Renting in Leitrim on the dole

3GAINSBOROUGH

I am on the dole and looking to rent in Leitrim.
On daft.ie and rent.ie most of the ads say Rent Allowance not accepted.
So does that mean they wont take tenants on the dole? Or just tenants who wish to claim rent allowance?
As there are lots of people on the dole in Leitrim, are landlords usually OK renting to someone on the dole?
Thanks for your advice.

leeomurchu

If you're planning on claiming rent allowance once you sign your contract then you'll find yourself out on your ear.

If you're just claiming the dole and planning on paying with you job seekers then I can't see it being an issue but you're probably entitled to rent allowance so try find a place that accepts tennants on rent allowance.

Landlords don't want to get tied up in the red tape of essentially renting to the council and doing as they say.

leonidas83

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

I am on the dole and looking to rent in Leitrim.
On daft.ie and rent.ie most of the ads say Rent Allowance not accepted.
So does that mean they wont take tenants on the dole? Or just tenants who wish to claim rent allowance?
As there are lots of people on the dole in Leitrim, are landlords usually OK renting to someone on the dole?
Thanks for your advice.

How long is a piece of string. There's landlords everywhere that would be willing to rent to people on the dole or with rent allowance but they're more common in areas like Leitrim where unemployment is relatively high. I would say most landlords preferred option would be working tenants but were living in a country with nearly 15% of the labour workforce unemployed. They would still definitely be worth calling to see

3GAINSBOROUGH

leeomurchu wrote: »

If you're planning on claiming rent allowance once you sign your contract then you'll find yourself out on your ear.

If you're just claiming the dole and planning on paying with you job seekers then I can't see it being an issue but you're probably entitled to rent allowance so try find a place that accepts tennants on rent allowance.

Landlords don't want to get tied up in the red tape of essentially renting to the council and doing as they say.

Thanks for your advice. I have done some viewings with Estate Agents and explained I want to pay the rent with my dole not rent allowance, but they don't want to rent to the unemployed though. I am trying to find a landlord who will accept me being on the dole. I can understand that some landlords have had bad experiences with unemployed tenants, so would prefer working tenants.

leeomurchu

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

Thanks for your advice. I have done some viewings with Estate Agents and explained I want to pay the rent with my dole not rent allowance, but they don't want to rent to the unemployed though. I am trying to find a landlord who will accept me being on the dole. I can understand that some landlords have had bad experiences with unemployed tenants, so would prefer working tenants.

Ah yeah I'd say it's more a case of you're gonna find it hard to just pay it on your dole as when you give it your address to the welfare they'll ask if you're renting and will want your landlords details.

Landlord is probably trying to avoid a paper trail where he could be liable for tax and second house charges etc.

You'll probably find one who'll rent to you while on rent allowances if you keep pestering them.

Good luck with it.

3GAINSBOROUGH

leonidas83 wrote: »

How long is a piece of string. There's landlords everywhere that would be willing to rent to people on the dole or with rent allowance but they're more common in areas like Leitrim where unemployment is relatively high. I would say most landlords preferred option would be working tenants but were living in a country with nearly 15% of the labour workforce unemployed. They would still definitely be worth calling to see

I think I might find it easier to rent directly with a private landlord as opposed to through a Estate Agent. I am finding that most Estate Agents only accept working tenants. I have seen properties for rent in small villages and rural areas that accept rent allowance on the ads, but they are in the middle of nowhere and in employment blackspots. What I would save on rent I would spend on petrol anyway. Ideally I am looking to rent in Carrick-on-Shannon, but surely there must be somewhere other than Lis Cara that will accept unemployed tenants!

leeomurchu

3GAINSBOROUGH wrote: »

I think I might find it easier to rent directly with a private landlord as opposed to through a Estate Agent. I am finding that most Estate Agents only accept working tenants. I have seen properties for rent in small villages and rural areas that accept rent allowance on the ads, but they are in the middle of nowhere and in employment blackspots. What I would save on rent I would spend on petrol anyway. Ideally I am looking to rent in Carrick-on-Shannon, but surely there must be somewhere other than Lis Cara that will accept unemployed tenants!

You'd definitely be better off trying to rent privately you'll probably find a fair few more houses aswell estate agents fees are a rip off and most landlords aren't willing to pay them.

