Hi! I’m having quite a difficult time finding a place to rent anywhere near Croydon. I’ve been looking at studios, flat shares and the odd one bed and have made several different offers over the last couple months, however none have been accepted.
I’ve been employed in my current role for the last 5 months, starting a new career. It was originally a fully remote position but my employer wants everyone to work from their Croydon office twice a week starting new year, or their job is gone. I’m unable to really view anything in person due to living in Scotland, so have been asking for remote viewings and sending offers in based on those. I have no CCJs, single, no pets, non smoker, over 30 etc, I meet affordability minimums for the properties I’m offering on and I have been offering at the asked rent per month. I also have a previous landlord who’s happy to give me a good reference.
I think the only potential thing that might make a landlord uneasy is that I can’t see it in person, though this time last year it was the opposite way around and agents weren’t even willing to show me the flat unless I was certain I’d take it already. I’ve started just putting offers in the moment I decide from the ad alone that a place looks like it’ll work, but still not really having much luck and sometimes don’t even get a response. I don’t think I’m a bad candidate at all for any of the places I’ve tried for. It’s a little frustrating.
I understand it’s a big supply vs demand problem right now, but I’m wondering if anyone has any tips on how to best present myself and my offer (outside of the obvious offering more a month than what’s been asked on the advert) to stand out a bit?
I would take time off and make the effort to view as many properties as you can in a day or two.
As a landlord I dismiss people who cannot view, there’s too much choice. Not viewing can create issues. You simply cannot rely on photos. Do you really want to risk being bitterly disappointed and being stuck with a 6 month contract ahead, by not taking time out to view?
Build rapport with the local agents.
Offer 6 months rent and a guarantor, but this risks sounding desperate to some.
I’m a bit between a rock and a hard place on getting time off to go down and view, costs being prohibitive aside. We’ve got a few people off already for the holidays and I’m a bit het for work that can’t be delegated out while I take time off to focus on looking for a place. It’s not really a situation I’m fond of and normally I’d be staunchly on the same page as you, but I’m a bit at the mercy of my employer if I want to keep the career going. (It’s software development, notoriously hard to get your first position in, but after a successful year or two at a good company you’re basically fighting recruiters away). So I’m kind of at their mercy until I have a year under my belt at least. Not a situation I like, but one I feel I need to take the risk on; Six months in somewhere not so great is worth the career at the end of it.
I’ve been working on talking to agents, so hopefully managed that a bit, but definitely don’t have the savings to offer several months rent in advance, or get too competitive with offering more rent with the current economic climate.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Seems like I might just have to hope for the best and maybe get lucky, fingers crossed!
Have you spoken with employer and explained the situation? Maybe they will delay requirement for moving so quickly and allow you time to find a property once people are back off holiday? Seems a reasonable request to me. They cannot expect you to be able to find somewhere if you can’t have time off to do it.
Landlords and agents like to meet tenants to be able to see who they are dealing with.
Thought about a loan to get the rent in advance or pay an extra amount in rent? A needs must scenario?