Renting in uk with bad credit?

Question

Hi, I am getting very worried, due to unfortunate circumstances our home is being repossessed, I was hoping to be able to rent but now find that you have to have a credit score - which i know we will fail - im so worried that we are going to end up homeless - does any one know what the process involves in terms of how bad your credit has to be before rental companies will refuse you - thank you

Also !! I have seen a property and the company wants approx 180 pounds to go through the process of credit check etc, is it worth risking, I have recently got married and didnt know whether to just go on my new name - I just dont know its a nightmare - we have three children, i earn a good wage - but have had some extremely difficult times

Answer 1

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time of it. Most legit rental companies do have to put you through a credit check. You can however use a guarantor, who would be a close and kind! family or friend who would go through the credit check, and then if you failed to make a monthly payment, they would be responsible.

The only other way is if you put up a full 6 months rent.

Hope you find somewhere.
All the best
Kate

Answer 2

We went through something very similar last summer. I was 6 months pregnant, we had lost my wage due to illness, and my partner's training placement had gone belly up (due to being badly let down by the people who had promised him a well paid job) and he was working part time. The mortgage company were trying to repossess our home.

We would fail any credit score due to bad credit and the local council said that mortgage repossession is "deliberate homelessness" (even though its impossible to pay a mortgage of £463 pcm on an income of £100 a week!) and wouldn't help. We were told we'd get 6 weeks in a B&B and then left on the streets if we could not get private rent. When I asked her how I was supposed to care for a newborn baby on the streets in January the ignorant b.itch who passed for a "housing officer" shrugged and suggested the baby be taken into care!!!!!!!!! (That would NOT have happened, our families would have taken us in rather than let that happen!)

Local housing associations have 7 year + waiting lists (most have done away with the "points" system and work on a first come first served system now so having kids, being pregnant etc makes no difference - you just have to wait for years). and no chance of you ever getting a home from them.

We spoke to our local Councillor and also went to Shelter and they helped us hang onto our home - they came to court with us and argued our case and we were granted a suspended repossession which means we keep our home as long as we make the payments each month - my partner's mum managed to give us some money to help out.

I am furious that we were dealt with in such a shitty way by the council and that they would have happily seen a pregnant woman and newborn baby left on the streets. It makes me mad to think that people are being **** on in this country so badly. Both my partner and I have always worked and paid our taxes but Tony's disgusting excuse for a "government" would be happy to see us and our newborn baby left destitute, all the while giving homes to any scrounger who wants to come here and bleed this country dry!

I would advise you contact your local SHELTER office and make an appointment to go and see them. I promise they will be able to help - they cannot offer you housing but they will be able to make sure you either get a council house or a private rent. They are very experienced and I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for us. Our situation seemed hopeless and they still helped!

Answer 3

Hey Fred, we just rented 2 weeks ago after looking at many estate agents and rental companies and all wanted to do a credit check. BUT we noticed that some people advertise a house to let in the local newspapers and basically do it themselves to save the cost of estate agents and most don't bother or don't know how to check credit, so look in the local rag at private adverts and avoid the agents. We were offered a few houses without the credit score as most private landlords saw a good deposit and month in advance as good enough, but they may ask for references. If that's no good then try the local housing trusts, good luck

Answer 4

If you are on your local council/housing association's housing list, then the fact that your house was repossessed shouldnt matter. They are social landlords and because you have had genuine problems they cant use this against you (they may try saying you are deliberately homeless).
Even though they do a credit check they cant refuse you housing because of a bad credit rating. Social landlords exist to provide housing for people in need, who cant afford or get private housing.
With a private rented place it is totally different, they have no obligations and may well refuse you a tenancy because of your credit rating.

Answer 5

If you have kids you will have to go to your local council, or use word of mouth, get your friends etc to help you. Due to my flat getting sold a couple of years ago I was homeless also I got made redundant at the same time (unlucky or what?) I ended up sleeping in the mountains for couple of weeks above my home town, and it was not nice living off tinned sardines and washing yourself and clothes in the river, I eventually got my job back when a bigger company took the old one over and shared some student accomdation in the next town. The council would not help me because I was considered "Low risk" as I had no children and I wasnt old, I did point out that anyone was at risk in the Welsh mountains in the middle of winter and that I has paid taxes for most of my working life and I deserved better, but to no avail!!

Answer 6

What a horrible, unfortunate situation to be in. You should definitely make a housing application. You mentioned our, so i thinking that you have a wife and family? If you do, then the council will be obliged to help you. You can try Shelter which is a sub organisation. Your local council office will have a list of all the estate agents in your area, that have landlords who will accept people who are receiving benefits or low incomes. I do believe that the council can also help you with your deposit for a home.
Dont feel despair because something will turn around for you. Go on line www.(your local borough).gov.uk. Best of luck to you.

Answer 7

It's very difficult in this area to get council housing, but it's definately worth a try might be easier in your area.

Other than that go private, most small time landlords won't pay for a credit search.

Try the CAB they should be able to advise also.

Answer 8

you'll want a guarantor. maximum landlords will insist on also credit checking the guarantor and they must be operating and own their own home. also alot of landlords gained't settle for human beings on Housing earnings. did you comprehend you should pay a bond and a months employ in boost? also if you're dealing with an resources agent you'll maximum likely have an admin cost to pay to them. Why no longer get a job, save up and pay your own way as a replace of in accordance to DSS?

Answer 9

Bad credit is one of the worst problems to have... however there exists a solution.

I will hereby talk from my personal experience.

I did debt consolidation a couple of years ago, however If I had to do it again I would pay to some minor details,
if someone wants to get out of debt today it is pretty easy with a debt consolidation plan, however it may get a bit tricky at times, I suggest you get as much information as possible online on this first,

a good place to start in my humble opinion is astraight to the point ebook with question and answer I found :

http://umgarticles.atspace.com/debt-consolidation.htm

if it helps kindly remember me in your voting!.. cheers!

Answer 10

go to a letting agency they don't always want credit history but you have to put a months rent down and have two references good luck