Hi Victoria,have you thought about retirement property? I have been offered a few in Manchester but the good ones only have single bedrooms I could not sleep in a single bed. I am waiting for the chance of something in Midlothian area of Scotland but only time will tell how long it will take.I hope you have had a good day.Mina x
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That’s good news, Mina. You’ll just need to pester them about it, like calling once a week for any updates. Unfortunately in this world sometimes it’s those who shout loudest who get the help they need. Obviously do it politely.
I’m in my 40’s so don’t qualify yet, but I was offered Extra Care living, like a retirement home, but with extra care there as and when I need it. Brighton has long lists for that accommodation, and to be honest I still want to feel independent in some ways, going private felt like I was choosing that. I only have carers in when I really need them. My illness ebbs and flows, so I still have some flexibility.
Thank you for thinking of me.
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Seriously, you could squeeze a double bed in a single room. Or buy a double sofa bed for the living room.
I’ve decided I’ll take a studio apartment in Brighton if it gets me there quicker. I’ll just pay for storage for my furniture and then save and find a 1 bedroom place in 36 months or so whilst I’m there. Sometimes you have to compromise to get where you need to be.
x
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I Hope you don’t mind me asking,you don’t have to answer me if I am intruding on your personal life,what medical problems do you have? I have had fibromyalgia for the past 30yrs which I have good days and bad. I also have copd&ostoarthrites, and I also have suffered with lower back pain for 35yrs.Then if I don’t have enough my go called me and said I have type 3kidney disease and stage 2 diabetes I also have bad experiences with depression.x
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Thanks so much, truly appreciated.
Paula Mcmullen
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Bloody hell, Mina!
You’ve got a lot on your plate. I’d rather not discuss my medical issues on here. There’s a facility to private message each other if you want to go there.
Surely you are a priority in housing need?
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My understanding is that landlords can’t just decline tenants on the grounds of being on benefits because that would discriminate against people like yourself who have a disability. It may be worth you speaking to your local housing department or the CAB and telling them the problems you are encountering, they may be able to offer some advice or support.
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Hi Kim,
So nice of you to reach out with that information. Some of the things I’ve read on these threads has actually disgusted me. Landlords saying “no Dss”, sharing stories about their encounters and jollying each other along about how people on benefits are the lowest of the low.
I’ve actually found it very upsetting.
I think as much as some landlords talk about people trying to cheat the system, so too can landlords. All they have to do is ask for a guarantor, which I do not have, and I know many others in my position also do not have, and then I’m discounted. The comments on these threads highlight what I all ready knew, but unless someone says to me directly " I don’t take people on benefits" there’s not much recourse. One of the last properties I applied for on here said they accepted tenants on DSS, but that they would need guarantor who is a homeowner of a property in the U.K and be earning £42 K a year. That makes it impossible for a lot of people like me.
It’s a horribly frustrating situation. I’m afraid at this point that the only landlord that will accept people on PIP will be a slum landlord.
I understand there are a lot of risks with owning and letting property, but surely there has to be some give?
Thank you.
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Hi Kim,
Thanks to your gentle push I did some research on Shelter. There may be some help for people in particular circumstances. I’m going to call Shelter later today.
Just wanted to thank you again.
I’ll share what I find out.
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Victoria - I’m sorry that you seem to have had a rough deal in life. The thought of spending 16 months under solitary confinement in a flat makes me shudder.
I’m a landlord. I’ll say something about your problem (and Mina’s) and then make a suggestion.
A big part of your problem is supply and demand. Landlords can afford to be picky. Why would we not choose the applicants who we think are the very best for us? We aren’t charities. And it’s quite likely there will be fewer of us in future because the government is chipping away at the private residential lettings sector, which reduces supply, but demand just goes up all the time. We recently had a changeover at one of our properties. There were over 30 applicants.
But don’t be discouraged by the 30 applicants for 1 property. Nearly half the applicants were completely unsuitable, or were caught out lying in the application process. I am very, very thorough. Taking care choosing tenants is the key difference between success and failure in this business. A month of void between tenancies is a lot better than no rent for 18 months, a trashed house, furious neighbours, and invoices from lawyers and bailiffs. Out of the 30 applicants there were only 6 who were likely to get a tenancy offer from me. So it’s not a 1:30 success rate, it’s more like 1:6.
So here’s my suggestion. Treat your search for a new home as if it were a job application. Write an application which reads a bit like a CV, and also write a summary. Try to think about what landlords want, just as you would try to think about what an employer wants when you apply for a job. I can tell you what I want:
- I want the rent to be paid on time, every time, so I want the tenant to have the money and a really strong incentive to be a good payer. You need to explain very carefully what your income is and where it comes from. I had never heard of PIP until now, and perhaps other landlords are the same, so explain how this works.
- My properties are in good condition and I want them to be very well looked after, so give some history of the places you have lived and how you looked after them, and emphasise that you can provide a good reference from your current landlord.
- And I want a quiet life. So you need to say why you will be a quiet, reliable tenant.
