Young family looking for advice on finding a place to rent

bules

Hi all

Myself, girlfriend, 2 and a half year old and 9 month old boys are living in my gfs mothers for almost 2 and a half years, we have a spare double bedroom and a box room turned sitting room to use, it was supposed to be short term like 6 months or so but the weeks turned into months and years quickly, we are looking for a landlord to take hap or rent allowance but haven't had much luck finding one, any place we go to view has a crowd of people in attendance all trying to get the same place, can anyone advise us on where and what to do to find a house or apartment, we are on the social housing list but that will take up to 10 years, we are desperate to find a place so we can live a normal life as the oldest boy will be going to school soon, we have been on daft.ie but as I say theres always a ton of people there, can you advise us as landlords what you need to see from us in order to be in with a chance to rent from you??

Thanks to anyone who might reply

iQuestion

maybe take up a job it will be easier to rent then

bules

iQuestion wrote: »

maybe take up a job it will be easier to rent then

You dont know a single thing about our work situation so I wont get into it with you, I'm sure you wouldn't have very nice things to say anyway after that comment

Samuel T. Cogley

You only need to present yourself as organised, able to pay the rent and not cause trouble. Many LL's are happy enough to take on HAP tenants but it will be in less desirable areas. You need to be picky (as you can be) with the LL also, you need someone who is in this for the long term. If someone is going to sell in the next few years you and they are not a good fit due to the upheaval of potentially having to move schools.

Given HAP is in arrears you will need a significant deposit also.

Are you looking in Dublin or else where?

bules

iQuestion wrote: »

maybe take up a job it will be easier to rent then

Also you believe having a job would make it easier for us to rent?? How do you work that out, eg your standing on the same line to view the same property as me, you earn 2 grand a week I earn 500?? I dont see you getting the house quicker working 60 hours a week while I work 20 ???

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

Samuel T. Cogley

bules wrote: »

Also you believe having a job would make it easier for us to rent?? How do you work that out, eg your standing on the same line to view the same property as me, you earn 2 grand a week I earn 500?? I dont see you getting the house quicker working 60 hours a week while I work 20 ???

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

The LL will go for the higher earner, with a bonus that the person is out of the house more so less wear and tear.

bules

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

You only need to present yourself as organised, able to pay the rent and not cause trouble. Many LL's are happy enough to take on HAP tenants but it will be in less desirable areas. You need to be picky (as you can be) with the LL also, you need someone who is in this for the long term. If someone is going to sell in the next few years you and they are not a good fit due to the upheaval of potentially having to move schools.

Given HAP is in arrears you will need a significant deposit also.

Are you looking in Dublin or else where?

Thanks for the reply, we are in dublin yes and looking at dublin, but we are thinking about moving away down the country if it means we can get somewhere handily enough, it would be a big change and the kids would miss their grandparents but we can visit and having a better home life would be great

bules

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

The LL will go for the higher earner, with a bonus that the person is out of the house more so less wear and tear.

I see I guess that poster has a point then, but everyone has different circumstances in their life a lot of people see hap or rent allowance and presume to know your circumstances

Samuel T. Cogley

If you're flexible on location you should find it easier to find something, not sure how HAP works if you change local authority area. It's just a case of finding the right LL - have you rang around Estate Agents in places like Finglas, Ballymun, Tallaght and Coolock? I'm not suggesting you move into the middle of Darndale but without wanting to sound like an arsehole you'll need to pick a location where LL's are more accepting of HAP.

bules

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

If you're flexible on location you should find it easier to find something, not sure how HAP works if you change local authority area. It's just a case of finding the right LL - have you rang around Estate Agents in places like Finglas, Ballymun, Tallaght and Coolock? I'm not suggesting you move into the middle of Darndale but without wanting to sound like an arsehole you'll need to pick a location where LL's are more accepting of HAP.

I get you yes, I'll have a ring around, thanks for the advice, we would be grand living anywhere in dublin, there are many apartment blocks being built all over the place so while we probably wouldn't end up in the middle of a housing estate in darndale we might get a place in the outskirts of one of those places vesta living is not far from darndale at all, so many nice places in dublin are right beside the trouble spots these days

Again thanks for the guidance I'll get ringing around

Eric Cartman

bules wrote: »

Also you believe having a job would make it easier for us to rent?? How do you work that out, eg your standing on the same line to view the same property as me, you earn 2 grand a week I earn 500?? I dont see you getting the house quicker working 60 hours a week while I work 20 ???

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

If you got a job for 40 hours a week it would likely put a roof over your head along with your missus and 2 children. A 3 bedroom house is affordable in most non Dublin parts of the country even on a minimum wage salary and even still a landlord would be more likely to take you if you showed you were responsible enough to work.

Edgware

Eric Cartman wrote: »

If you got a job for 40 hours a week it would likely put a roof over your head along with your missus and 2 children. A 3 bedroom house is affordable in most non Dublin parts of the country even on a minimum wage salary and even still a landlord would be more likely to take you if you showed you were responsible enough to work.

