Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Refused by landlords

36 replies

Propertysearch · 29/09/2021 23:05

Please can someone advise me. I am trying to rent privately. I have spoken to several estate agents and been to a few viewings. I make offers on the properties but have been rejected each time. The agents then don’t take my calls. I’m feeling pretty awful about it. Can any landlord advise me please?

I do not earn enough money to pass the affordability but I do have savings over and above what has been mentioned to me as being acceptable. I have enough money readily available to pay 36 months rent. I am not getting far enough with the offers to have had a chance to prove this.

I will be getting an allowance to pay for the rent and i think it has t o be the factor putting people off. The estate agents are avoiding me now. Can anyone advise me please? What am i doing wrong?

OP posts:
thatonehasalittlecar · 29/09/2021 23:31

The problem will be insurance - landlord insurance with rent guarantee (ie, it’ll pay if you default on your rent) requires minimum earnings. Savings won’t work instead. If you’re getting an allowance to pay the rent, can you ask that person to be a guarantor? Good luck

Spikeyplants · 29/09/2021 23:35

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by an allowance? If you have ample savings, don't you have access to that, or is it being paid over time?

Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 07:12

Yes i have access to savings. But I don’t have the earnings they are looking for. I’d be happy to pay upfront.
The allowance for the rent is because of a particular circumstance so the local authority will pay the rent until i can buy something suitable. They would be guarantor and provide references.
I am being turned down before these stages. So I cannot even provide proof of finances.
Any idea of what else I could do? I feel awful when the estate agents are keen and friendly showing me the properties and then when i make the offer they coldly cut me off and do not even respond to my emails once they tell me I have been refused.

OP posts:
Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 07:57

I think it must be the link with the local authority. I own my own home and am not on any benefits. Why are the estate agents not telling me what the issue is?

OP posts:
QueenoftheKarens · 30/09/2021 08:00

How can you get housing benefit with 36 months of savings? Hmm that doesn't sound right at all.

Turmerictolly · 30/09/2021 08:02

Could be a DV case.

FelicityPike · 30/09/2021 08:03

Sorry, if you own your own home, why do you need to rent? Maybe that’s going against you?

FelicityPike · 30/09/2021 08:04

@Turmerictolly

Could be a DV case.
Oh of course, sorry OP.
Turmerictolly · 30/09/2021 08:04

OP, rather than viewing properties up front, you need to ring around and explain your circumstances first of all. This will save you time, effort and disappointment. Can the Council help you or whoever is providing the allowance.

Starlightstarbright1 · 30/09/2021 08:10

I am not a landlord but letting agent was next door last week saying properties are only been listed for a few hours as demand is so high. The landlords have the pic of the crop currently

Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 08:17

It is not housing benefit but maybe that is what the landlord thinks.

Before viewing I have spoken to agents and explained everything. They say there should be no issue. Perfectly fine and normal to have an allowance for rental. Then I view and put in offers and am rejected. Then the agent never speaks to me again!
The reason i mention the 36 months rent is that i was asked could I prove this as I don’t earn enough to be considered. The agent said the savings would be accepted as an alternative to showing earnings.

And yes properties are going really quickly, but one of the houses I wanted has been on the market and empty for at least two months.

OP posts:
Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 08:19

@FelicityPike

Sorry, if you own your own home, why do you need to rent? Maybe that’s going against you?
Yes maybe it is that. But i have given the reason i need to move out for a year. Here’s the thing- I am a foster carer. Is it that
OP posts:
BadgertheBodger · 30/09/2021 08:21

I’m a lettings agent and we would accept savings or a guarantor if your income wasn’t high enough but it is absolutely bonkers levels of demand at the moment and we’re finding landlords like to stick with “safe” options which usually ends up being a working couple. Have you tried properties which aren’t through an agent, you might get further? Openrent, Facebook, asking about.

BadgertheBodger · 30/09/2021 08:23

It might be the foster care. I don’t think people know a lot about it and landlords might (wrongly!) assume there will be loads of trouble and damage.

Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 08:28

@BadgertheBodger
Thanks very much

OP posts:
GeorgiaGirl52 · 30/09/2021 08:32

In some areas being a foster carer is considered as running a home business. Maybe that concerns landlords?

Wombat49 · 30/09/2021 08:33

I'm really flexible with circumstances but I'd be a bit dubious here, tbh. We were taught a lot about money laundering & property at surveyor school. Plus it makes credit checking difficult. Get a regular income or a guarantaur. At most offer the first term in full rent, not longer, looks well dodgy.

lastqueenofscotland · 30/09/2021 08:35

There is so much demand at the moment landlords can be picky. Not meeting income criteria and foster caring may put landlords off.

Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 09:15

@Wombat49

I'm really flexible with circumstances but I'd be a bit dubious here, tbh. We were taught a lot about money laundering & property at surveyor school. Plus it makes credit checking difficult. Get a regular income or a guarantaur. At most offer the first term in full rent, not longer, looks well dodgy.
I wasn’t offering anything up front. The agent suggested an alternative to proving earnings is to show that you have 36 months rents worth of savings. I have this because I’m hoping to buy something. But in the meantime I need to get out of my flat for a year.
OP posts:
Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 09:16

@Wombat49 but it’s really good to get your perspective so thank you. I do have a regular income and there is nothing dodgy at all. I just don’t have the income required to rent the property I need.

OP posts:
Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 09:17

@GeorgiaGirl52

In some areas being a foster carer is considered as running a home business. Maybe that concerns landlords?
That’s a good point too.
OP posts:
Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 09:18

@lastqueenofscotland

There is so much demand at the moment landlords can be picky. Not meeting income criteria and foster caring may put landlords off.
I think it has to be this. But it’s when the agents refuse to speak to me ever again that I feel so awful. I could accept all the reasons people have come up with here. And it’s likely you’re all correct in some way. I’m just desperate. I have to move.
OP posts:
AndTime · 30/09/2021 09:36

Can you book an appointment with an agent, sit down and go through everything and then ask them to work with you getting one of their properties?

If demand is high they probably don't have the time to respond to every rejected application.

Original poster
Propertysearch · 30/09/2021 09:50

@AndTime

Can you book an appointment with an agent, sit down and go through everything and then ask them to work with you getting one of their properties?

If demand is high they probably don't have the time to respond to every rejected application.

That’s a really good idea. I’ve just got off the phone to an estate agent friend. He said he thinks the landlords are probably thinking the money is benefits and cannot say anything because it’s illegal to discriminate. So they just don’t respond. Thanks for al of your comments and particularly the thoughtful one about dV. I feel less hurt now. I barely slept last night.
OP posts:
Viviennemary · 30/09/2021 09:58

It would be up to the landlord whether or not your circumstances are acceptable. It would usually be enough to offer a year's rent upfront I would have thought. I agree with talking to the estate sgents and asking them the best way forward.

Swipe left for the next trending thread