Trying to rent, what am I doing wrong?

[shakalakadoodah]

I seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to find somewhere to rent! I was living on my business premises but due to various personal situations the business was no longer viable so I had to wrap it up and left with debts and not alot else.

So I've moved in with DPs while I find somewhere to rent but thats where I get stuck, estate agents just don't seem to want to know, we only have DHs income as I'm currently on 'maternity leave' so just receiving maternity allowance. I've enquired about so many properties and I'm getting really disheartened that they've either already been let or they never come back to me to arrange viewings.

I understand that on paper we're not ideal tenants and that there is obviously so many people looking for properties to rent but surely there must be something we can do?

I've also applied to local councils but we've lived in two different areas and our whole situation is complicated so we don't seem to be able to get anywhere with that either!

Does anyone have any words of wisdom please? I'm starting to get so frustrated!

I don't understand the issue. As long as you have the income and pass the credit checks there should be no issue. Why do you not look ideal on paper? Have you visited some agencies who rent properties?

I've visited or spoken on the phone to loads of agencies, left our details, signed up to newsletters and managed to view a few properties, and one we applied for but the landlady said we were too much of a risk with only having one income. Luckily that agency didn't charge for doing the credit and reference checks but most do so I feel very nervous about losing money on checks to be told we can't have the property.

Yes - what makes you non- ideal? Do the debts show on your credit history? Are you aiming for no more than 40% of income as rent?

Smokers? Pets?

And of course...London?

We've rented multiple properties with only DH's income and never had any issues... are you looking at places that are too expensive?

You need to look at all the property websites for your area daily and phone in as soon as they are posted- in my experience if you are a few days late the agents already have plenty of viewings organised and can't be bothered to fit you in. One income should be fine as long as the properties aren't way over budget, I think you just had bad luck with the one you applied for. I have just managed to get us a place, and the criteria was earning over 22 000, irrespective of how many were earning. Keep trying and try not to get down hearted!

We've got a pet dog so that doesn't help. To be honest the house we applied for was too expensive and we are now looking in a different, cheaper area, but now the problem seems to be actually getting viewings, we even had one booked last week and as we were parking the car we got a message to say it had already been let!
@altogetherAndrews thank you for the advice, i guess i need to be more assertive with the searching, I just keep getting this feeling I'm missing something!

We've got a dog too and have lived in 6 different rentals. We always offer to pay extra deposit (he's never damaged anything but for their peace of mind)

I think you just have to be really quick once somewhere is advertised.

Ds1 recently moved out. Whilst he was searching (for a room in a shared house, not a whole oroperty) he found that if rooms were advertised in the morning they had quite often gone by the time he phoned up the next day. Eventually he phoned in his lunch break and made appointments to view straight after work. It still took him a few weeks before he found a room.

Hopefully something will turn up soon.

I think they usually go on household income, rather than bothering how it is earned or by how many. There will be a set minimum you must earn in relation to whatever the rent is, check with a few agents that your income and the rental levels you are looking for match up. If your DP is referenced as sole payer then hopefully your credit rating won't be an issue.

It is good to register with agents but in my experience many of them do not call, registering just means that if you see a property you like marketed by them, the process of calling to arrange a viewing is quicker because they have your details. Basically you have to keep on top of what is coming on the market to rent and call right away.

Get on Rightmove and set up searches that you can repeat several times daily, and set up email alerts for them too. Keep checking back though as even the 'instant' alert option doesn't send them through right away. Also keep an eye on Zoopla, Prime Location and On the Market (which has some exclusive new listings).

If there is an agent who seems to have a lot of the type of place you want, contact them regularly and ask them to call you right away if something comes on. They still might not, but worth a try.

Having a pet will make it a bit harder, should be fine but be prepared to offer extra deposit or whatever as reassurance.

I have also had difficulties with travelling to see places that were taken by the time I got there, even ones where I had taken time off work and been assured I was the first to see it. It is really annoying and I am sorry you are going through that. It isn't personal though.

Good luck!

As a landlord I can give the perspective from the other side. If credit rating is poor it doesn't matter for viewings but will for finalising any tenancy. If I have lots of people where both are working and no pets they will go top of the list as clawed doors and ruined and scratched floors just won't be covered by deposits. They are also proposing on changing the rules that a landlord can only take a max of a month's rent so offering extra won't make any difference when that goes through. Also I would want references from a previous landlord, if you haven't rented before that becomes another risk to the landlord. Sell yourselves as flexible enough on the landlord's timetable, quick and easy to communicate with, ready to offer credit references and work references, anything you can do to make it clear you are easy to do business with. Personally we never make a decision about who to let to until we've seen all - but if there is a lot of interest we won't wait two weeks until the potential tenant can make an appointment to view - we try and slot a lot of fifteen minute viewings into a half day to minimise disruption for existing tenant.