private renting disclosing

[Rubymurray]

Hi

Am I better off mentioning a vvvv brief of my vulnerable situation to estate agents to help me find somewhere quicker or not mentioning anything at this stage??

I have to put that I am on sick benefits, I will cover everything rent fine and I have a guarantor……. but dont know how much to say?

Could it help me if I do mention a very brief of situation, I dont want them to turn me away or prioritise others easily when they just read my details of sick benefits (with guarantor)….???

thanks

[Fudgecake]

Hey Ruby,
I can only offer you my personal experience on this matter and your situation is completely different. However, I was jobless and homeless as a result of leaving a domestic abuse situation. Thankfully though I had savings to survive.I told some letting agents about my predicament and I got a look of disgust as if I was a piece of muck they’d walked on. They showed me a house though as they wanted the money but that initial reaction from them sealed their fate. Even if they were offering a palace I wouldn’t have taken it. Their opinion of me was already made ie trouble.
Then I went to another agent and gave all info apart from the domestic abuse part. Their reaction and treatment of me was very different, businesslike and no withering looks or pre judgements.

I’m only talking here from what I experienced and the real point is they’ll take the money.
But I don’t think telling them your everything helps at all. It only causes them to pre judge and they might use that knowledge against you in the future.

Hope this helps, good luck with your move.

[Rubymurray]

thats very helpful…albeit, sh*t and disgusting. thanks so much for replying

[Rubymurray]

oh the other question i wanted to ask is, what do i say without saying that….. bc they ask me whether im a home owner or renting currently, when I say im a home owner, that probably sounds odd to anyone else if they didnt know the situation….

do i just say due to separation or to that effect….?

thanks

[Wants To Help]

Hi Rubymurray,

I too had difficulty in renting my own place when I had to move on from a DV support unit. I had been living in it for well over a year and had an excellent reference from my support workers, but Rental Agencies wouldn’t take me on, probably for a similar reason that Fudgecake has stated; they suspected I’d bring trouble to the address, perhaps an angry ex who would come round and put the windows in etc.

The sad thing is you may have to lie be a bit economical with the truth. Any chance you could say you need to leave the home address due to relatives showing symptoms of Covid-19 and having to isolate for 12 weeks?

You can no longer be discriminated against for a rental based on being on benefits, but no legislation is yet in place for them discriminating on people fleeing domestic abuse.

[Rubymurray]

great thats really helpful thank yooooooooooooooo x

[Wants To Help]

Another thing you could offer to sway it your way is to pay a certain amount of months’ rent up front if that is financially possible, just to show you are financially capable of complying with payments and are reliable. In an ideal world you shouldn’t have to offer this, but when in need…

[Rubymurray]

even mention paying some first month rent when im in conversation when im viewing and enquiring…… very good tip – thanks

[Escapee]

Hi Rubymurray,

I was in the same situation as Fudgecake and thankfully was able to pay a large amount up front. I moved a big distance so didn’t even view the house. I will say the agent I dealt with was so good. I didn’t go into detail, just said it was a very difficult situation and asked if she felt it was a nice safe home for a single woman. She told all about the other renters in the area and the situation regarding the house. I was also very lucky that the landlord was willing to take furry creatures too. So I just went for it…..best decision I could have made.

When I was ringing agents, some wouldn’t take rent in advance. So that could be something to ask before you start viewing etc.

Housing may also have access to private landlords willing to accept benefits.

Good luck 💕

[RedGiraffe]

I was also wondering this…
so I’m private renting and abuser is still living here (we’ve split but he won’t leave yet – says he hasn’t the money). I’ve tried to change the tenancy from a joint to just my name but my landlord hasn’t replied to my email. However, I’m worried he won’t let me keep the house with just me (and child). However, SHOULD I have mentioned I’m trying to escape domestic abuse? (Psychological and emotional)?

I really want to keep the house as it’s close to family and childs school and I rely on family for childcare so I can work and I really love my job!

