Young family looking for advice on finding a place to rent

bules

JustAThought wrote: »

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.

Self entitlement??

You dont know our situation at all you cant make assumptions based on no info

My gf is training

Dan_K

Bules,

I rarely post on Boards. In fact, I had to reset my password to log in. I felt I had to in this case because you seem to be in dire need of a reality check.

To put it bluntly, you're a textbook example of a prospective tenant that any landlord with a modicum of responsibility should avoid. To start, you don't have any recent history of renting, you have a family you cannot afford, and you don't sound like you have a stable job. In other words, you rely on state support. Yet, your posts are oozing with entitlement. Members have tried to explain that to you, again and again, using varying degrees of tact, but you don't seem to get it.

Please, try to step back and assess the situation from an independent point of view. Perhaps you're not being misunderstood after all. Maybe, just maybe, your story and conduct are really as off-putting as members of the Boards are making them out to be.

Good luck.

bules

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

the_syco

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???

If you don't pay once, the HAP is stopped, but the LL is not told why it stopped.

RonanG86 wrote: »

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

You stand a good chance of the house being inspected if you're under HAP. Unless a complaint is brought against the LL when renting privately, I doubt the CC will come out to inspect.

bules wrote: »

So it seems to me that the HAP scheme is not working at all for people who need it

It does if you be realistic. If you try to rent with HAP in an area where's there's a high demand, you're kidding yourself. If you look at the undesirable areas, you've more chance of getting HAP there. But the area would be undesirable for a reason.

Also, if renting for a few years, and you fall on hard times, HAP will allow you to stay in your current house/apartment.

bules wrote: »

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

I dont get that??

The person working 60 hours will cause less wear & tear.

bules

Dan_K wrote: »

Bules,

I rarely post on Boards. In fact, I had to reset my password to log in. I felt I had to in this case because you seem to be in dire need of a reality check.

To put it bluntly, you're a textbook example of a prospective tenant that any landlord with a modicum of responsibility should avoid. To start, you don't have any recent history of renting, you have a family you cannot afford, and you don't sound like you have a stable job. In other words, you rely on state support. Yet, your posts are oozing with entitlement. Members have tried to explain that to you, again and again, using varying degrees of tact, but you don't seem to get it.

Please, try to step back and assess the situation from an independent point of view. Perhaps you're not being misunderstood after all. Maybe, just maybe, your story and conduct are really as off-putting as members of the Boards are making them out to be.

Good luck.

So are ALL people who need rent allowance or HAP self entitled lay abouts??

Is it only people who work full time jobs that are allowed to rent in the view of people that have commented on this thread??

bules

the_syco wrote: »

If you don't pay once, the HAP is stopped, but the LL is not told why it stopped.


You stand a good chance of the house being inspected if you're under HAP. Unless a complaint is brought against the LL when renting privately, I doubt the CC will come out to inspect.


It does if you be realistic. If you try to rent with HAP in an area where's there's a high demand, you're kidding yourself. If you look at the undesirable areas, you've more chance of getting HAP there. But the area would be undesirable for a reason.

Also, if renting for a few years, and you fall on hard times, HAP will allow you to stay in your current house/apartment.


The person working 60 hours will cause less wear & tear.

Yes I get it but what about his family that isint working 60 hrs??

Creamy Goodness

bules wrote: »

So are ALL people who need rent allowance or HAP self entitled lay abouts??

Is it only people who work full time jobs that are allowed to rent in the view of people that have commented on this thread??

The system is flawed, it's flawed because it's a landlord's market at the moment due to the lack of supply of properties. The government has enforced strict rules on landlords which rightly/wrongly they do not like.

anyways.

given two candidates (and believe me it's much more than two, sometimes even 100's), the landlord will always pick the most attractive. Some landlords here have given you the reasons why they would and I believe it's valuable information for you. It's a safer bet for them and their property. It's not morally right but until there's a vast reform of renting in this country it is what it is

What you need to focus on, is to up your attractiveness to a potential landlord. Show them that you'll be a good tenant and they will be more likely to consider you, but coming across like you have on some of your posts on this thread will do yourself no favours.

bules

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

The system is flawed, it's flawed because it's a landlord's market at the moment due to the lack of supply of properties. The government has enforced strict rules on landlords which rightly/wrongly they do not like.

anyways.

given two candidates (and believe me it's much more than two, sometimes even 100's),

A: Couple with no kids, two working full time 40 hours per week

or

B: Couple with kids, one working and receiving state assistance

The landlord will always pick A regardless. It's a safer bet. It's not morally right but they're going to pick the safest option in their interests.

What you need to focus on, is to up your attractiveness to a potential landlord. Show them that you'll be a good tenant and they will be more likely to consider you, but coming across like you have on some of your posts on this thread will do yourself no favours.

