Why might an estate agent turn down...

[ClairityVerity]

...these potential tenants?

Lovely family, three daughters under 10, one working father running his own business, SAHM, income is three times the total rent, excellent previous landlord references, good credit score. No pets, non-smokers.

Any ideas?

Children?

Not saying it's right, or I agree, but that's all that leaps out.

Being self employed maybe?

Or actually the "running his own business". Depending what it is, they may not want it registered at their premises/business going on there.

Again, not saying I agree, but offering a suggestion.

Being self employed. His income is not ensured I guess.

Self employed. You might as well have no income as far as estate agents are concerned

Covenant prohibiting businesses run from home or, if it's a trade, commercial vehicles?

Multiple tenants applied and luck (or unlucky in your case) of the draw?

If other potential tenants were employed rather than self - employed that could easily be the reason why this family were overlooked

He rents an office for his (very middle-class, computery) business, so that's not an issue. He's been asked to show his last three years' accounts. And in the last place they put an offer on, the landlords were living there with their three kids, so I doubt the children are the problem!

Their eldest child has been offered a scholarship at a prestigious school in their county, so they're trying to find a home in a nice enough (definitely not wealthy) town closer to the school than where they currently live. They've so far been turned down by four separate agents and my friend (the SAHM) says it's because part of their family income is from drug dealing.

No, of course not drugs! Though it may as well be, the way they've been treated.

They get some Housing Benefit. Which, last time I looked, was made of the same sort of money that everyone else in this country uses. But according to estate agents, it's not.

Why?

Umm. Part of their family income is from drug dealing? Well, she may be guessing right there. I think the agents prefer tenants to at least pretend not to be dealers.

Oh, right. Well then yes, lots of places won't take HB.

Right, housing benefit. That'll be why. Look at most rental listings and they will say no HB blacks, Irish or dogs

Am I surprised? No. Because I assume estate agents assume that all HB claimants are 'council housed and violent'. Or is there some genuine, fact-based problem with HB?

I am pretty sure a lot of buy to let mortgages prevent properties being let to people on benefits

Most landlords hands are tied as if you have a buy to let mortgage you aren't allowed to accept housing benefit.

Yes, I know that HB is discriminated against by mortgage lenders/ agents/ landlords, but why? Anyone know?

Kvetch, that does sound reasonable, though I can only assume that their previous landlords never had this problem since they've written glowing refs.

Why does a 'very middle class businessman with a posh office' not earn enough to pay his rent?

He's not desirable if he's on housing benefit as he's poor.

Poor people aren't welcome for private landlords when they can rent to people who can afford their rent.

At a guess I'd say that there are more issues with rent being paid on time with HB - people haveentioned delays, sanctions etc. If tenants are relying on HB to pay rent and the landlord is relying on the rent to pay the mortgage, the risk of default will increase.

Laurier, I have no idea how much he earns, but it's clearly not huge amounts. Someone earlier mentioned trade/ commercial vehicles as a possible job, so I was differentiating it from this by saying the work he does is very m/c. You made up the posh office bit, though!