[Wants To Help]

@redgiraffe, hi 🙂

If you are both named on a joint rental agreement then the landlord cannot just take either of your names off the tenancy as this is illegal. It protects both of you, which is good, because that way, your abuser couldn’t just get you off it either if it was to suit him to do so. When the tenancy is due for renewal, you can ask your abuser if he would move out and agree to you keeping the tenancy on alone, and if he refuses, then you have the right not to renew it with your name on it and then you are free to move out. If you don’t want to move out then you will have to go down a legal route to try and get him to move from the property, either by contacting the Police and making a complaint of criminal offences, or by applying for an Occupation Order via the civil process.

If your credit history with the paying of the rent is good, the house has been maintained and kept in good order during your tenancy, and you can prove to the landlord that you have the funds to continue paying rent as a sole tenant then I don’t see why they would not want to keep you on as a tenant. It would be the most cost effective way for them to keep the property tenanted.

[RedGiraffe]

Thanks for this, this could explain why I haven’t had a reply from landlord. The problem is our tenancy doesn’t have a renew date… the one we signed ended over a year ago 🙁 I’m just so confused. I wanted to hear from my landlord before I tried to get another place (as staying here is the preferable option) but now the other place that was suitable has gone 🙁

He’s willing to leave (apparently) but all the bills are in his name, so even if he were to leave I need the landlords help in changing the payment details to me. I’ve paid all the bills but the landlord automatically put them in his name when we moved in – even though it’s always been me who paid.

[RedGiraffe]

Not sure if it makes any difference but my orginal email to landlord said we had had a relationship breakdown and I did cc him (Abuser) into the email so it showed I wasn’t doing it behind his back. I guess I’m just so confused right now and desperate to get things sorted and move on.

[Wants To Help]

Well this is actually quite easy then.

There is no current rental agreement in place, so you need to get a new one drawn up. I’m sure if next months rent doesn’t get paid your landlord will soon be in touch! You can’t breach an expired agreement. You fulfilled your agreement and now need a new one.

If your abuser is agreeable to leave then get the new tenancy agreement drawn up in your name. If your abuser is the only name on all of the bills then it’s in his interest to get his name taken off them, not yours. If he doesn’t co-operate, he’s the one legally responsible for the bills, not you, so you have no obligation to pay them. Any debt built up will not be on your shoulders. Don’t worry yourself with trying to sort his financial business out.

[RedGiraffe]

Thank you so much 🙂 I feel slightly less stressed already… so really my landlord should be in touch – I haven’t disclosed to him about the abuse.

[Wants To Help]

I’m not suggesting you default on your rent completely, just keep it back until the landlord makes contact about why it hasn’t been paid, then you can agree to pay it once the tenancy is in your name. This situation may give you a bit of bargaining power as you cannot agree to another joint tenancy if you want to split up. Unless your abuser does a U turn and says he wants to stay on and he will take the tenancy on by himself then your landlord may give the tenancy to you alone. If your abuser wants the tenancy can he afford it by himself? If the payments have come from your account and not his, how will the landlord know your abuser can afford to meet the payments?

Alternatively, email your landlord again and inform them in advance that due to your tenancy agreement having expired you will not be paying rent until a new one is drawn up, and that you want the new one in your name alone. Hopefully, by giving them the heads-up the rent won’t be paid it will prompt them to get in touch with you.

[RedGiraffe]

The rent has come from a joint bank account however all other household bills have come from mine… it’s so annoying, really hoping things get sorted soon – I’m kicking myself for not going for the other place I saw now – all because I didn’t want to move my child from his home – probably would have been better to do. I won’t make that mistake again tho if I see somewhere else.

[Wants To Help]

Some things happen for a reason. If you really want to move and leave him, the next place you find available will probably be even more suitable for you and your little one. Don’t stop looking.

[RedGiraffe]

Thank you, I won’t!x

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