WWYD? Rental Situation

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DH and I rent our current home from his Aunt. We’ve been very fortunate in that she has allowed us to live here for 7 years at very reasonable rates. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, she needs the home back. Our contract ends in December but she is flexible and we could stay a short while beyond this.

A rental property has unexpectedly become available on the doorstep of DC’s school and nursery. We could walk there in under 3 minutes and the local secondary school for DC1 is also within walking distance. DC1 currently gets a short bus ride.

DH and I had a showing of the home and it’s not the size we would have hoped for (it’s a new home) but the closeness to all DC’s nursery and schools is a big draw for us. It’s more expensive than our current rental but that’s to be expected.

DH is nervous about moving so soon in case something better comes along. I am of the view that we have little chance of finding something in the same area and being guaranteed to secure the rental as demand is increasing. DH feels we should benefit from the lower rental costs until the end of our contract and then start the process. I’m worried if we bypass this rental, we may not find another with such a huge draw. There’s no guarantee we will also get this rental, but I think we should apply and take it if successful.

His Aunt has said we can leave our contract as soon as we find something and she won’t hold us to the remaining payments (she’s a gem).

WWYD?

We have moved 3 times in 4 years and each time it gets progressively worse. Every time the list of agent demands and LL ‘will nots’ gets worse.

Because we have a specific set of criteria which are quite hard to fulfill, we ended up doing 5,500 miles in the car over 3 months and moved 5 counties away, to a house I absolutely did not want to live in, but felt I had no choice. This was summer 22. Droves have sold up since.

Even if you don’t go for this specific house I recommend you start looking now. Having schooling needs makes it really tough on movers. Do not listen to DH re cheap rent, you will pay for it threefold by ending up in a rental that you hate if he sticks to that mindset.

I regularly keep my eye on rentals in a large town we are thinking of buying in, and the low numbers available make my heart sink.

Oh god, you have got cats too? I am sorry but you really, REALLY need to start looking now.

9/10 when I called about adverts that didn’t say ‘no pets’ they still said no anyway.

In the end we could only find pet friendly landlords in the countryside.

I have to say, landlords are perfectly justified in this demand. We rehomed my aunt’s cats who were known to be good. But you put them in a new house and one of them is ripping and scratching and eventually peeing on the carpet. Their behaviour changes in a new environment, you see. We had to replace the entire carpet before we handed our notice in. LLs are afraid someone will just walk away without doing this.

Maybe you can offer a larger deposit or offer to pay their increased home insurance to include pets as a sweetener.

But with kids and pets, the time to start looking is immediately.

And no, don’t hide it. We had a shock when we were sent a tenancy agreement that insisted on six weekly inspections. Also, cat hair is near on impossible to get out of a lot of things. And they can evict you for it. Don’t take the risk.

Unfortunately you can't offer a larger deposit now as its illegal, can only be a maximum of 5 weeks rent. It was supposed to protect Tenants and it probably did but it made it harder for pet owners.
You can offer more rent to cover pet damage though

TY I’ve showed DH the responses and I see he’s now having thoughts about starting the process earlier.

It has been a while since we had to look for a rental and it was a different process when renting off his Aunt. If we are asked to pay a holding deposit is this a good sign? Or are all applicants expected to pay this?

What kind of checks can we expect?
DH Aunt will provide us a good reference. Will this hold us in good steed?

I will absolutely declare the cats. I want to be a trusted tenant.

Never underestimate the value of being within a short walking distance of the schools. It will save time and stress, 5 mornings a week, 40 weeks a year, for 7 years, times however many children you have.

You usually pay the holding deposit once you have been accepted by the LL.
Generally its non refundable if you fail referencing due to failure to disclose or if you with held something in your application before the LL accepted it.
If you are asked to pay the holding deposit it means the LL has accepted your application and you are proceeding to Referencing - only 1 applicant will be asked for one.
Thats how its supposed to work anyway

TY I’ve showed DH the responses and I see he’s now having thoughts about starting the process earlier.

Phew. Although in your DH's defence, I have to say that between now and the end of the summer school holidays is the most expensive time, and when LL's hike the asking rent price up the most. Come the end of the school holidays it plummets again. They know how to price surge against demand. But the security of having a roof over your head is so important and your situation not straightforward, so I don't think you can afford to wait for good pricing to come back in several months' time.

It has been a while since we had to look for a rental and it was a different process when renting off his Aunt. If we are asked to pay a holding deposit is this a good sign? Or are all applicants expected to pay this?

The holding deposit will only be due once you have viewed a property and asked to rent the home. Once the landlord/lady have decided who they think the best person to rent the home is, they'll ask the agent to get a holding deposit from them and start the referencing process.

It's a week's rent. It's illegal for it to be more than that.

