Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

Hi
Was wondering if anyone has been able to rent a property in the UK without having a job?
We will be returning without a job and will need to initially rent but we will not have jobs on our return. We will be able to prove that we have funds to pay the rent or if needed pay rent upfront (would rather not though)
Also will be able to give previous landlord/s from UK and NZ for a reference.

Would be grateful if anyone has any experience or advice on how hard or easy this will be.

:unsure:

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

Only ever did this in Christchurch, NZ.

We had rent money but no jobs. We had references too. At that time letting agents were only to pleased that people were looking for places to rent in a city most couldn't wait to get out of in March 2011.

How can we do this should we return to Britain I wonder ?

Six months rent up front ? Um, dunno.

Motel first then see what the deal is with letting agents ? Hoping that money talks along with a reasonable credit rating. We'll see.....

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

Hi,
All I can say is that we are in the same situation.
We only have a rental income from our property there but that is lower than what we will need to pay. It's tricky. If you are currently working just don't say you are quitting so quickly. Try to stay employed to show some income, even if its outside of the country.
Also, some agents wanted us to show them saving etc and also pay 6 months in advance!! We are still looking. Will let you know if i have news.
Good luck

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

You'll need to plan to have 6 months rent to pay in advance. Also if you have family close by you could also ask them to sign as the guarantor.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

This. Plus you will need a deposit too of at least 12 months rent.

If you pay up front, don't forget to check that the landlord has received permission from their mortgage lender to let the place or you could end up losing your money and home.

RENTING? Check your LL has permission to let that property. - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

Don't believe that about the deposit, when we moved back to the UK we just paid 6 months rental in advance, that was 5 months rent and one month for the deposit. If you rent from an agent, then they will have done all the legal checks, and you will be assured that the property is fully insured.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

I would have as much resources as you can to fund rent up front for however long they demand it, particularly if you don't have employment, employers references, landlord's references, bank statements etc. Here in Hampshire rental housing is very very expensive and as far as I can see, letting agents are leeches making money from it. I spoke to one recently and they were demanding over 200 pounds just for the preparation of the rental agreement! - hello, in Canada they do that for free! It's called the cost of doing business.

The whole thing makes me so sick after dealing with Canadian apartment companies who are worlds apart in terms of what they offer and what they charge. There is talk of reforming some of the rental rules in the UK (it's an election issue) and quite frankly, the sooner they do it, the better. I have actually seriously contemplated moving back to Canada in the long term because the housing market is so so bad here. And I knew it would be bad but coming back to it after my Canadian experience just makes the whole thing that much worse. The other alternative for me is to move North when I retire as rents are cheaper there but there are far fewer jobs. However, it's not something I particularly relish the idea of doing.

Also just to add, the governments Buy To Let scheme has made the whole thing that much worse - there are now a million little landlords who want to get in on the act and make as much money as they can out of tenants - it's disgusting.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

That assumption has caught many people out, who paid their rent in good faith.

The truth is that anyone can set themselves up as a letting agent and there is no legal requirement for them to be qualified. Some join ARLA, but many don't.

Don't believe that just because you rent through a letting agent, that they have made sure the landlord is "legal" - has received permission to let from his mortgage lender. There is no requirement for the letting agent to check the landlord has received that permission.

There is no legal requirement for letting agents to check that the landlord hasn't already received a repossession order either, when they rent you a property. Then the tenant has lost the chance to go to the repossession hearing and beg to be given 2 months before they have to move (2 months is all the court may give, even if the contract is for longer as the mortgage company didn't give permission for the property to be let).

As to the "fully insured" that you think the agents have checked, ARLA have stated that there have been many cases where an insurer won't pay out if the mortgage lender hasn't given permission for the property to be let.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

UK renting laws are really bad i.e. see my previous post in this thread. The UK really needs to follow the renting rules that some of our Eupopean cousins have.

The rents went sky high when the last Labour government brought in LHA (Local Housing Allowance) which meant that the landlords put their rents up to this much higher amount. Then housing benefit being paid at the 50th percentile, drove rents up too. People moved to areas they could never afford to rent in if they paid their own rent. Plus that government also brought in the Section21 rules that means that any tenant can be thrown out without a reason, which means that now many tenants are scared to complain about the disrepair in case they get thrown out.

When this government dropped the LHA rate to the 30th percentile, some landlords reduced their rents, but not enough did. As our ever growing poplulation is out stripping supply, they have talked about relaxing building planning rules and blocking low skilled immigration (reducing the demand) but the rents are still much too high.

I'm sure that many landlords haven't cottoned on to the fact that their own income based benefits are going to be stopped under the welfare reforms, when their area is moved onto the one welfare payment Universal Credit. UC will end the anomaly of the income based welfare payment Tax Credits, being the only income based welfare payment that doesn't have a 16k capital cutoff.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

For retirement try the West Country as well. But it isn't all grim up North!

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

I think that from a landlord's point of view, the most important thing about the UC is that it will be down to the claimant to pay his or her own rent, and it won't go straight to the landlord. That will make landlords reluctant to rent to benefit claimants.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

I know that a lot of people pooh pooh Liverpool as a place to live, but I honestly can't see why. Obviously there are good and not so good suburbs but there are heaps of nice places to live. I've enjoyed performances by the Liverpool Philharmonic, been to live theatre performances, the museums and cathedrals. Festivals and street theatre, a top class teaching hospital, fantastic shopping and a great array of restaurants and pubs. I don't mind it being so underrated though, we could never have afforded the type of apartment we've bought if it'd been in a more popular area, and it would have been just a dream in Australia.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

I thought Housing Benefit had already been changed to be paid to the claimant rather than direct to the landlord? Or has that change not happened yet?

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

You're correct; it happened years ago. Often landlords' don't know their tenant is on housing benefit as there is no requirment for the councils to tell them if the tenant doesn't want them informed.

The only way a landlord can get the rent paid directly to them from the council, is if the tenant is 4 weeks behind with paying them the rent. Although that causes problems if the tenant has put in a false claim, as the council then goes after the landlord for their thousands back (as that is who they paid the money to) instead of the claimant.

Re: Renting a property in the UK without a job?
 

Sorry, didn't state the current position correctly. But it is not correct either that HB can only go to the landlord if tenant is 4 weeks behind. Tenants in arrears are one category. Vulnerable tenants are another, and most importantly HB can be paid direct to the landlord in order to secure a tenancy. That is going to go with UC and it will make it more difficult for claimants to find accommodation.