Rent Allowance Tenant - Getting kicked out of current house and can't find anywhere

pinkyponk2

Hi all

My sister and her 3 kids have been renting a private house for about 5 or 6 years. In that time she has never missed a rent payment, always paid her bills, never had any complaints about her, will only contact her landlady if absolutely needs to etc .. generally an all round perfect tenant.

Her landlady is selling up so unfortunately my sister and her kids have to move out. She has given my sister a brilliant reference but as she is on rent allowance she is finding it extremely difficult to find anywhere to move to. Her current house is now "Sale Agreed" so time is running out.

Theres rarely any suitable houses put up for rent and when there is there is enough interest that the landlord wont touch a rent allowance tenant. Has anyone got any advise at all?

Thanks so much.

iwillhtfu

In what area is your sister looking to rent?

pinkyponk2

Apologies, she's currently in the Dublin 5 area but will move further out.

Gatling

pinkyponk2 wrote: »

Apologies, she's currently in the Dublin 5 area but will move further out.

Definitely look further afield a lot a dublin is out of rent supplement limits unfortunately

Stheno

pinkyponk2 wrote: »

Apologies, she's currently in the Dublin 5 area but will move further out.

Has she looked around the likes of balbriggan?

Moonbeam

Even in Balbriggan accepting rent allowance can draw 60+ enquiries and views but generally rent is inside of Fingal allowed limits.

Stheno

Moonbeam wrote: »

Even in Balbriggan accepting rent allowance can draw 60+ enquiries and views but generally rent is inside of Fingal allowed limits.

Yeah that's why I suggested it as the rent is within the limits. Demand is very high though, but she might find somewhere

Gumbo

Your sister needs to get everything in order as if she is a private renter.
Ring the houses she likes even if they don't say they accept RA.

She needs to talk to the landlord in person to get across how she is, how she will respect the property and the only reason she is looking for another house now is because her current house has sale agreed. Make sure to point out that she was there for 6 years as this means a lot in my opinion.

Have a months security deposit ready to go, if she can have the first months rent ready too.

I took in an RA tenant in D11 as she came across in the exact same situation as yourself even out of the private renters that had viewed it I was happy with her and it's been plain sailing ever since. Fingers crossed

ComfortKid

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

Stheno

ComfortKid wrote: »

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

Not when it is paid directly to the tenant

Eric Cartman

ComfortKid wrote: »

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

landlords all take RA once and generally once only. Its obviously not every RA tenant but any seasoned landlord will always have an RA horror story.

ComfortKid

Stheno wrote:

Not when it is paid directly to the tenant

Eric Cartman wrote:

landlords all take RA once and generally once only. Its obviously not every RA tenant but any seasoned landlord will always have an RA horror story.

Sorry. I'm on a different scheme, I got mixed up. The Council pay my rent directly to the landlord and I pay the council. I like this because I have nothing to worry about and my landlord doesn't have to worry about me running off with the money.

Gumbo

ComfortKid wrote: »

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

Not really. It goes to the tenant. It comes about 8 weeks after the tenant goes in. Then there can be trouble with the tenant holding back especially towards the end etc

It's risky!

ComfortKid

kceire wrote:

Not really. It goes to the tenant. It comes about 8 weeks after the tenant goes in. Then there can be trouble with the tenant holding back especially towards the end etc

As I said previously, I am on a different RA scheme, it goes straight to landlord from the day I moved.

I thought the whole country was switched to HAP now

Gatling

ComfortKid wrote: »

As I said previously, I am on a different RA scheme, it goes straight to landlord from the day I moved.

I thought the whole country was switched to HAP now

It's been brought in slowly ,there trying to avoid the issue of it been a short term payment I believe

ComfortKid

Gatling wrote:

It's been brought in slowly ,there trying to avoid the issue of it been a short term payment I believe

It is a good thing though, yeah?

Will this make it easier for landlords to rent to unemployed?

Gatling

ComfortKid wrote: »

It is a good thing though, yeah?

