I’ve found a lovely family for my property, dad is securely employed and passed referencing - mum is at home looking after their 2 and a half year old child - so is treated as unemployed for referencing purposes with nothing in the way of credit history (no extended family, so no guarantor). They have rented their last property for several years with no problems.
Firstly, Do I go ahead with tenancy?
Secondly, I assume both adults are to be named as tenants on the AST?
Thirdly, Is it likely to affect my landlord insurance? (I know I can’t get rent guarantee insurance, but there are so many hoops to jump through that in my opinion it’s not worth the paper it’s written on)
I was bitten badly by the last tenant that was perfect on paper, I’m trying to employ some common sense on this one - obviously a stay at home mum would not pass referencing.
If the father has passed then I would go ahead as he is going to pay the rent
You can name either or both on the tenancy, that’s your choice.
Personally I would name both.
If they are married it would not matter if she was not named, she would be entitled to the same rights.
Speak to your insurers as they provide the insurance,
If she is not earning she may be in receipt of benefits.
Gut tells me that stay at home mums are doing valuable unpaid work, and that the system is wrong. They love the house as much as I do, and I think they will look after it.
They only live around the corner, thought I could maybe pop round to get a first-hand copy of their documentation (check how they look after the house at the same time)?
Very good idea to visit their home
I didn’t have any problems
They moved after 10 months because he got a job in a different city otherwise they were happy and so was I
Good luck
Put both on tenancy. They will be happy with that. Spouses and common-law-partners have different rights under the law - not sure how that applies to tenancy. There should be a ‘joint and several liability’ clause in any good tenancy agreement meaning that all tenants are equally liable for full payment of any rents or damage claims. Good luck
My understanding is that if you were to make the dad the tenant, then as they have children together, the tenants partner would have similar rights to the tenant under the Family Law Act 1996 even if she was not a named tenant. Without the children she would have only the rights of a licensee and could be evicted with short notice.
