Private rent Help!

[Bellbell1199]

We're due to move out our private rent in February, landlord choice!
I'm due a baby in 6 weeks, and we have a 2 year old, so perfect timing!
Gr!
We've been looking to relocate and have just started to enquire about properties.

As it's bad timing with me going on mat leave. OH not working yet due to previous ill health and now covid struggles / still high risk of catching it... We're really struggling to secure something.

We have managed to get 6 months rent up front together, but even that isn't going in our favour.
Plan to pay our rent into a saving account so that we have another 6 months up front at the end of the 6 months.

The estate agent rang to say could we offer any more... More than 6 months rent up front?!
Also about referencing, would be a struggle. We knew that, that's why we have 6 months up front!

What can I do... So worried we will end up with homeless with 2 young children and its starting to worry me!

How are you going to move area whilst your work is in the area you live in?

Where we live a 3 bedroom house private rent would be around 1300...!

Hence wanting to relocate for cheaper rent.

I go on mat leave soon, so I wouldn't need to be near my current job.
As long as I go back to an NHS job after mat leave, which I plan to...all is well.

@ronarossi I'd be interested to see where I can get a 3 bedroom House for 600 a month!

Nuneaton
Coventry
Bedworth

2 hospitals, George Elliott & Coventry United hospital

And none of those places where we want to be... So far from family, not near the coast... Not practical.

Sorry OP if this has already been touched upon but could you not take out a 6 months contract? We paid 6 months up front on the basis we would be referenced again when the tenancy was up (6 months) as I would be back in work by then. If we didn't pass the income checks the second time around we would be expected to pay up front again.. although they never did bother asking in the end and just put us on a rolling contract.

Yes @babykoala1, that's the plan.
But seems the 6 months up front is dodgy to some LLs.

I'd be interested to see where I can get a 3 bedroom House for 600 a month!

You asked this question, you didn’t say it had to be near the coast or near family or “practicle”
Not sure what’s not practice about Coventry?

I answered the question those are places you can rent a 3 bed house for £600 a month rent, Cardiff area in South Wales, north Devon are also places you can rent for £600 per month

This is how I see your priorities:

1. not becoming homeless - let the landlord know you'll stay where you are until you find another place;
2. safe, clean, affordable family home, ANYWHERE;
3. better home in a better area once you earn more and kids are older.

I rent my 3 bed semi, next to a hospital for £695 a month. There are similar properties perhaps not quite as well done up for your budget of £600. This is in Derbyshire.

I guess you pay your money and take your choice. If you want to move, you may have to flex, whether that's your budget (doesn't seem an option) or size (again with little one on the way, not an option) so location is the one thing you can flex. I've had tenants pass referencing with an income of. £20k a year.

It's doable in some areas of the UK... Cheap rent... Yes...
But maybe being 4/5 hours away from family isn't an option for us.

Our LL was fine with it and I’m sure plenty of others will be. The main thing is you pass the character/previous LL references, criminal convictions etc as the people they are really trying to avoid are the ones offering to pay up front so their name doesn’t get flagged up as being a previous nuisance tenant or something similar. Good luck anyway, it’s horrible trying to prove yourself when you know you are reliable and more than capable of paying your rent. Also, could you look into a different lettings agent? Asking for MORE than 6 months? Really? It's a piss take.

@ronarossi I'd be interested to see where I can get a 3 bedroom House for 600 a month!

Plenty of places in my City (and lots of other areas). However... it was just an example. The 30 X rent expectation is just to ensure your rent isn't more than 40% of your income, which is really very reasonable, regardless of the figures involved.

Most people on average ish money would struggle if their rent or mortgage exceeded that I think.

@OP you say you're clearly reliable as you've paid rent for last 1.5 years, but you've also said your income will drop to half in the imminent future, and a LL has no guarantees that your OH will be able to find work when you relocate (and you've also said he'll only be looking for PT at first). I do feel for you though - where you are looks awful and I can't imagine you'll be sad to leave. People have been giving you different options for cheaper rent near hospitals etc and only you know where exactly you want to be. The reality may be you can't afford what/where you want straight away. PPs are right that sometimes drug dealers etc do offer 6 months upfront, but with NHS payslips and as a couple with a young family i don't think you'll come across in that category.

It's the wrong type of year for this, but if you don't find anything and your family live near the coast, you might find a short let static caravan home near them. The trouble is, I'm sure even the best quality ones will be freezing and hard to heat in February. It might mean you are in the catchment area for Council housing though.
Is it financially beneficial if you reduce your maternity leave and your partner becomes the main care giver?

I have been privately renting for around seven years now. First off when I left my ex-husband (myself, two small kids, elderly rescue dog) and now also with my fiancé and our new baby.
I started off in a two-bed (damp issues) as it was all I could afford at the time - worked as many hours as I could with a 3 and 6 yo and used my Tax Credits to help pay the rent. I think it started at around £625 pcm.
We're now renting a three-bed which is much nicer. Normally we both work ft (but on lowish incomes) and don't receive any UC or anything like that. Rent is currently £850 pcm but we expect this to go up when next due for renewal. I'm currently in maternity leave.
Same as you, I/we have always paid our rent in full on time without fail.
As a PP has suggested, could you return to work whilst your partner looks after baby? I know that sometimes depends on things like breastfeeding though...