Credit Checks When Renting A House

[chrissa1]

My son and his partner have to move out of their rented house because the owner is selling it. If they want to be considered for say 2 or 3 houses with an Estate Agent costing say, £120 and don't get the house, do they have to shell out another similar amount for another house?

[boxtops]

I don't know for sure, but I would have thought that if the estate agents themselves are running the credit check, the result would have been used for any properties being managed by that agency. If they then go to another agency, IMO it would have to be done again.

[ladybirder]

The agency will run a credit check when they have found the house they want to rent.

[chrissa1]

Wouldn't it be simpler to have Credit Check something like a CRB Check that once paid for, (for an up to date period) could be shown to a few Estate Agents while they were looking for a house. Not as financially a good idea for the EA's but easier on the finances of the young couple.

[bednobs]

but what would be the point? they can presumably only rent one house, so they find the one they want (with whatever agency) then get credit checked. If they pass then they rent that one, if they fail, they are not going to be renting any others are they?

[Prudie]

Have things changed? When I rented about 10 years ago it was up to the agent or owner to run credit checks. I certainly never paid for one myself.

[ChuckFickens]

The letting agency won't accept any other type of credit check other than their own ones... you may say "Not as financially a good idea for the EA's but easier on the finances of the young couple." but why would any agency be interested in lowering their own income to help people out, they are running a business and the admin fees and charges for running the checks is a major part of their income.

[bednobs]

yes, the tennant pays

[chrissa1]

I agree with you chuck but it's tough for young people who don't have very much disposable income every month after all their bills are paid.

[bednobs]

they could always try private renting - ads in the paper etc

[chrissa1]

Yes bednobs, that's how they got their first house. But as my son's partner only wants to live in her home town, it makes life a bit difficult.

[ChuckFickens]

Tell me about it! I live on my own so have to find it all myself!

The one that really gets me is my letting agency charging £170 on each renewal of my tenancy to print out a new agreement and sign it!.... Oh and it was also a pain when I first moved into rented accommodation I knew I wouldn't pass the checks at the time so I arranged a guarantor before even going in to see the agency and explained I wouldn't pass the credit checks so there's not point in doing one and to just credit check my guarantor, they refused and charged me to do a check on me (I did fail) and also a check on my guarantor!

[chrissa1]

Yep me too chuck. My guarantor is my sister in law who has a perfect credit record/no credit record as she has never had to work as her now ex-husband runs Cathay Pacific Airbus Division and looks after her very well. I still had to pay 6 months rent upfront.
I'm on 6 Month Short Term Contract. Does this mean i have to pay them again in October? The owner of the property is quite happy for me to saty as long as I need to, if you see what I mean.

[ChuckFickens]

First thing I'd point out is... "a perfect credit record/no credit record"

No credit record is not a perfect credit record by a long way, it's looked on as worse than having a credit record with a few blemishes.

and yes, you may well have to pay to renew, but there is not any rules about this, you'll need to check your tenancy agreement and see what there is in that with regards to renewal fees.

[chrissa1]

I did know that about a "no credit history" being a bad thing chuck. I'll check my agreement though. Another "nice little earner" for the Estate Agents for doing flubber all.