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Where do I find a house to let through the owner with no agents involved

5 replies

ohgoonthen · 18/09/2012 13:32

Hi all,

It's been a good while since I've been on mumsnet (glad to be backGrin) but I thought this might just be the place to ask for some advice!

We returned to the UK a while back having lived abroad for a long time and we found that getting a place to rent was almost impossible (no credit rating, no references in UK, not on electoral register etc etc) but we took the only place we could find and have been here since.

Our letting agent has just announced that he has advised our landlord not to renew our contract (I don't want to give details on here because we are now taking legal action against the agency for their appalling treatment and service) leaving us with nowhere to live at the end of the month.
This has come as a shock to us as despite the property having many problems over the last few months, we have managed to work through most of them and we were given no indication that the landlord would not renew.

So we are panicking now as we need to find somewhere within the next few weeks and we are going to come across the same problems again. We have only been back in the UK for a year and were abroad for ten years before that so none of the agents will touch us.

Does anyone know of anywhere that people advertise their own homes to let? I have had a look around but can find very little and have checked the local papers etc. but it seems to be mostly rooms and small flats to let.

I would be really grateful for some advice, suggestions or anything really as I'm not sure where to turn

Thank you as always

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 18/09/2012 13:34

Gumtree is usually suggested. We found ours via an ad in the local paper.

imnotmymum · 18/09/2012 13:36

The local paper usually good so not sure just keep looking saves you a load of fees and paying for credit checks etc.Also try paper shop windows etc

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 18/09/2012 13:39

Some supermarkets still have cards, like the newsagent's window suggestion. Worth keeping an eye on them too.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 18/09/2012 17:57

Or you could try putting up "wanted" cards/ads yourselves.

Quodlibet · 19/09/2012 16:57

Gumtree worked for us. We advertised ourselves in its 'tenants' section. Along with the expected ridiculous emails from fraudsters ('I am a doctor in Dubai... before you view the property please email me a small deposit through Western Union to show you have funds') we were contacted by several very nice genuine landlords and saw some very nice properties. All the landlords had similar stories to tell re getting thoroughly hacked off with agents, and all of them were prepared to let to us at less than the 'market value' established by agents, which of course includes their 10 or 15% fee for doing mostly jack all

We have been in our current flat 3 years and our landlord is lovely.

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