NO DSS and credit history problems?

[shrug]

Looking for some help.

 

I am 31 years old, have 2 children - 7 and 8 - one i get DLA for middle rate care. I am 25 weeks pregnant, self employed earning £120 PW 20 hrs per week - currently living with partner and we get child tax credits and working tax credits. I will be eligible for maternity allowance at 29 weeks time.

 

Partner and i are splitting up - i am moving to a different area to be closer to my family for additional support etc.i can take my line of work with me. Ihave found a house i would like to pursue with in an area which has a good school for the children - the rental is £675 PM - estate agent wants £110 reference fee, £40 contract guarantee fee (?) and then the £675 deposit and 1 months rent upfront £675 - all in all around £1500.

 

Here is the problem - I have a rubbish credit history due to money problems so i doubt i would pass the credit check - also the estate agents say they would want to check i am working full time and i can afford the payments - they don't except DSS!! i maybe able to get the deposit together and know i would receive help with rent and have enough to live on etc its just the credit checks that are getting me down! Ideally i want to be moved by the end of October - the baby is due xmas time so want to be settled by then.

 

Will they refuse me the propertys i am looking at if i have a poor credit history? also how do you get around the NO DSS policy?

 

Council houses are a no go - all in bad areas up there,

Also how much of my rent can i expect to get help with? between £550 - £700 is the average rental in the area.

 

Any suggestions please?

 

Thanks

Edited September 8, 2012 by honeybee13
Editing in some spacing for ease of reading.

[Nystagmite]

The amount of help with rent would depend on how much money you have coming in, how much your rent is and how much the council will pay for a person in your situation.

[estellyn]

Its a difficult situation - private renting with bad credit history, and something really needs to be done about the credit checking policy. We faced a similar issue renting, and ended up not going through an agent, but going through the private 'property to rent' adds in the paper. Some will still want to credit check, we found one who didn't - but they still wanted evidence we could pay the rent, luckily we were both working. With an agent your options are to pay an additional amount upfront (this is at the discretion of the landlord to accept the arrangement) - sometimes up to 6 month's rent, or you could find someone who is working, with a good credit history, to be a guarantor - you would have to pay extra admin fees to have them checked out.

 

Regarding how much rent you'd get help with, this depends on other things too - for instance how many bedrooms the house has and what the local housing allowance is for your area, and also exactly what your income is.

[daipp]

As an aside, I always find the phrase "No DSS"starnge as the DSS hasn't existed for over 11 years.

 

David

[honeybee13]

I thought about saying that.

 

HB

[id6052]

As a private tenant, the maximum Housing Benefit for a single parent with 2 young children would normally be determined based upon the Local Housing Allowance for a 2 bedroom property in the area you are moving to

 

You can check the LHA rates for the area by looking on the Local Authority's website.

 

The LHA rate will be the maximum level, however it may be reduced if your income is higher than the amount the government says you need to live on.