A pp is right in that they can keep it if you fail the referencing process. However, I argued the toss with one agency who put unreasonable stipulations into a contract 48 hours before we were due to move ("you must have the 200 year old, cobbled, SHARED drive professionally cleaned when you vacate the premises/you must agree to 6 weekly inspections") and I got the holding deposit back.

The holding deposit will automatically be deducted from your first month's rent, if you are successful in renting it.

What kind of checks can we expect?

Checks: credit checks on both of you (usually an automated process by an external firm), employer checks, proof of address and I.D., landlord reference.

DH Aunt will provide us a good reference. Will this hold us in good steed?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. DO NOT TELL THEM THAT YOUR AUNT IS YOUR LANDLADY.

Does she have a different surname? Please say yes. If it becomes apparent your aunt is your landlady, they may dismiss that as a valid reference and insist on other stupid things such as six month's rent in advance AND a guarantor.

I will absolutely declare the cats. I want to be a trusted tenant.

Excellent

OP, is there absolutely no way for you to buy your aunt's house, by any chance?

I’d take it. I think your DH and the others saying December is a long way off are being naive.

Yes you are quite right, I get my terms muddled.

The maximum 'deposit' they can take is five weeks' rent. But effectively they can ask for six month's rent upfront if they don't like your circumstances, and it's effectively the same thing in that you have to pay up more money.

The difference is, I don't think they have to protect that advance rent like they have to protect a deposit in a deposit protection scheme.

Forgot to mention, OP.

You may find agencies ask you to pay between an extra £15 - £40 per month per pet, to rent a home with pets.

I'm sorry. It's awful and it's money-grabbing, but I think the extra costs come down from insurance companies (the stipulations of which are part of their mortgage lenders' requirements), and not necessarily money-grabbing landlords.

So, if you see this or are asked for it, it's pretty normal these days.

Lenders and insurers got REALLY harsh during and since covid (hence 6 weekly inspections).

Which is why everything things so much worse for renters.

yeah I have come to recognise that I probably was being naïve in my first reaction having seen all the comments that came after

@KievLoverTwo DH Aunt has a different surname . It’s slightly more complex in that his Aunt is a landlady in her own right , she has multiple properties . We have a contract , just with more lenient expectations. Would this be ok?

She's a professional landlady and will be used to writing good references. So I think that should be fine.

Just don't mention the family connection. It won't help you in the slightest.

We have:

Been asked for a guarantor despite a six figure salary with no kids and having 20k in the bank AND credit ratings of 830 and over 950 (no, not kidding - OH's is now approaching the 1,000 high point which is absurd)

Then asked to provide six months advance rent AS WELL as a gurantor

Been told 'landlord has his stuff in y room and you can't use it'

Landlord has stuff in garage and you can't use it

The railing in front of x patio door is dodgy and so is the step to the one downstairs so the landlady is locking both patio doors and you won't have access to open them (main reason for wanting to rent that house was blinking air flow)

'What bid would you like to submit?' (for this absolute, complete and utter dive) - that happened twice

Please send us three months of unedited bank statements and every page of your credit report (because they didn't want to pay a referencing agency)

We'll be inspecting six weekly

Contract says six monthly rent increases, okay?

You'll be employing a professional cleaner and having the shared drive professionally cleaned before you leave, right? lolnope

Once the 1 white good in the property breaks, you're on your own, you're replacing it

No, it doesn't come with any white goods, curtain rails, toilet roll holders, bathroom shelves; you get this shell, you pay for all the things

No we won't put a sign up with the house name even though it's a private road that nobody can find

It goes on and on and on and on and on.

I'd snatch any rental taking you with pets right now tbh, especially if it's close to the things you need even if the size isn't ideal.

I’d take it. You’ll only really be committing for a year, so if something that much better comes up you could move again this time next year but I wouldn’t say it’s worth waiting and then not being able to get something within catchment areas etc.

If Aunt is a professional landlord and has a different surname, that is great. A glowing reference would hold sway.

Good luck! I hope you get it.

Some unscrupulous agencies & landlords ask for a holding deposit in order to apply for a property & they refund you some weeks later if unsuccessful. My friend had this and was eventually owed several hundred pounds by various estate agents by the time she secured a property. She has the money back now but it was stress she didn't need.

A holding deposit does not guarantee a property unless it is explicitly stated. Though it should, as that is the point of a deposit, but the usual rules around renting seem to have gone out of the window recently.

Agree, do not mention your landlady is a relative & ask your DH Aunt not to mention it on the phone or in a reference. She is a professional landlord only as far as this process goes.

I disagree about declaring the cats, but you should do what you think is best. Offering to make any damage good when you leave or pay extra insurance is probably your only trump card.

Wish you all the best.

Oh and if something seems too good to be true do not get sucked in. There's all kinds of rental scams these days on Facebook, openrent, Rightmove preying on desperate people just trying to get something, anything to live in. Keep your wits about you.

I'd definitely go for the property 100%.