Okay thanks

I didn't think I was coming across as entitled or something like that, I get the sentiment against people in situations like mine, I often hear the radio shows where single mothers get laid into for having children without partners etc it's terrible to hear that the majority of people have this attitude towards them and people in situations like mine, but life is tough and when people perceive others as getting an easier ride than themselves it's easy to see why they get angry life's a bitch and people need someone to blame

I clearly see that hap is not the way to go anyway what ever I thought about it before I know for sure now that I'm wasting my time

I guess its gonna have to be down to the country with us

or covid takes out the mother in law...... a joke I'm sure people will be upset about

Huntergonzo

Unfortunately, you're circumstances are not attractive to a landlord, that's not intended to be a personal attack, just an honest obeservation.

I don't know what your health restrictions are or if you're willing to expand on them but the more you work and earn the better, for me that's a given. Now obviously that's not possible for everybody and I understand that, but I think it's possible for most people.

Are you physically or mentally unable to work more than 20 hours a week or do you run the risk of losing certain benefits if you earn too much? (like medical card for example).

If this is the case then you have to sit down and do the maths on your circumstances and come to a conclusion on your priorities.

BarryD2

OP, move down the country - well outside of Dublin. Plenty of housing for rent if you look around.

bules

Thanks Barry I'm gonna look into going down to the country for sure I believe there are plenty of nice places with reasonable rents too it might be the best thing we ever do

the_syco

bules wrote: »

Myself, girlfriend, 2 and a half year old and 9 month old boys

Luckily you still have time before you have to worry about schools, but it's something you'll need to keep in mind if you do move down the country.

bules wrote: »

Thanks Barry I'm gonna look into going down to the country for sure I believe there are plenty of nice places with reasonable rents too it might be the best thing we ever do

If the health issues that you have depend on visits to the hospital, bear in mind you may still need to come to Dublin.

=-=

Also, check if you have to be in the locality for a certain amount of time before you can get HAP there. Finally, HAP amounts will be different.

Wesser

Bules..... the problem.isnt that you wouldnt make a good tenant and pay yoir rent etc.

The problem.is that the landlord has so many tenants to choose from.... tne tenants with full time jobs are just more attractive than you for a variety of reasons which have been explained above.

If you were in the landlords position.... who would you choose?! If the 2 optios were presented to you.... on paper..... both applicants very nice people... both swear they will pay the rent..... i know who i would choose.

Pawwed Rig

Another issue against social welfare tenants is the allowances for the scheme. I had a SW tenant in 2010-2014. 3 times she came back to me saying that the amount the govt will pay has been cut.
LLs were expected to suck it up with no recourse despite contracts being in place.
There was always forms and paper work and extra hassles that you just don't get elsewhere.
House was left in rag order aswell but that is another story.

Fol20

bules wrote: »

we ended our lease shy by a week or 2, our landlord was happy to end it

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

We are not "reliant" on the state for financial support because of a lack of trying,

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

Already telling us you left a lease early would ring alarm bells for me. It costs money to re let. As a ll i would force people to stay throughout their entire agreed tenancy or if i dont like them, im always happy for them to leave.

Having Kids can be great, this is a life choice and there is an opportunity cost in having kids. Right now you are able to provide for your kids as someone is subsidising your life be it your gf family or the government. If you take this out of the equation, can you provide for your kids?

You are reliant on the state. The very fact your looking for HAP indicates this. I dont know why you dont agree with this?

I dont think anyone was saying you were bad parents, im sure your far from it. The issue here is purely cold hearted money and your ability to get money to provide for your family.I understand if you have health issues that can for sure get in the way of potential growth but at the same time. There are people working 60 hours a week who are still struggling to afford a house. In all honesty, you should reap what you sow so i would personally prioritize them more as they are "working harder". Again sorry for your health situation but its my two cents.

You can have people that are higher earners, it a good profession that can bring about horrible problems for a ll also. Its more about the odds of a profession vs a HAP that LL take on board and unfortunately although 99pc of tenants are good, you are more likely to come across a troublesome HAP tenant and they tarnish the rest of them.

makeandcreate

bules wrote: »

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

We renovated our house 5 years ago from bare walls to a comfortable family home - I was interested in buying another house and having a HAP tenant in our house for 5 years minimum. One of the regs for HAP here, is for the bathroom to have a window - if we had a window in the bathroom, whoever was in the utility could see you in the shower (even if frosted glass) we have a very efficent suitable extractor and large radiator in the bathroom and no sign of any mould ever.
Our house is insulated to the last, has a brand new boiler, internal 30mm Kingspan on all external walls, gas and electric, rewired and replumbed. But apparently it's not up to HAP standards.

Still waters

Move somewhere where you can house your family

Bass Reeves

The Student wrote: »

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.

It is not just the HAP scheme extra costs it is also that insurance companies charge extra on insurance premium if you have a HAP tenant. it is interesting that a LL cannot discriminate but gets caught with the extra costs associated with HAP. The insurance premium goes up, the local authorities want to pay in arrears. If these is part payments for a month they use there own calculations. As well they will only pay from start of tenancy and from the start of when they process their part so this means that tenancy will start later than with a private tenant

Insurance companies are specialist in risk assessment. They consider a HAP tenant a higher risk. If the LL looks for higher rent or deposit to cover the risk factor its discrimination.