You know nothing about this man's personal, family or health circumstances so why not lay off.
It is difficult getting accommodation but from a landlords point of view the first thing to be satisfied is ability to pay. If the tenant can prove this to the landlords satisfaction then if he could provide some character references it would also help.
The fact that there are two children in a way would indicate that once accommodated the family are unlikely to move so the landlord could have a long tenancy. Once the kids are in school the famiky are probably going to remain until they get social accommodation.

Enter name here

Speaking as LL, unfortunately the truth of the matter is you wouldn't meet any of the criteria of a responsible LL or EA. Sorry but that is the blunt truth.

DubCount

OP. There was a lack of property to rent especially in Dublin, up until very recently. A LL cannot legally discriminate against a HAP recipient, but that does not mean discrimination does not exist. As a HAP recipient, finding a rental has been very difficult. HAP is a real pain for LLs, and with so many people competing for property, it makes becoming the "selected tenant" really difficult.

In current circumstances, its hard to know what will happen as Covid plays out. Maybe there will be less people chasing property and it will get easier to find rentals as restrictions are lifted. Using the current situation as a benchmark is not realistic.

All you can really do is get prepared for when the market starts to open up. Get together any references (work/Landlord) and a good deposit, as well as figuring out why you would be a better tenant that others. With a young family you wont be having any parties etc. maybe you like gardening etc.

Good luck. I hope you find somewhere.

The Student

Enter name here wrote: »

Speaking as LL, unfortunately the truth of the matter is you wouldn't meet any of the criteria of a responsible LL or EA. Sorry but that is the blunt truth.

As a landlord too I have to agree. The HAP scheme is a complete nightmare. The requirements they look for are just too high.

You will end up being a casualty of the system.

overkill602

bules wrote: »

Also you believe having a job would make it easier for us to rent?? How do you work that out, eg your standing on the same line to view the same property as me, you earn 2 grand a week I earn 500?? I dont see you getting the house quicker working 60 hours a week while I work 20 ???

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

A LL could see you work 20hrs and the other works 60 I know who i would take HAP aside

Enter name here

bules wrote: »

Also you believe having a job would make it easier for us to rent?? How do you work that out, eg your standing on the same line to view the same property as me, you earn 2 grand a week I earn 500?? I dont see you getting the house quicker working 60 hours a week while I work 20 ???

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

Yes you are missing a lot I would say.

the_syco

bules wrote: »

Am I missing something or are you just a Gobdaw??

HAP involves the LL filling out paperwork, having a tax cert, and updating the house to whatever random standard that the local CC has.

Also, HAP is paid in arrears, and the LL may not be paid for a month or two. The LL may not be paid the full amount by HAP. Should the HAP tenant stop paying the contribution, the LL stops getting rent. Due to GDPR, the LL will not be told that they're no longer getting paid.

Compared to someone who works, and is paying the rent themselves; they pay the rent & deposit up front, and pay the rent at the start of each month. No paperwork needs to be filled out. Also, if they're working, they'll cause less wear & tear on the property.

Unless the LL is renting the house in an area with very low demand, there is no benefit to the LL to rent to someone on HAP.

You would be a "gobdaw" to think that a person on HAP is a better pick than a person not on HAP.

bules wrote: »

any place we go to view has a crowd of people in attendance all trying to get the same place

And two people probably have cash for the deposit and rent ready.

=-=

Either look for a house in an area where no-one works (and thus the LL will rent to someone on HAP), or work to live in a house surrounded by people who do work.

bules

Enter name here wrote: »

Speaking as LL, unfortunately the truth of the matter is you wouldn't meet any of the criteria of a responsible LL or EA. Sorry but that is the blunt truth.

Could you clarify ?

bules

Enter name here wrote: »

Yes you are missing a lot I would say.

Surely the rent being paid is the goal for the LL here, LL is paid surely it doesnt matter how many hours I work???

Enter name here

bules wrote: »

Could you clarify ?

Reading between the lines, you have no rental history of payments, you have 2 children under the age of 3 you cant afford and you are reliant on the state for financial support. So as harsh as it sounds as a LL I wouldn't give you a second look. Mainly because there is no way I could have any way of knowing how well you would treat my property and it's a risk as a LL I would never take.

Sorry for sounding harsh but that is the reality of it.

Enter name here

bules wrote: »

Surely the rent being paid is the goal for the LL here, LL is paid surely it doesnt matter how many hours I work???

No, the goal of a LL is to have security of tenure on their investment and that would not be the case in your situation. Given the current laws in favour of tenants, if i was to rent a property to you and you decided to stop paying rent it would take me 12 to 18 months of no rent being paid just to get rid of you. Do you think that is an acceptable risk I should take.

RonanG86

the_syco wrote: »

HAP involves the LL filling out paperwork, having a tax cert, and updating the house to whatever random standard that the local CC has.

A rental property is subject to the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations whether it's in HAP or not.

Now maybe there's an argument that you're more likely to get inspected if you're under HAP.

bules

the_syco wrote: »

HAP involves the LL filling out paperwork, having a tax cert, and updating the house to whatever random standard that the local CC has.

