would you let a flat to a couple without a job (yet)?

[MamaChris]

we are trying to let my old flat, and a couple recently arrived from australia are interested. they can pay the 6 weeks deposit, and are willing to pay 3 months rent in advance, but don't have jobs yet. in this economic climate (in London), how easy will it be for them to get jobs and pay the rent? as they're australian, we can't get usual credit references, but would be ok to let to them if we thought they'd be likely to get jobs ok. would you?

NO, NO, NO.

Yep. If they could pay the deposite and 3 mths rent in advance - but am not legal, so perhaps check out the terms of your tenancy beforehand. Perhaps you'd be more reassured if you knew what line of work they were looking for. Do they have previous references from landlords/employers?

I guarantee that at the end of three months you will have difficulties.

no

i really wouldnt recommend it. unless you realy really cnat find anyone else and are desperate fo the cash. can you do a 3 monht lease and then agree to resign if they get a job?

we're not completely desperate to let the flat, would rather wait and find the right tenant tbh. our mortgage conditions state it must be at least a 6 month contract.

so that's a no then?

well to be honest, whats the difference to renting it to someone who does have a job... they may not have in three months time. you could take a bigger deposit, i always take two months.

No way, the job market is flooded with candidates at the moment and without UK experience they would find it harder anyway.

We arrived jobless from Australia 5 years ago. Credit checks were successfully made on us! We got a renter 6 weeks after arriving, just as DH had just secured a 3 month job contract.

Whilst I don't expect you to act like a charity, consider that the rental market is the only burgeoning field in the estate agents armoury right now, and that Mr and Mrs English'n'Nice might fall unemployed tomorrow. Chances are your potential tenants 'have no recourse to public funds' as per us when we arrived, quite an incentive to find and keep a job! We really aren't in a position to second-guess their prospects.

They seem to recognise the 'risk' you may be taking with their rent in advance offer etc.

I'd take them, post credit checks.

If you do a rolling three month assured tenancy and they default you could have them out within 8 weeks so with deposit you'd be only 2 weeks down if they do try to mess you around. Or as someone else suggests make the deposit 2 months and then you'd be covered subject to no damage.