Hi all
I’m new to the property search and just looking for some advice and guidance !
I’m a 28 year old female, in full time work, I work from home and have been with my company over 5years now. Home at the moment is still with my parents (thankfully) in their council home.
I’m used to paying my own way, paying for my own phone bill / food / luxuries. And I contribute £300 a month to my parents to go towards utilities rent etc.
Me and my boyfriend now want to live together in a rented property before we start to look to buy together.
Also 28, he lives in his own mortgage free 1 bed flat, he inherited this from his late grandma. But it is far too small for us as a couple. Due to an injury this time last year he was out of work for the first 6 months this year, then with family matters he’s stayed not working to assist them and has lived off his savings.
Our ideal plan was to find somewhere to move into for the new year, and he returns to work in a management role and rent out his small flat.
With our combined finances right now we are in a good position to rent somewhere up to £1250 per month, and even discussed paying 6months up front to attempt to put our future landlords mind at ease, that rent will be paid.
However I worry due to him being out of work for so long we won’t pass any sort of referencing, and will be shot down until he returns to work.
So landlords my question for you !
Are there landlords out there that would understand this situation and give us a chance ? Or shall I not bother enquiring in until he returns to work next year ?
Please be kind, as I say this will be my first renting experience thank you in advance
Hi Graham, we are currently in Bedfordshire, but looking for places a little further north. (Within a hour driving distance to Bedfordshire for family)
Northamptonshire / Cambridgeshire.
We are willing to travel, both have cars, as I work from home I don’t really have restrictions for location, when my boyfriend returns to work it’ll be in/around Peterborough
Just remember it is never about you, it is always a comparison between you and other people. If it was me, then I would be a bit negative about your relationship status because if you split up and one person leaves then the contract comes to an end. Plus the income history of your boyfriend. So it is not a no-no, but if a married couple with both working were looking at same property then I’d go with them.
I appreciate your input, however my question was about the income history of my boyfriend vs the security we can provide in terms of deposit, more months upfront or even a guarantor and whether landlords would give us a chance on those conditions.
Not our relationship status, married couples can get divorced or separate too. That’s life, friends that live together can even part ways, I’ve read many threads on this community talking about all 3 scenarios.
I think LLs should make their judgments on the couples upon meeting them, not whether or not they have signed a marriage certificate.
Why ask location when your response had nothing to do with my answer?
In a personal note - we love the idea of marriage, but why would we commit like that until we have lived together ? Plus we are practical people, who would much prefer spend our money to live together happily cohabiting, progress to purchasing, and maybe do some more traveling.
The registry office will always be available
All Landlords want to know
a) do you have the resources to keep paying the rent
b) if you are renting as a couple can you still pay if the relationship founders.
In additions some Landlords use “rent protection insurance” - this costs the landlord and cushions them in case of non payment - but insurers strongly limit who can apply for this - so those landlords who won’t rent without this insurance won’t rent to you.
Others would feel that as you partner has an unmortgaged property and is signing a joint tenancy agreement with you and thus liable for any rent unpaid until you both legally end the agreement - that unpaid rent can be recovered by the landlord from his property.along with any legal costs in recovering it. Basically his house becomes security against you failing to pay rent.
Personally as a landlord I might be sympathetic to your plans if he can demonstrate that he knows what he is doing in his plans to become a landlord and his ownership of the property. But I don’t have any rent protection insurance for my properties .
I have some tenants in my properties who would be a fail in referencing as regards rent protection insurance but have persuaded me they are good tenancy prospects…
The bit about whether you are married or not doesn’t come into you suitability as tenants - but it might affect if a landlord considers his property a suitable financial security for you both. If you marry it is usually joint property and if for example he was in an accident and died you would inherit it or if he left you its value would be split between you - however it is unlikely this will be the case with your present relationship status .
It doesn’t mean you can’t get a flat - just you really need to persuade a Landlord you will be good tenants and better than al the other applicants he/she wil be getting .
If you had said London I would have given a different answer. I rent out flats around your price range. Everyone has to have a guarantor, no exceptions. In London your chances would be much lower as at that price you will be up against 90 other people, even including many on UC as it pays 1,200/month for 2 bed flat Don’t know about Beds.
thank you in advance