 13/05/2012 15:23

tbf GrahamTribe if my FIL hadn't stepped in we'd be homeless. He didn't want to see his family, especially his DGC living on the street so helped us out. We are not his problem, wont ever be because we have always paid ou rent, in full and on time. The guarantor bollocks is just a formality. Our guarantor will never have to shell out a penny for us.

Sparks1 · 13/05/2012 15:25

In all honesty the fact your partner has CCJ's and is self employed and you are on a relatively low wage doesn't really make the request for a guarantor unreasonable one bit.

Never heard of assisted tenancy though, something doesn't sound right about that..

I'm a guarantor on the ex's place, through the duress the kids wouldn't have had anywhere to live. When the 1 years up in september i'm done. Never again. I've been blackmailed over the fact and i'm sick of it.

In your position i really would look at the private rental option.

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 13/05/2012 15:27

Why Catherine? That's not where people would look for help on this kind of thing?!

It is an AIBU. Is she being unreasonable to be pissed off?! & what can she do about it? If you still feel it should be moved then why not chat?

Wheezo · 13/05/2012 15:31

OP - have you researched getting rid of the CCJs at all? No solutions for your short term problem but long term cleaning up his credit file would give you both much more freedom and opportunity in the future.

Mitigating the credit risk if you cn't get them removed

How many CCJs does he have? Are the CCJs paid in full? Does he have a certificate of satisfaction for each CCJ marked on his credit file? Are any of them nearing the 6 year mark or how long do they have to run?

Removing CCJs

If they are paid in full and still have time left to run you might be successful in getting them set aside on a technicality or in agreement with the claimant. Depending on who applied for the CCJs against him you might be able to get them to agree to have them removed if they are all paid up - or if there is a bit left to pay and you can muster the funds together negotiate on the basis you want to clear the debt but you also want the CCJ removed once the debt is paid. This would involve getting a letter from the creditor saying they won't contest your application to set aside (think it's an N224 form you need and it is £80 a pop to apply for setting aside) - but with a letter of no contest you won't even have a hearing and the judge is unlikely to not set aside when he has something in front of him saying the creditor won't' be contesting the application.

MarySA · 13/05/2012 16:17

I can see hy you're annoyed and frustrated. But the landlords and agencies have had to put these rules in place because of people who have not paid their rent and left owing money. You need to weigh up your options. Get a Guarantor which is a big ask for anybody. I wouldn't do it for somebody expect for one of my children when they needed it. I think it would take quite a while to get these CCJ's removed. Go back to the agency and tell them you really want the flat and can you rent it with just your name. That rule of the £19,000 might be able to be adjusted.

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