Might be worth a shout only up a few hours

http://www.rent.ie/houses-to-let/32-Inver-Geal-Carrick-on-Shannon-Co-Leitrim/1277414/

3GAINSBOROUGH

leeomurchu wrote: »

You'd definitely be better off trying to rent privately you'll probably find a fair few more houses aswell estate agents fees are a rip off and most landlords aren't willing to pay them.

Might be worth a shout only up a few hours

http://www.rent.ie/houses-to-let/32-Inver-Geal-Carrick-on-Shannon-Co-Leitrim/1277414/

Thanks for your advice.
350 Euro per month is my maximum budget to be honest with you. I would prefer to rent privately to get a better deal if I can.
My cousin is renting a 2 bedroom apartment privately for only 250 Euro and she is on the dole. The Estate Agents were advertising it for 350 Euro though! She managed to get in contact with the landlord direct and cut out the Estate Agents. I would love to do the same. I suppose renting a room in a house might be another option, but I don't know if working people would mind I am unemployed though?

leeomurchu

Ah sure you don't know till you try I'm more shocked at how low the rent prices are down there might move down myself. haha Good luck with it

3GAINSBOROUGH

leeomurchu wrote: »

Ah sure you don't know till you try I'm more shocked at how low the rent prices are down there might move down myself. haha Good luck with it

Thanks for your advice. I am currently paying 290 Euro per month plus 70 Euro bills (internet/gas/electric/bins) for a single room in Dublin.
So for the 360 Euro I am paying I reckon I would be better off renting a 2 bedroom apartment in Carrick-on-Shannon for say 300-350 Euro per month.
Anywhere outside of Carrick seems to have really cheap rent prices.

Quester

When i was looking for a place in Carrick, i went to all the estate agents and told them my position. Unemployed, would be interested only in places that took rent allowance, and 1 or 2 bed apt/house. But i was armed with a decent referral from previous landlord. Took about 3 weeks to find the gem i'm in now but everything was sorted quick enough. Just check what they are asking is within the limits for the rent allowance crowd.

3GAINSBOROUGH

Quester wrote: »

When i was looking for a place in Carrick, i went to all the estate agents and told them my position. Unemployed, would be interested only in places that took rent allowance, and 1 or 2 bed apt/house. But i was armed with a decent referral from previous landlord. Took about 3 weeks to find the gem i'm in now but everything was sorted quick enough. Just check what they are asking is within the limits for the rent allowance crowd.

Thanks very much for the advice. Its good to know that its possible. I am hoping to find a 1 or 2 beedroom apartment for 300-350 Euro per month, as I could afford that on my dole without claiming rent allowance. I think it will keep things simpler as my landlord wouldn't have to do any paperwork then. Often its that they don't want to declare the tax on their cash income. I am happy just to pay cash for my rent out of my dole. I pay 360 Euro per month just for a single room in Dublin as it is, so I am well used to budgetting on the dole.

leonvquinn

I've a lot of experience of rent allowance both as a tenant and landlord. Could never find anywhere that accepted rent allowance when I was a tenant but had no problem accepting it myself as a landlord. I reckoned there was more chance of me getting paid if the rent wasn't coming out of the tenants own pocket!

As long as the landlord gets the money directly from the council or wherever they shouldn't have a problem but unfortunately the 2 biggest reasons landlords wont accept rent allowance is to avoid tax/paper trail or avoid what they think will be crappy tenants. It's basically discrimination but I have to say that of all the tenants I had in my Dublin house, the working ones never caused problems and ALL the rent allowance ones wrecked the place and didn't pay.

Make of that what you will.

ajjmk

OP, I was talking to you in the other thread about not renting from estate agents. In relation to that, I'd say don't rule out estate agents. Any time I've rented, the estate agent has without fail dropped from the advertised price.

And in relation to this thread! - I had a quick look on daft there and not all places mention rent allowance. You should defo get some places for around 300. Have you looked at Marymount? It's a nice quiet area, yet still close to town.
Around the Courthouse (behind The Landmark/The Bush hotels) is quite cheap too, and even more central.
The apartments on Bridge Street are quite nice and modern, but get very loud on weekend nights as they are right in the center of town and are surrounded by pubs and nightclubs!

I'd avoid Oaklands, Inver Geal, Lis Cara, etc..

leonvquinn

Hey, I have friends in Oaklands!?

