Stressed out looking for a place to live/ share

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 11:27AM #1

Hey I don't know if this is the proper forum,
I'm just a bit stressed out lately because I'll be asked to move out of a apartment next week.
The reason being is that the whole block is being sold.
I'm working part-time and I collect part social welfare supplement( not rent allowance).

This seems to be a problem with a lot of Landlords/auctioneers/houseshares, however I have paid €500 euro rent on time every month for the last 3 years 8 months, (references to back this up).
If anyone out there is interested, thanks,
anyone else having this problem as well?

Mrs OBumble · 07-07-2015 11:29AM

What areas are you looking in?

athtrasna · 07-07-2015 11:34AM

There's an accommodation shortage at the moment meaning property owners and agents can be very selective when choosing a tenant.

Someone who works full time may be a more attractive tenant from the wear and tear prospective, as well as helping to keep bills down in a house share. It's not just about your ability to pay OP.

You need to find a way to sell yourself to the people you meet, allay these fears.

Lux23 · 07-07-2015 11:36AM

It took us 7 weeks to find somewhere and we are a working couple in our 30s with references. Just say that you are working, they don't need to know you only work part time.

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 01:29PM

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

What areas are you looking in?

Dublin 9, Dublin 20, Dublin 6, Dublin 8, Dublin 5, Dublin 7.

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 01:34PM

Lux23 wrote: »

It took us 7 weeks to find somewhere and we are a working couple in our 30s with references. Just say that you are working, they don't need to know you only work part time.

Sure, the deadline to leave is next Saturday
I've been looking for more than 7 weeks, sick with stress at the prospect of being homeless.

FishOnABike · 07-07-2015 02:11PM

diogenes38 wrote: »

Sure, the deadline to leave is next Saturday
I've been looking for more than 7 weeks, sick with stress at the prospect of being homeless.

It's not clear when you were given notice of termination, you say the deadline to leave is next Saturday and you have been looking for more than 7 weeks.

Since you have been renting the apartment for 3 years 8 months. For a tenancy of more than 3 years but less than 4 years you should have been given 84 days notice. Was proper written notice given before the 18th April ? If not the notice may be invalid. If this is the case a valid notice of termination would now have to be issued with the required 84 day notice period.

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 03:36PM

FishOnABike wrote: »

It's not clear when you were given notice of termination, you say the deadline to leave is next Saturday and you have been looking for more than 7 weeks.

Since you have been renting the apartment for 3 years 8 months. For a tenancy of more than 3 years but less than 4 years you should have been given 84 days notice. Was proper written notice given before the 18th April ? If not the notice may be invalid. If this is the case a valid notice of termination would now have to be issued with the required 84 day notice period.

termination notice served about the end of April proper notice was give, lookin for a place since then,

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 03:38PM

FishOnABike wrote: »

It's not clear when you were given notice of termination, you say the deadline to leave is next Saturday and you have been looking for more than 7 weeks.

Since you have been renting the apartment for 3 years 8 months. For a tenancy of more than 3 years but less than 4 years you should have been given 84 days notice. Was proper written notice given before the 18th April ? If not the notice may be invalid. If this is the case a valid notice of termination would now have to be issued with the required 84 day notice period.

termination notice served about the end of April proper notice was given, lookin for a place since then (about 12 weeks).

FishOnABike · 07-07-2015 03:54PM

About the end of April is fairly vague. The law under the Residential Tenancy Act is very exact. What date is on the notice of termination letter you received ?

About the end of April would possibly render the notice of termination invalid as it would possibly have been less than the required 84 days before next Saturday.

diogenes38 · 07-07-2015 08:09PM

FishOnABike wrote: »

About the end of April is fairly vague. The law under the Residential Tenancy Act is very exact. What date is on the notice of termination letter you received ?

About the end of April would possibly render the notice of termination invalid as it would possibly have been less than the required 84 days before next Saturday.

