Worried about renting - Married with a kid

Drift

Hi all,

My family currently own our own house but there's a possibility we might have to move to a different part of the country because of a job change. There's no nice houses for sale in that area (in our budget!) at the moment so if we move it looks like we might to have to rent for a while.

I'm worried because reading all the threads here makes me think renting is a TOTAL nightmare. I've never lived in rental accommodation in my life and I just picture my family in some dingy squat with bollocksed appliances, rising damp and a landlord/property agent who couldn't give a toss. Not to mention not being allowed modify or change anything in the house which I realise comes with renting territory.


Are there nice family homes out there to rent?

We own our own house at the moment so we won't have any references from landlords. Will this be a problem?

Everyone is after a year long lease. What if we sign a year lease and in 6 months we find the perfect house for sale?

I'd appreciate any reassuring words and more importantly advice on the right way of going about things!!

Thanks a mill.

Little Miss Cutie

Drift wrote: »

Are there nice family homes out there to rent?

We own our own house at the moment so we won't have any references from landlords. Will this be a problem?

Everyone is after a year long lease. What if we sign a year lease and in 6 months we find the perfect house for sale?

I'd appreciate any reassuring words and more importantly advice on the right way of going about things!!

Thanks a mill.

Hi OP

Not all places that are for rent are horrible, hell holes. We are renting for 5 years in a lovely apt, yes some things have broken but they have been fixed.

Lack of references may not be an issue as you already own and I am assuming you can get a work reference.

Family homes - depends on the area you are looking in but in most suburbs I would say yes. My brother-in-law is renting a lovely four-bed house with his partner and child.

If you leave a lease early, you are liable for the rent for the rest of the lease. Realistically most landlords seem to withhold your deposit and then do not chase further.

Good Luck in your search

Mec-a-nic

We're in a similar position - we'll be moving from our owned apartment to a rental house, becoming accidental landlord and new-tenant in one swoop.

I know the laws are weak on both sides (landlords getting horror tenants, tenants getting extra-screwed by etc...), but hopefully we're only hearing the minority of bad stories and that the majority is quietly fine?

There must be an business opening for someone to arrange nice properties for long term, stable tenants, keeping everyone content?

Anyone want a nice (former home) 2 bed apartment in Smithfield for a long lease?

melmoth77

Don't worry OP - myself and two of my siblings are renting (separately), all married with kids -all perfectly nice houses with big gardens. Might take a little time to find the right place for you but there are good places/ landlords out there. Good luck!

Grolschevik

In general, the horror stories are a minority subset of what actually happens. People rarely post online about the good stuff, or even the average stuff, so what you tend to read online is either pretty rare instances of horrible stuff, or the hyperbolic output of drama queens.

I, for one, have never mentioned online how absolutely fantastic our landlord is. We're there five years and counting.

Mrs OBumble

OP, as in most things in life, you get what you pay for.

Pay decent rent, and you will get a decent house. Pay slum rent, and you will get a slum. Dublin at the moment is an exception - but even there it's about choosing a location that offers "good enough".

Also, use your instincts when meeting the landlord or agent. If s/he seems decent, then s/he probably is.

Every LL I've ever had has been decent, and appreciated the fact that I'm a long term stable tenant.

The_Conductor

OP- you then to hear either the horror stories- or the most miraculous unreal stories on the internet. You don't tend to hear what happens to the average person. I don't know where you are considering renting- but if its the greater Dublin area- you have to be cognisant of just how scarce property is in the area (pretty much the entire Pale)- and how you will have to pay a premium to live here.

A nice apartment in Galway might make 800-900 a month- an identical apartment in Lucan, hardly the most salubrious of locations- might be up to double that.

Look around- if you want something nice- in a reasonable area- you will be expected to pay for it..........

Drift

Hi all,

Thanks for all the messages. Keep them and advice coming please.

If the move goes ahead we're in the financially advantageous position of leaving the greater dublin area for the countryside so high Dublin prices should help us whether we decide to rent the current place or just sell it.

Is daft/myhome the only place to look for rental properties?

Is there a possibility agents have nicer properties that they don't advertise on line?

We're willing to pay well to get good quality but there's not many of the "big garden" style houses on the rental market.

The_Conductor

Some of the smaller estate agents may advertise properties locally for a few days before they go up on their websites and are posted to Daft/Myhome.

It makes good sense to ask around locally- you may get in ahead of the posse.

Mrs OBumble

The_Conductor wrote: »

A nice apartment in county Galway might make 600-700 a month, or easily 800-900 in Galway city- an identical apartment in Lucan, hardly the most salubrious of locations- might be up to double that.

fyp