We rented a VERY large 4-bed town house in Ceislawns, Keshcarrigan for €390pm last year. Lovely quiet village, 15 mins from Carrick.

ajjmk

I have family in Oaklands!!:P I had always thought it was grand, but having lived there for 5 years he's in the process of moving because the anti-social behavior has been increasing and he doesn't want his kids growing up in that sort of environment. That's what my comment was based on!

Ham Sambo

It usually means that they want people who are working, for some strange reason landlords seem to think that people who are claiming rent allowance have some type of disease and should be avoided, don’t give up, you are bound to find something suitable. Best of luck!

scotzgeeza

I thought Carrick and some of the surrounding towns quite expensive to rent. Im kind of in the same boat want to rent and on the dol. I was thinking more of Longford town more housing and empty estates.

johnnycarrick

scotzgeeza wrote: »

I thought Carrick and some of the surrounding towns quite expensive to rent. Im kind of in the same boat want to rent and on the dol. I was thinking more of Longford town more housing and empty estates.

I am on the dole and rent a 1 bedroom apartment in Carrick for 300 Euro per month. The Household Charge and refuse collection are included. I just pay for my electric bill on top. After months of trawling Rent.ie and Daft.ie I nearly gave up looking as most Landlord's state: Rent Allowance not accepted (I.e no unemployed tenants). But after looking for months, I found a Landlord that accepted Rent Allowance. He had no problem with me being on the dole as the previous tenant was on the dole too. Longford Town and Carrick are similar prices. Another thing you have to remember is that rent prices are sometimes negotiable. Its not hard to get 50 Euro off the rent on say a 400 Euro 2 bedroom apartment when dealing with a private Landlord. Walking around Carrick you see a few adds in windows of vacant apartments that are not advertised. Also sometimes on the boards in Tesco. Some private Landlords don't use Rent.ie and Daft.ie to advertise. They simply put a sign in the window. If you are on the dole and money is tight, then its worth seeking out the private Landlord's rather than going through an Estate Agent. My Landlord considered letting his apartment through an Agent, but that would have increased the rent by 50 Euro per month, and he figured that would put many prospective tenants off. So you see negotiating 50 Euro off the rent with a private Landlord is possible, as that is what they would be paying an Estate Agent in commission anyway.
One thing you might want to think about; <SNIP>

johnnycarrick

ajjmk wrote: »

I have family in Oaklands!!:P I had always thought it was grand, but having lived there for 5 years he's in the process of moving because the anti-social behavior has been increasing and he doesn't want his kids growing up in that sort of environment. That's what my comment was based on!

Oaklands was a very good place to live when it was built. But times have changed now, and many of the home owners that bought in the boom years have rented their houses out. I know people that have moved out of Oakland's in recent years as the people living there has changed. Its a real shame as the houses are lovely there, and the rent prices very reasonable too. I considered living there myself, but its definitely going downhill. Don't get me wrong though, its no Lis Cara yet though. I think that has to be the worst estate in Carrick now. It just looks so run down and neglected like a ghetto. The cheap rent prices are very telling.

muffler

johnnycarrick wrote: »

One thing you might want to think about; <SNIP>

Be careful with what you post here. Thanks

hupyago

howya
heres a place in carrick
http://ie.cameloteurope.com/951/1/leitrim/available-now-for-live-in-guardians.html
and theres more here
http://ie.cameloteurope.com/508/0/available-properties/adventurous-living-and-working-as-a-live-in-guardian.html
i heard about it on the radio
its called live in guardians arrangement
heres their say

Welcome to Camelot, the first company in Ireland to introduce property protection using Live-In Guardians. Are you looking for a low-cost temporary home? Does adventurous living in a former school, monastery, office block or factory appeal to you?

looks very good and reasonable
its a big thing in other countries ,in the uk etc
good luck with your search
i' currently renting now in leitrim in a similar situation
didnt really make too big a deal about the 'social' etc
i think if you show them you're ok, responsible ,decent and will respect the place and your arrangement with them they should be reasonable
i was searching for a decent place for ages before
just spotted the sign in the window passing by this place
you can get lucky if you stick to it and are careful and focused enough searching for a place something should work out
also ive seen good places on this site http://www.donedeal.ie/
not as fussy as daft.ie etc
good luck with your search