Therefore a LL has two people standing in a row a person with a high income with the deposit ready to go and a tenant looking for him to take HAP. The tenant looking for a LL to take HAP would want the deposit and a month rent up front and the ability to cover another months rent or the shortfall while HAP was being processing. That amounts to a significant sum. In this case a LL would consider a HAP tenant as they see they are responsible and that there own money is at risk in case of default.

However the Tenant if living in any large urban area in the country would need 2-4K to cover this

siobhan2005

It may be difficult to find somewhere in Dublin. You could try move down the country where rents are more affordable but would that cause issues then with your employment, or your girlfriends training?

handlemaster

bules wrote: »

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

Must have been a very small house if you gave up the lease to move back with the parents.

Lots of property outside of Dublin to rent. Particularly as working is not high on the priority. Some of the small town would still have good facilities also. How far from Dublin would you move ?

Eg https://touch.daft.ie/for-rent/house-millmount-mullingar-co-westmeath/2308878

This thread is just mind boggling, as mentioned the sense of entitlement just so deeply ingrained.

The fact that this person doesn't accept he is reliant on the State is just beyond belief.

And to have not just 1 but 2 kids while living with your inlaws with no prospect of a fulltime job yourself and your girlfriend 'training'???

pwurple

The thread is mind-boggling alright. People are in such a bubble where there are no traumas or unexpected events in their life.

Both landlords and tenants live in an imperfect world here, a bit of understanding goes a long way.

You can't even picture what can have happened here?

Family is working away, both parents in jobs. Nothing fancy, ordinary jobs. The woman loses her job due to pregnancy or was in the gig economy and the company went bust etc.
The man here is involved in an accident or develops a chronic health problem like early onset arthritis.
The woman goes back to re-train, and to stop hemorrhaging money they do the sensible thing and move in with her mum. They want to get out from under her feet and ask how to use available assistance while doing that.



On the flip side. Landlords are people too.
Couple close to retirement develop health issues, the husband has cancer. they decide to use most of their pension pot to buy a flat and rent it out as regular income rather than buy an annuity, as the terms of the annuity mean they lose a lot of it if he dies soon.
Tenant is in place, but loses their job. Stops paying the rent contribution (because they can't afford it), and a paperwork mountain appears to try to get their 500 euro a month they are living on back by evicting the non-paying tenant, while managing oncology appointments etc.


There are real reasons landlords look out for themselves, and there are real reasons tenants get into financial trouble. Let's all get a bit of understanding.

ztoical

I recently moved to a lovely cottage outside of Dublin with two massive bedrooms, two bathrooms, massive kitchen, massive living room, loads of outdoor space, rent a fraction of what you'd pay Dublin or big town - the catch? It is in the middle of no where and I mean no where. To walk to the nearest shop according to google maps is 56 mins which I think is ambitious given it would up hill for most of the the return trip.

I bring this up as an example that moving outside of Dublin doesn't automatically mean you'll find somewhere that you can afford. You need to make a list of what your needs are ie does any health treatment require you to be in Dublin? If yes can you commute? What cost is that adding? Does your GF training need her to be in Dublin? If yes can she commute? What cost is that adding on? Do either of you drive? Can you afford a car? If yes what cost is that adding? If no that limits options as public transport outside of Dublin can be limited. The further you get away from cities and towns the cheaper the rent gets but thats because the demand as you either need a car or be willing to be pretty isolated.

What are the different HAP rents for different areas? What are the requirements to get HAP in different areas? If you found somewhere in a small village do you honestly feel you'd be ok moving there? Try to be as honest as you can. I know many will say beggars can't be choosers etc but you have to take not just your mental health but GF and kids into consideration or are you going to find yourself back living with the GF family 6 months down the road.

You need to research like crazy OP and get all the information you can on HAP, rents in different parts of the country and sit down as a family to decide what you need vs what you can get. How much longer is your GF in training for? Is it worth considering sticking the current situation out until she is finished and looking for work or has work? Will that give you more options?

Most of all be realistic OP, I know it feels like people are being hard on you in this thread but they are being honest. You aren't a great option on paper for many LLs right now so see what you can change to help that.

handlemaster

makeandcreate wrote: »

We renovated our house 5 years ago from bare walls to a comfortable family home - I was interested in buying another house and having a HAP tenant in our house for 5 years minimum. One of the regs for HAP here, is for the bathroom to have a window - if we had a window in the bathroom, whoever was in the utility could see you in the shower (even if frosted glass) we have a very efficent suitable extractor and large radiator in the bathroom and no sign of any mould ever.
Our house is insulated to the last, has a brand new boiler, internal 30mm Kingspan on all external walls, gas and electric, rewired and replumbed. But apparently it's not up to HAP standards.

30mm is nothing for walls