Hi,
I’m new here and new to wanting to rent on my own. My situation is quiet complicated as at the moment I am in my ex’s military house that he left last Nov. I have been here with my son with additional needs since he walked out and left.
As things are going to normal with regards to Covid, that means the military are now seeking position of the house which will mean we have to leave. The military don’t let a family sign a tenancy agreement as it is just for family accommodation.
I phoned Citizans Advice and they advised me to sign upto universal credit and approach my local housing which I have.
I just really worried as the stigma about universal credit renting is poor, and you’re looked down on as unreliable so it seems. It’s not actually people’s fault we are in this position to have to seek additional help or if someone had a medical condition. I have looked online for renting and there are some lovely houses, but I don’t know anything about renting with universal credit. I do have savings I could give 4 months rent, or have a guarantor, but I work part time around my son who’s 4. Any advice given would be appreciated.
Natalie
When you apply don’t start off with universal credit. just apply. When you are asked be brief and write your situation and you have a guarantor. You are a good potential applicant and as the spouse of military would be looked upon favourably.
I’ve been looking for houses to rent locally, but after reading online about people’s views about being on universal credit or going on the housing register, I feel really disheartened. It feels like I won’t ever find a home, it would be ok if it was just me, but my son who has additional needs and is going to full time to a special school very soon, I just am scared I will be homeless. Even if I’m put into temporary accommodation, it could be anywhere
Landlords are fearful of UC because of the tenant mentality that comes with it. Do not dwell on this. Most UC don’t have a guarantor and thus will not entertain it. You are not in that category.
You are military. Your circumstances have changed. You come with rent in advance a deposit and a guarantor. The fact you have a guarantor is a real plus. Just let them know you are the spouse of military and have a child.
I have taken students in receipt of UC without a guarantor. Why because they demonstrate initiative. It’s not all about UC or a guarantor, for me it’s about your mentality as a human being. I’ve just taken on two tenants who failed on paper, gamble, live hand to mouth, no guarantor but they paid rent for the last 8 years, and they were not rude or did not try to manipulate me.
Not all landlords are going to reject you . Persevere.
I often go on a gut feeling.
Think positive. Treat it like job interview and do not overshare.
What do u mean people’s mentality being on UC? I’ve only just got this benefit due to advice from citizens advice as I will be renting on my own for the first time in 5 years. I wasn’t married to my ex, we just have our son together. He literally walked out and left last nov. There is no contract, I have to be served an eviction to go to court in order to get their house back by a certain date, unless I can find a home before.
It’s a worrying situation as I’m only classed as a trespasser. I’m signed into anything as u don’t get a written contract as I said previously, my ex should of been paying rent, but as he left, nothing is paid due to it not being my home as such. I have been in contact with the military since he walked out and they gave me permission to stay due to Covid, but now they have to go through the process of serving an eviction, they said it’s normal procedure, it’s called a notice to vacate. I’ve listed properties to look at, but I haven’t made the phone call cos I’m scared of being judged. I don’t know what to say on the phone, oh I saw ur home advertised can I arrange a viewing… yeah sure. What’s ur job title. Part time cleaning and care for my disabled son, do u earn 30x the price of the rent? No, how will u pay for a tenancy of £1k a month then? Universal credit, savings and a guarantor… but they have other ppl viewing their house, with great 2 incomes, confident, rented maybe more years than me, want a short contract rather than long, they are going to just laugh at me. And the agent say just wait for a council house, that’s not an option cos I don’t want temporary accommodation, put anywhere with no consideration of my sons needs.
You may have more luck renting directly from a landlord than via an agent. Agents just want the quick safe let and generally only look at the strongest candidates, and don’t take time to consider details of individual situations ( in my experience).
I have a couple of tenants on UC because I met them, heard their story and liked them. They had enough money coming in to pay the rent.
One of them had a disabled son, so, although not working, could manage the rent. Of course, it helps that rents around my area sound like they are less than they are around you. I took the view that she was probably a safer bet than someone with a job because her benefits were guaranteed.
Thank you for your reply. This is the first time living on my own since my relationship breakdown, and the first time I’ve tried to rent. I just don’t want the knock backs all the time cos it’s awful the stigma.
My parents can be my guarantor, they own their home but are 70 and retired.
I have many benefits due to my sons disability, and savings, but I don’t know how to approach an agency. I don’t want to wait till I get an eviction date as it could be at anytime, and put in any accommodation. I just need a home with a garden for my son that’s local to his school, as where I am is a 40 minute drive to my sons school there and and 40 minutes back to the house when he starts full time school in the next few days
I suspect you might get knock backs anyway, just due to supply v demand. My last house I put up for rent, I had 10s of enquiries in less than 12 hours and 3 viewings, and they all wanted it, so it was a really difficult decision. I went for the ones that I thought would stay the longest.
