Renting a house on Jobseekers Allowance

stupidusername

Hi

Currently renting an apartment in the city, need to consider moving for rent reasons, and just wondering does anyone know how difficult it is to rent a place when you're unemployed? I'm 25, just out of college, so it's not as if I've been unemployed for years. So just wanted to know what does the landlords/letting agency's decision depend on? Need to make a decision to move out or not by tomorrow, so quick replies welcomed!

Thanks in advance....

irishleedsfan

You should go to daft.ie and go to lettings and then to advanced search where there is an option to see houses that only accept rent allowance. There should be quite a few that accept it due to the number of unemployed at the moment. Be warned though that the forms have to be filled out perfectly. Any more questions id be more than happy to help.

stupidusername

irishleedsfan wrote: »

You should go to daft.ie and go to lettings and then to advanced search where there is an option to see houses that only accept rent allowance. There should be quite a few that accept it due to the number of unemployed at the moment.

Thanks, but I'm not on rent allowance. So it's not really the same thing (or is it). And ironically nearly all of them are too expensive.

I don't really understand the whole rent allowance thing, but wasn't going to apply for it. But do landlords consider it the same thing? I mean would it be right to assume the places that say rent allowance not accepted that they don't want unemployed people in?

irishleedsfan

I would think that thats what it means anyway. You should check out the social welfare website it should give you all the details. In fairness you really should take whatever your entiteled to. I know i spelt it wrong haha.

stupidusername

irishleedsfan wrote: »

I would think that thats what it means anyway. You should check out the social welfare website it should give you all the details. In fairness you really should take whatever your entiteled to. I know i spelt it wrong haha.

Ya I know, but see if it's going to make it more difficult to get an apartment then I don't really want that. Most do say rent allowance not accepted. But so many people are unemployed now landlords are doing themselves more harm than good with that attitude I think. The place I'm in now won't lower the rent to a reasonable level because they think we won't move, but they know we're unemployed so obviously for them it's not a problem. So it's a hard situation to figure out....

Henry Ford III

Negotiate. Rents are tumbling, and landlords cannot afford to be too fussy.

stupidusername

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Negotiate. Rents are tumbling, and landlords cannot afford to be too fussy.

Signed a 9 month lease - ended at end of May.we asked could we stay on month to month. they said yes. Then asked if we could have rent reduced, agreed to drop it from 650 to 620, but couldn't drop it anymore without signing a lease.

Now we're in the position to sign a lease, but they've said they'll drop it to 600. Letting agent said they'll try convince the landlord to drop it to 590, just to keep us. which is nonsense. We were hoping for 570 max. Problem with moving out is that another place might not want to take us as we're unemployed. so to give our months notice and then have to find a place to take us, thats decent, not more than 570, before the end of the month, although not too much before (as we can't afford to pay the extra rent) seems to be quite a difficult thing. Thing is there seems to be a lot going in limerick, some nice enough, but just not sure about the unemployed thing..... What we meant to do?

LaLucy

Just wonderig as I am in the same situation

Xiney

When I was going around looking for places I told landlords I "work from home" but that "work has dried up considerably so we can't go higher than XXX euro"

Which is kind of true. (I take a different line on lying to landlords as to the state, you see...)

stupidusername

LaLucy wrote: »

Just wonderig as I am in the same situation

We gave our notice as they weren't willing to drop it, we found a nice place looking for 600, said we were unemployed and couldn't pay that. they said the unemployed thing wasn't a problem as long as we had a landlord reference, and asked how much we could pay. We said 570 max, they accepted. Moved in a few weeks ago. Had no choice but to move out really, and there are a lot of landlords that realise they're not in a good position. Only thing is now, depending on where you live, student's returning to college will probably drive back up prices temporarily.

LaLucy

I found a fantastic place for 600 but they wouldn't accept us as tenants. The thing is i am stuck in a village at the moment where there is no life and certainly no work. I have no car and no way of getting anywhere without relying on other people which i don't do. So the only option is to move to a larger area in the hope of finding any job at all. Then i am looking for a place and they won't accept me even though they will accept on rent allowance who have obviously been unemployed a lot longer. I have rented before and have never missed a payment and never been a day late. I would go without food to make sure i have a roof over my head. I have found a 2bed flat in arklow going for 620, would it be reasonable to ask them to lower to 600?

stupidusername

LaLucy wrote: »

I found a fantastic place for 600 but they wouldn't accept us as tenants. The thing is i am stuck in a village at the moment where there is no life and certainly no work. I have no car and no way of getting anywhere without relying on other people which i don't do. So the only option is to move to a larger area in the hope of finding any job at all. Then i am looking for a place and they won't accept me even though they will accept on rent allowance who have obviously been unemployed a lot longer. I have rented before and have never missed a payment and never been a day late. I would go without food to make sure i have a roof over my head. I have found a 2bed flat in arklow going for 620, would it be reasonable to ask them to lower to 600?

Of course it would. Won't know til you ask. If you're that desperate to sort yourself out do as much as you can to get a place at a reasonable price. Don't know anything about Arklow, but a lot of landlords are under pressure to rent now and they really should be glad to get anyone. It would probably really help if you have a good landlord reference. View as many places as you can, and ask every one of them if they can let it go for less.