Jamz3k

Whats with this? Never have I been asked for a guarantor before until today were 3 rental agents asked for one as part of the agreement.

I'm 27years of age, why would I need a guarantor if I am paying a deposit? I told them all that it wasn't going to happen as all my family are dole bludgers and I wouldn't feel right asking a friend to do it.

nik52wrx

We had a lady put in an application to rent a property from us and she failed the credit check, she did however provide the deails of her guarantor who unfortunately failed the check too

I'm not aware that our agents ask for a guarantor generally, perhaps when income is low enough to suggest things maybe a little tight.

In your case, maybe there's been a rise in unpaid rents in your area and landlords are just looking to cover themselves.

Nik.

Jamz3k

If they credit checked me unfortunately, it will crash and burn as I have a default against my name which doesn't drop off for another year.

Never missed a rent payment in 8 years though even through some harder times but I doubt it counts for anything.

Ant

That's why they'll be asking, find a private landlord and avoid the agency

Al9

Is there websites with private landlords only?

Jamz3k

Fairly annoying stuff, it has certainly taught me a lesson about over spending though. Luckily its only one bit of bad debt that will be paid off and off my record in the near future.

Do dole bludgers have to do credit checks or get guarantors? I suspect not considering professional non-working families are all living in the really nice houses/apartments which I can't afford.

mrmadcap

I know what you mean, some of these letting agents are scum.

Dingdongler

SRSport

Why the confused faces? The majority of estate/letting agents I have dealt with have been devious, greedy and deceitful. It is all too easy to exploit people when large sums of money and homes are concerned. I can understand why many people may call them scum.

Dingdongler

Because the thread is about a letting agent asking for a rental guarantor because the op had unfortunatley missed some kind of payment.

How can that possibly elicit a response that some are scum?? Some may very well be scum, as are people in all walks of life. But in the context of this discussion what is the relevance of that statement?

Shaid

Private landlord will (if they take their responsibility seriously) ask for a credit check too. You might be able to talk him round the missed payment bit or you might not.

The reason the agent want a garuantor is that they have a duty of care to the landlord to find a good tenant. If they go ahead and ignore your mishap and then you **** up with rent payments down the line then the la slots can sue them. Hence fence.

You might not have missed a rent payment ever however nowadays nobody and I mean nobody is immune from losing their job and everything going **** up.

Jamz3k

I think this is the case.

Luckily enough I had a word with the letting agent and they have agreed that all I need is a few references and I'll be grand. I left on good terms with all my previous landlords so they are will to write me references.

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

My credit history is bad to say the least. I have no issues with renting. I find being upfront and honest from the start helps, and since you've been renting for years, print a load of bank statements showing this, you can easily prove to the agent/landlord that you can afford it and have been for years.
At the end of the day, its down to the landlord to decide. Bad credit or not.

Matteeboy

The housing rental system utterly sucks in the UK and every single agent is a crook.

Only good experience we've had is by going direct.

An industry full of utter muppets but even so, we still prefer to rent for now.

Shaid

Brilliant news.

For those that are slagging off agents take note.

I have also noted a trend where crap tenants always slag off agents. Just an observation.

Jazzy Jefferson

iTrader: (2)

That may be true, but its difficult to sympathise with a "company" that take hundreds of pounds for sending a few emails and forwarding a "contract" that they copied from somewhere else. I think poor value for money would be the nice way to put it, good tenant or bad tenant.

hodgy0_2

which is exactly the reason why I (as a landlord) do not use them