I consider applicants on UC and currently have a lovely reliable single mum with 2 kids as a tenant as a result. Be honest and open about your situation, landlords are put off by applicants who try to deceive. Work out what rent you can afford incl all your benefits and show the landlord you’ve done the maths. Use Openrent or similar to deal direct with the landlord. As others have said, agents will probably not prioritise you. Good luck.
Life is not always easy, please don’t give up before you’ve tried. You have had some hard knocks but you have savings and you sound reliable so like the previous replies I would say go and try and be honest about your position and what you can afford and demonstrate what you can pay and that you will take good care of their property. If they do not take you on, try the next one, you may have to make multiple applications before you find the right property but you will get one in the end. Best of luck.
That’s lovely to read Tony and gives me hope. This will be the first time for me going solo into renting if I can. I did ring an agency, who said my parents wouldn’t be able to be a guarantor as they are 70 and need to have about 33k a year on their pension… I mean they own their house and worked all there life. How can they not be my guarantor?
I’m a cleaner and I have my son who I care for as he has additional needs. I just need to find a home closer to my parents and his school. 
Thanks Jennifer, I was told yesterday that if I put 6 months rent up front, after the 6 months I would be expected to give another 6 months and so on, if I wanted to remain in the property. I’ve saved for a while and I don’t want to have to give up a lot of my savings, but I would 6 months to put a roof over my sons head. I do have my parents as a guarantor, but was told they couldn’t be it for me. The council will take a long while to help, and I would be put in temporary accommodation for not sure how long.
Thank you real estate 
“It’s not actually people’s fault we are in this position”. Well actually it is becuseso many stop paying the LL direct and then pocket the money. What beats me is why the Govt are happy to give people benefits to pay rent with and then continue to do so when they pocket the money.
Please do not take full house on rent and don’t burn your savings.
Try and find a house share where you have a good size room for you and your son where you would save by sharing utility bills.
Rent privately from a responsible landlord who respects your situation.
Show the maths with benefits you get and the rent you could afford.
Avoid agencies - they just know how to bill tenants & landlords for their profit.
I wish you well.
Regards,
Ajay Soin
I am not one of those ppl who would do that, and that means I am labelled the same which is hurtful! Any housing should be paid direct to the land lord and then the land lord would maybe be more willing to let ppl who can’t help but need a benefit to rent their home
That’s impossible for me to share as I have a son who is disabled and needs all the space and routine he can get in life.
And to be honest I don’t want to rent with others either
I have also NEVER been in this position to need a benefit, I have always worked and always rented private. You sound like u hate ppl who have to rent with a benefit after ur comment.
My situation changed when I learnt my son was disabled and my relationship ended due to abuse, so I have to rent on a benefit now. So ppl do have reasons!!
I think you hit the nail on the head. I only once had a inherited tenant who ended up on benefits. Unfortunately he pocketed the rent. By the time we got him out he was massively in debt to us. You can see why landlords are wary. We are not rich people just people who worked like the devil to provide for our old age without claiming any benefits. However most people think we are coining it in but forget how much money time and effort went into this and still does. The worst thing the government did was pay it to the tenant which has caused all this mistrust due to attitudes that the rent is theirs to dispose of as they wish. To me that is fraud and I do not understand theirs of Shelter who kick the landlords at every turn but won’t risk their own money on housing for those who need it. I really feel for you and you sound genuine but at the end of the day you are strangers. Would you trust your money to strangers. I hope you get sorted soon. Would you not be able to move back with your parents for a while till you get yourself sorted? Good luck.
It saddens me that I am labelled as a nothing but a person on benefits who can’t afford anything and want hand outs. This isn’t the case, I’m in a situation wanting to rent with my son, who has saved 6k for a down payment, who has parents who have retired due to ill health who worked mostly all their life, and I care for them also around my son when I’m not doing my own job as a cleaner…
After reading what some landlords have experienced, they have come across like they hate people on benefits. As I said before a lot of people are genuinely wanting to rent cos they can’t afford a mortgage, haven’t had a chance to save so can’t afford a massive down payment for a mortgage, so renting private is what you have to do to get out of you’re own parents house in life. I never look at a landlord and think he/she can afford it if I don’t pay this month, cos it would mean I’m evicted and I care too much for my own roof over my head to do that. I wish landlords would look at someone who’s a ‘stranger’ as u said as someone who would be genuine and a nice person. You don’t know how awful it feels to be looked down upon when wanting to rent, knowing that they are probably looking down their nose at you soon as they see you have to pay by UC, as this is my first time ever having to have this benefit, I already know what people will be thinking of me and it’s upsetting. Every home I have rented from I love and care for it like it’s my own. I don’t look at it as my forever home, I look at it like I’m grateful I can live there…