Yeh, the last Sunday of April, no the seem to have given me about three months notice

athtrasna · 07-07-2015 08:40PM

As a short term solution, the universities rent out student accommodation during the summer. When I moved to Dublin I lived in halls in DCU for the first four weeks while I searched for somewhere to live.

FishOnABike · 07-07-2015 08:47PM

diogenes38 wrote: »

Yeh, the last Sunday of April, no the seem to have given me about three months notice

If you are still looking for somewhere to move to I'd suggest getting some advice from Threshold, FLAC, a Community Law Centre (e.g Mercy Law Resource Centre or Northside Community Law Centre if you're in Dublin) or a solicitor.

Sunday 26th April to Saturday 11th July is only 77 days. On the face of it is looks like the notice of termination may be invalid as it did not give the 84 days notice required for a tenancy of more than three years but less than four years.

If it is invalid the clock starts over again. A new and valid notice of termination, complying with all the requirements of the Residential Tenancy Act, including 84 days notice, would need to be issued.

Get proper advice on this - it could possibly give you some breathing space to find alternative accommodation.

FishOnABike · 07-07-2015 08:58PM

The Citizens Information website gives a good summary on the ins and outs of terminating a tenancy :
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/if_your_landlord_wants_you_to_leave.html

diogenes38 · 08-07-2015 04:34AM

Yeh, thanks for that link, I'm sort of looking for a place to live at this point, I thought somebody might possibly read this whos renting out a place and could help me, is there other forums to post for that. thanks for all the advice though.

Michael D Not Higgins · 08-07-2015 07:58AM

diogenes38 wrote: »

Yeh, thanks for that link, I'm sort of looking for a place to live at this point, I thought somebody might possibly read this whos renting out a place and could help me, is there other forums to post for that. thanks for all the advice though.

Regretfully, it is a landlord's market right now. They have lots of people competing for the same property and, all other things being equal, they'll choose the person with a full time job over someone part time.

Rightly or wrongly, the full time guy is seen as more stable or able to pay than the part time guy. Is your part time position permanent? Could you get a letter from your employer vouching for your job's stability? This might allay any fears of you losing the job and falling into rent arrears.

diogenes38 · 08-07-2015 08:23AM

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

Regretfully, it is a landlord's market right now. They have lots of people competing for the same property and, all other things being equal, they'll choose the person with a full time job over someone part time.

Rightly or wrongly, the full time guy is seen as more stable or able to pay than the part time guy. Is your part time position permanent? Could you get a letter from your employer vouching for your job's stability? This might allay any fears of you losing the job and falling into rent arrears.

I've been working there over 9 years, started out full time, with the recession hours reduced, I have a letter saying I've been working there since the start.

Michael D Not Higgins · 08-07-2015 10:06AM

diogenes38 wrote: »

I've been working there over 9 years, started out full time, with the recession hours reduced, I have a letter saying I've been working there since the start.

I guess the problem is if your hours can be reduced, perhaps they can be cut altogether. This is what's on some landlord's minds.

Also since you're looking at house shares, as others have said, having someone part time and spending more time in the house pushes up bills. Not ideal for everyone.

It could be worth advertising to on daft that you're looking for a place. There's roommate teamup search and roommate database on there which I've heard some people have had success on it.

Mrs OBumble · 08-07-2015 12:13PM

OP, you are not on rent allowance. And you are working - and can get a reference to say you work there.

How many hours you work is totally irrelevant, and not even something that needs to be discussed with a potential LL. Just say "I work for <<your employer>>" and don't mention the hours.

diogenes38 · 08-07-2015 12:16PM

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

OP, you are not on rent allowance. And you are working - and can get a reference to say you work there.

How many hours you work is totally irrelevant, and not even something that needs to be discussed with a potential LL. Just say "I work for <<your employer>>" and don't mention the hours.

Thanks, that'll help. I'll do that more.

diogenes38 · 09-07-2015 06:51PM

Great news, I found a place to live, that's a weight off, thanks for all the helpful advice.

Stressed out looking for a place to live/ share

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