we can't rent privately! Any suggestions?

[Nat.mh]

My partner is in an IVA, we currently live in a 1 bedroom council property with our son, all sharing a bedroom. We have been trying to get rehoused by the council but have been advised that the reality of the housing register is that many people on it are never rehoused. I can't handle sharing a bedroom for much longer and so have been looking to privately rent. I was going to ask how this would affect my partners IVA, but have now been told by the estate agents marketing the property we wanted to rent that we have failed the credit check because they consider an IVA the same as bankruptcy, and so we can't rent privately! Any suggestions? If we can't get a mortgage (because I don't earn enough on my own and been advised that my partner wouldn't be accepted on a mortgage because of his IVA) and we can't rent privately what are we supposed to do? His IVA only has another 18 months to run, it's been a really hard slog and I feel like we're nearly there and then stuff like this happens and I wonder whether it has been a waste of time as he seems to be no better off (worse off in fact) than if he had gone bankrupt! Help!

[rayb]

Hi,

Do not go through a letting agent try private landlords who are a lot more acceptable of people in an IVA. Will probably have to put down 5-6 months deposit

[alvie]

Hi Nat.mh I am a letting agent and just successfully got a tenant thru on an iva. Bless he was honest and embrassed but because I understood his situation and he was up front which helped. I told him (before we accepted his Agency Fee) that he would need a guarantaur for his half of the rent! My advice to you (to save paying an agency fee)is to go thru a private landlord! but you must be honest and tell them your situation. Remember there are a lot of landlords also in 'IVA's'
Good luck