Property we want (rental) has very high demand

[radishing]

How do you convince a landlord to pick your application to rent their flat?
Seen a flat of our dreams up for rent, and would be very keen to rent it. Even without viewing it.

How can we get the landlord to pick our offer? We match 90% of what the landlord is looking for. But due to covid and my husband being self employed, we won't meet the income of 30 x rent. My mum is very happy to be our guarantor and earns enough.

We have plenty of savings, enough to show we could rent for the next few years. We want the flat for at least one, maybe two or longer years.

The only other thing we can think of, is to offer to pay the year's rent upfront.

I would offer 6 months rather than 1 year - and go see it before you do. You might find something majorly wrong with it like bad neighbours or heating problems that mean you don't want to stay.

We viewed the flat and loved it. Met the neighbours too and seem lovely.
Just went to fill in the offer form/application. But it states that the guarantor has to earn 3.75 times the annual rent. Over the phone we were told this was x30 monthly rent. As my mum only works part time now, she won't earn enough by a few thousand. What a pain.
Is it ever possible to have two guarantors? With my dad's income too, they earn way over the requirement.

This doesn't put us in a very good position does it. Maybe the landlord will find the offer of paying for the full year upfront to be attractive.

Why not try. They could agree to be joint and severally liable.

Honestly landlords have the freedom to decide what they want. The only constraint is when the landlord has landlord insurance which determines things via a tick box approach. I don't use insurance but instead am attracted to renters I "understand", ie I understand why they are renting, I understand where their income comes from, I understand why the property is right for them and why they might want to stay a while, I understand their lifestyle and believe they will look after my property etc. So for me the more I know about a tenant and the more I believe they will fit my priorities: pay rent, look after the property, not annoy the neighbours, allow me access for gas an electric check and important maintenance, stay a while, be willing to leave following proper notice if I ever need to sell the property, the more likely I am to rent to them. I also prefer nice tenants. Entitlement is a turn off. It is always easier to manage a contract if both parties treat each other with respect and act constructively.

Good luck!

Didn't get the flat in the end! We think someone offered 24 months with no break clause.

@radishing why was it so much in demand? Wondering what was so special about it

[quote Butterfly44]@radishing why was it so much in demand? Wondering what was so special about it[/quote]
I think a few reasons really.

This flat was close to the city centre, but not in the centre. It had a beautifully maintained communal garden.

These sorts of flats very rarely come up. When they do, people tend to stay in them long term. Most of them are owned by their occupiers rather than renting. Unlike many cities, there are not swathes of new build flats. Only old victorian villas/townhouses that have been converted.