Also, HAP is paid in arrears, and the LL may not be paid for a month or two. The LL may not be paid the full amount by HAP. Should the HAP tenant stop paying the contribution, the LL stops getting rent. Due to GDPR, the LL will not be told that they're no longer getting paid.

Compared to someone who works, and is paying the rent themselves; they pay the rent & deposit up front, and pay the rent at the start of each month. No paperwork needs to be filled out. Also, if they're working, they'll cause less wear & tear on the property.

Unless the LL is renting the house in an area with very low demand, there is no benefit to the LL to rent to someone on HAP.

You would be a "gobdaw" to think that a person on HAP is a better pick than a person not on HAP.


And two people probably have cash for the deposit and rent ready.

=-=

Either look for a house in an area where no-one works (and thus the LL will rent to someone on HAP), or work to live in a house surrounded by people who do work.

I have health issues

I take your points entirely tho I called that poster a "Gobdaw" because he was being rude

So it seems to me that the HAP scheme is not working at all for people who need it and it's just massively reduced the amount of people that are now receiving rent allowance payments, I'm sure this was the overall goal of the government,I'd imagine the bill was huge

Gumbo

bules wrote: »

Surely the rent being paid is the goal for the LL here, LL is paid surely it doesnt matter how many hours I work???

No. I would take lower rent with increased security of the property being kept immaculate and in good condition. Not saying you are the opposite, but just pointing out that the rent figure is not the only variable in the formula for picking a tenant.

bules

RonanG86 wrote: »

A rental property is subject to the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations whether it's in HAP or not.

Now maybe there's an argument that you're more likely to get inspected if you're under HAP.

Thats an issue for sure, if normal rentals had the same standards as hap it might even the playing field

bules

Gumbo wrote: »

No. I would take lower rent with increased security of the property being kept immaculate and in good condition. Not saying you are the opposite, but just pointing out that the rent figure is not the only variable in the formula for picking a tenant.

Sure I take your point but the decision rests with the LL to take on the tenant following up on references and having a good interview with the tenant will make all the difference in deciding if they can be trusted in the property or not

I'm sure there are horror story's of tenants who work and pay cash as well as people on hap or rent allowance I've only heard people complain on radio shows etc about hap type people tho, we are not all the same

Gumbo

bules wrote: »

Thats an issue for sure, if normal rentals had the same standards as hap it might even the playing field

They generally do. HAP has one or 2 things more with regards to ventilation, fire safety but it’s required if the state are having an involvement in rental subsidies.

I had a hap inspection on my rented property a few months back. It’s nothing to be worried about as long as you are a decent LL and not letting the place fall apart.

bules

overkill602 wrote: »

A LL could see you work 20hrs and the other works 60 I know who i would take HAP aside

Why?? My 20 hrs pay is independent of the rent check you receive???

I dont get that??

JustAThought

bules wrote: »

Why?? My 20 hrs pay is independent of the rent check you receive???

I dont get that??

the self entitlement in this theme is huge.

here’s another question- you say you have health issues and so only work 20 hours a week. You are expecting to get a council house in ten years or so.Why dosnt your wife work? You will be at home and so able to mind the children. With an income from one of the adults in the house you would be a much more attractive candidate to a landlord to rent to.

bules

Enter name here wrote: »

Reading between the lines, you have no rental history of payments, you have 2 children under the age of 3 you cant afford and you are reliant on the state for financial support. So as harsh as it sounds as a LL I wouldn't give you a second look. Mainly because there is no way I could have any way of knowing how well you would treat my property and it's a risk as a LL I would never take.

Sorry for sounding harsh but that is the reality of it.

Your reading between the lines is off,

I have 3 previous landlords I can get references for my last 2, my self and gf were living in the recent house for just under 2 years, we payed our rent on time every time and when we got pregnant we decided it was nolonger suitable for our needs and we ended our lease shy by a week or 2, our landlord was happy to end it and we handed back his keys with his property intact and there were no issues as he expected

We cant afford our kids?? Are you for real?? You dont know our circumstances at all,and you cant say anything about it based on what I posted here, My children are provided for and taken care of in a stellar manner,they want nor need for anything, no,we dont have extra money to go drinking on weekends or go on family holidays to foreign destinations but we dont drink and that holiday thing will change in time, we are young and we are both working towards bettering our lives for the future

We are not "reliant" on the state for financial support because of a lack of trying, I work the hours I can, I have a health issue that prevents me from working the long hours that other people have to work, this will change in time too

We are a responsible cpl with beautiful and good children we knew things would be a slog but we went ahead and had our boys, life is good for us and we have a lot to offer,, we just dont want to impose on my gfs mother longer than we have to, she is okay about it all but of course we want our own place and to be like the rest of the hard working irish people with homes of our own,right now this is our lot and we are working at making it better for us and our boys.

All landlords have the right to choose but surely people paying cash bring issues too, doesnt it all come down to the references and the interviews you have with the possible tenant?? We are not all the druggie alcoholic lunatics you hear about, there are good people that need to avail of the services provided by the government too we are some of those people