Renting Query

yomamma

Just a quick question. I am looking to rent. I am on job seekers allowance and am currently job hunting. When I am meeting the tenant should I tell him this or should I lie to him? I will obviously look for a place that is cheap and well in my budget but the simple fact that I am not working does this effect my chances of getting a place to stay?


Thanks

ProudDUB

Many landlords ask for proof of employment or income so that they can verify your ability to pay the rent. It will be hard to satisfy their requirements if you withhold from them the source of your only form of income.

yomamma

ProudDUB wrote: »

Many landlords ask for proof of employment or income so that they can verify your ability to pay the rent. It will be hard to satisfy their requirements if you withhold from them the source of your only form of income.

Hi

Thanks for reply. I am just hoping that landlords wont look and say no cause I am on dole. I will obviously look for rent in my budget so I dont see why being on the dole should make any difference. If I can afford to pay the rent what should be the problem?

ProudDUB

That's not the point. Landlords do back ground/employment and income checks on people all the time. You can't really blame them, as who would let a total stranger live in their house without first verifying that they have the means to do so? If you find a landlord who just asks you what your income is, and then says "fair enough, here are the keys" that would be great. I just don't think the odds of that happening are very good.

Will some landlords not want to rent to you because you are unemployed? Probably. Do most landlords prefer to rent to people who are in stable long term employment? Probably. They are private individuals, they can let (or not let) to whomever they choose. You can't change that.

What you can change is how he may or not perceive you. Treat the process like a job interview. Try to sell yourself to the landlord so that he may over look your lack of a job in favour of other things. For example, you love to garden so you'll keep the garden in great shape, or you are non smoker, or you are handy with a hammer so you can take care of odd jobs about the place without bothering him, or you are a good painter, so you can spruce the place up for him etc etc. If you are honest and up front and open I think you'll have a better chance of finding somewhere than if you start the process off with a lie.

odds_on

yomamma wrote: »

Just a quick question. I am looking to rent. I am on job seekers allowance and am currently job hunting. When I am meeting the tenant should I tell him this or should I lie to him? I will obviously look for a place that is cheap and well in my budget but the simple fact that I am not working does this effect my chances of getting a place to stay?


Thanks

I presume that you mean that when you meet the landlord ....

As a general rule, where a false representation is made knowingly (fraudulent misrepresentation ) and it has the result of inducing another party to enter into a contract, the party who was misled may sue for rescission of the contract and/or may sue for damages in the tort of deceit.

yomamma

Thanks guys,

I am just in a tough situation at the mo. My dad went to nursing home for long term illness two years ago. My mam has met a new man since and he now lives in our house.Alot of arguments happening in house and I am 24 years of age and I just want to move out. Not having a job is the problem. But taking your advice on board I will just be honest with the landlord and hope he is a nice man/woman.

Cheers!

ProudDUB

Fair play. A wise decision methinks. Given your personal circumstances, the last thing that you need is your land lord turfing you out on your ear if he finds out that you lied to him about being on the dole. Based on what odds ons posted, it looks like he would be within his rights to do if he was so inclined.

Are there any third level/FAS courses that you have done recently, or are applying to do? If there are, selling yourself as a student who is looking to further his education, who just happens to be in receipt of the dole could work in your favour. I know that you are unemployed now, but do you have any previous employers who could vouch for your work ethic, reliability, punctuality etc etc. If you could equip yourself with such references, it may help convince any prospective land lords that you are a motivated go getter who has what it takes to improve his circumstances, as opposed to a lazy dosser who sits around on his arse all day long. I am not saying that that is what you are, but I am not the one that you have to convince otherwise.