Will this make it easier for landlords to rent to unemployed?

Yeah definitely especially if makes getting people back to the work force easier too .

ComfortKid

Gatling wrote:

Yeah definitely especially if makes getting people back to the work force easier too .

Yeah I'm allowed earn up to 30k and keep it which should be an incentive for the people who are "better off on the dole"

Wabbit Ears

My sister was in the exact same situation and ended moving into our mothers as she would otherwise have been homeless. Took another 8 months to find a place.

She swears that being a single mother was what got her turned away the most as, more often than not, RA hadn't even been discussed yet!!

Basically in those 8 months she got employed and saved for a deposit and first months rent and went looking as a renter, not as a RA. Still had to move miles outside of Dublin !!!

Moonbeam

ComfortKid wrote: »

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

no,unfortunately not.
The tenant pays a share too.

pinkyponk2

Stheno wrote: »

Has she looked around the likes of balbriggan?

Her kids are in school in D5 and she doesn't want to have to move them so hoping not to go too far out.

pinkyponk2

kceire wrote: »

Your sister needs to get everything in order as if she is a private renter.
Ring the houses she likes even if they don't say they accept RA.

She needs to talk to the landlord in person to get across how she is, how she will respect the property and the only reason she is looking for another house now is because her current house has sale agreed. Make sure to point out that she was there for 6 years as this means a lot in my opinion.

Have a months security deposit ready to go, if she can have the first months rent ready too.

I took in an RA tenant in D11 as she came across in the exact same situation as yourself even out of the private renters that had viewed it I was happy with her and it's been plain sailing ever since. Fingers crossed

Thanks kceire, I did say that to her but unfortunately most lettings are done via letting agents now so you don't get to speak directly to the landlord. I suggested typing up a letter with all the info, attaching a copy of her current landlady's reference and sending them to letting agents. Do you think that would help?

athtrasna

pinkyponk2 wrote: »

Her kids are in school in D5 and she doesn't want to have to move them so hoping not to go too far out.

She should probably prepare for having to give up on that wish, she isn't in a strong position. There are next to no decent options accepting RA in the city council area

pinkyponk2

ComfortKid wrote: »

Sorry. I'm on a different scheme, I got mixed up. The Council pay my rent directly to the landlord and I pay the council. I like this because I have nothing to worry about and my landlord doesn't have to worry about me running off with the money.

Hi ComfortKid. what scheme is that if you don't mind me asking?

Edit: Sorry just saw you said it was HAP. That's not yet available in our area.

charlietheminxx

Being honest, staying in Dublin 5 is really unrealistic. Even as private tenants, it's challenging to find somewhere decent that close to town. She needs to be looking at North Co. Dublin and West Dublin.

ted1

ComfortKid wrote: »

You'd think landlords would prefer a rent allowance tennent as it guarantees that the rent will be paid on time every month no?

From experience they tend to be more hassle than tenants paying their own rent.

handlemaster

Has she looked at west finglas id imagine she would get a rental there. I dont have much knowledge of the area. Dublin 15 is a great area but is much in demand. RA tenants are up against it

John Mason

handlemaster wrote: »

Has she looked at west finglas id imagine she would get a rental there. I dont have much knowledge of the area. Dublin 15 is a great area but is much in demand. RA tenants are up against it

Not a hope of getting a house within the price in Finglas. The rents are ridiculous and there are only 8 houses to rent

handlemaster

Gatling wrote: »

It's been brought in slowly ,there trying to avoid the issue of it been a short term payment I believe

what about west finglas surely there must be three bed houses to rent there at a reasonable price ?

massy086

handlemaster wrote: »

what about west finglas surely there must be three bed houses to rent there at a reasonable price ?

No finglas rents are very high and very few will take ra

John Mason

handlemaster wrote: »

what about west finglas surely there must be three bed houses to rent there at a reasonable price ?

Not a hope of getting a house within the price in Finglas. The rents are ridiculous and there are only 8 houses to rent