I suppose there might be some landlords who want the warm feeling that comes from helping someone in need, but I don’t think there are many because most landlords who operate like charities don’t last long. I wouldn’t play the sympathy card if I was you. Be matter of fact.
When you make your first approach using the OpenRent system you need to provide your real first name, your telephone number, and your email address. Some applicants don’t provide all 3 pieces of information. Yes there’s a risk in doing that but it’s a risk you need to take. If you are unlucky enough to encounter a landlord who acts inappropriately use the voice recorder on your phone or take a screenshot of any chat and report them to OpenRent. DO NOT just say, ‘Hi, I’m Victoria and I want to view the property’. That won’t get you near the top of the list. Write a script for your voice message, then practice saying it so it doesn’t sound like you are reading from a script. Your voice message should be business-like, clear, concise, and make you sound like you are going to be a great tenant. In your written message put your application summary. In both the voice and written messages offer to send your detailed written application by email. If you use a photo of yourself make sure it’s a really good one, just like you would put on a job application. A photo of a person who looks unkempt and has a surly expression is going to put that applicant at the bottom of the list, not the top.
At each stage of the process give landlords some reasons why your application should be near the top of their list. Because we always have a list. That’s just how it is.
Hope this helps.
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I think that is a very useful piece of advice. Treat it like a job interview. Don’t overshare what you would not with an employer.
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Perrygrovefarm,
Thank you for going to the trouble of writing all of that information .
For the most part I’ve followed all your advice. I like the email suggestion, and I never knew there was a facility to use voicenotes .
I always write a professional resume style introduction about myself. I don’t expand on my health issues, only point out that I can no longer work due to ill health. I give a brief overview of PIP, explain I have character refrences, and a reference from my landlord. I always add that I enjoy interior design and have made upgrades to my current property by professional builders with the consent of my landlord, and that I waa previously a working professional .
Would it be useful to offer a before and after of my current flat? Or give them a video of it with me speaking?
I was also wondering if I should share my LinkedIn profile so they can see my work history and qualifications and endorsements?
I also have certificates that highlight my finances and the 10 year award I’ve been granted.
I’m going to go and tweak a few things…
THANK YOU!
I wish you luck,there may be a waiting list but if you don’t ask you won’t get,please explain to me how I find the private message page. I hope you have a good day.Mina.I was about to send you 2 x it’s a good job I noticed before I pressed send lol
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Four things I would suggest.
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remove the info about doing up previous properties - as a LL I don’t want someone who is going to make significant changes to the property until we have established a good relationship. I would just say you are houseproud and can provide pictures and references to show the condition you keep the property in. Take out the bit about being able to afford upgrades as well - I don’t expect my tenants to upgrade the property and its actually offputting to me. Just make sure the agreement allows you to decorate with LLs permission and cross that bridge once you have secured the property.
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Simplify the bit about PIP and don’t mention housing benefit - “my income of £X is primarily from a PIP award which guarantees my income (including inflationary rises) for a minimum of 10 years and means I can afford the rent without relying on the housing benefit and council tax benefit which I also receive”
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get a credit card and start using it (paying it off every month) this will increase your credit score which is another factor in getting referenced
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Check out insurance backed guarantor schemes such as Benefits
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Thank you, Fraser1
Excellent feedback. I’ll go ahead and make those amendments. I wasn’t aware of the guarantor scheme, I’m going to look into that. Wow!
The way you wrote out your advice reminds me of my husband. He was a private English instructor and adjunct professor. Writing came easy to him too.
Thank you.
Really appreciate it!
Is there a catch with the rent guarantor scheme? I mean do LL differentiate between those and friends or family guarantors?
I will sign up immediately if it is going to increase my chances.
Just watched a video about the scheme. I’m so pleased. I wonder why Shelter didn’t recommend that?
So greatful.
Victoria - I have no free time for the next couple of days. I will reply again when I can.
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Victoria what is LL?
Please do not feel that a request for a guarantor is discrimination. All my properties currently have guarantors and all for different reasons. I have a pair of junior drs with a guarantor. They are working (flat out) but the number equation for screening did not work out. I don’t discriminate, they need to get through screening to keep my insurer and finance company happy so anyone may be asked for a guarantor. If an applicant was on PIP it would just go through the same calculation.
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Victoria,
If you are still in your current property take photos so you can show prospective landlords how you keep it, yes it may have had a good sort out but at least that’s one tick in the box.
Paying 6 months in advance may not always be okay as some tenants do this and cant pay the next 6 months. Of course you could continue to pay go monthly, bi monthly, 3 monthly too.
Landlords look at risk - risk can cost the landlords dearly so there is no discrimination just evaluation of risk.
Personally I would want my tenant to be open and honest and I always meet them to assess them. I nearly always get the right vibes to let or not. We get to see those who are genuine or full of ???
Applications come from all types and situations, 20,30 even 50 applications can come in. nearly all will be filtered down to either none or 1 or 2. Meeting your landlord is always a plus.
What many prospective tenants fail to recognise is that landlords have a business to run and the risk is all with them, even more so in recent years.
You’ve had many suggestions , I suggest you just collect the best and move on with some luck I hope.