Renting Advice
 

[Closed] Renting Advice

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How much of your monthly income as a percentage would you consider spending on rent each month? Bearing in mind council tax, water/gas/elec are on top, as are insurance, car, phone, internets, dog oh and some food.

Anyone here live in a rental property with a dog? How hard did you find it to sort out, it seems that most rental agencys have the no pets clause by default.


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 9:37 am
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Hard to find rental with a pet, be up front, have references and be prepared to offer (key word there offer) extra deposit - shows you are serious about making sure there is no damage (landlord perspective there - also would welcome responsible dog owners over babies any day) but also taken a house back where the furniture had rusted onto the carpet due to the amount of cat p*ss

As a tenant it's a PITA but just be up front and try privates.

Rental prices just add everything up and see whats left, check the CT as it can vary and rental prices don't reflect house prices generally.

Where are you looking?


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 9:58 am
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Be up front and get any agreements written down regarding the dog.
I was up front with a landlord but he refused the opportunity of meeting the dog, who was an absolute angel, further down the line he got a bit arsey and invented various things about the dog amongst other things including trying to charge me rent for the year after I left!!


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 10:03 am
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If ever i have to stay away, either my parents or another couple take the dog overnight, would a formal written letter from either/both be a step in the right direction?


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 10:14 am
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I'm in the same situation with a dog. A lot will say no, but sometimes landlords will consider if you offer extra deposit. I find that landlords are more accepting of dogs than puppies or cats due to less likelihood of them doing their business in the house. My dog goes to "doggie daycare" mostly when I am at work as well so he is not left alone in the house much.


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:02 am
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No answer regarding the dog, however I calculated over the weekend that my rent + essential bills (gas, water, electricity, council tax, insurance) + tv & intenet (not essential I know, but who doesn't have them these days) comes to 47% of my Net Pay 🙁


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:12 am
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If ever i have to stay away, either my parents or another couple take the dog overnight, would a formal written letter from either/both be a step in the right direction?

If there is money involved or it is a business transaction, then yes. Otherwise I would put my money on common sense.


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:13 am
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How much of your monthly income as a percentage would you consider spending on rent each month?

I wouldn't be comfortable with much more than 25%
Easier said than done I guess though


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:15 am
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I spend pretty much 50% of my monthly wage on rent, not much fun, but where I live and having a dog and a cat you can't find anything reasonable for less than that 🙁

Having the pets makes life harder, a lot of landlords or agents will just say a straight no, however a lot are actually open to it if you start offering larger deposits etc.


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:30 am
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Whereabout's in the country are you being a Chilterns rider?

I've a flat near Guildford I am about to rent out with good riding from the doorstep? Happy for pets and rent will be less than we could charge as part of our mortgage is with Keyworker Scheme which means we can't make a profit from renting!


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 11:56 am
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Given my net pay and local renting prices, I will try to cap the rent at 40%. There is quite literally nothing below 30%.

Limiting factors being the need for some outside area so the dog can have a wee, somewhere to walk him locally (i guess i can always drive him to a park/woods) but mostly, he cant do stairs as he only has three legs (1 front, 2 rear) so i can only really consider ground floor, or main reception room downstairs...

Will have to speak to a couple of letting agents i guess and see if i can find a helpful one.


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 12:04 pm
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im near high wycombe
keen to keep my commute (time and cost) to a minimum


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 12:09 pm
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54% ouch


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 12:39 pm
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did you know it was that high, before you read this thread?


 
Posted : 16/04/2012 12:44 pm
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last UK rental was about 50% while my gf was unemployed, much happier when she got a job again.


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 3:11 am
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Our rent is about 35% of my wage but obviously it's joint with husband so not too bad at all. Still never have any money though :/ re the dog, nearly all tennancy agreements will automatically state no pets but we asked if we could have a dog and it was permitted on the understanding that any damage done was rectified outside of the deposit and this was written into our contract. Never got a dog in the end but it might just be worth asking?


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 7:24 am
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We've just sold our house and unless we find something soon we'll be renting for a while. What do you think our chances are with landlords as we've got a cat and 16 sheep? 🙂


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 7:48 am
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tent + field? it is summer nearly


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 7:52 am
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30%


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 7:55 am
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Why on earth do you have 16 sheep?


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 7:55 am
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How much of your monthly income as a percentage would you consider spending on rent each month?

About a third (of net) including bills.

Depends on priorities though, I want a garrage and a nice house, friends just want a bachelor pad in a shared house (bed + big TV + comunal kitchen and bathroom).


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 11:17 am
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If I add up all my direct debits, (so no food involved) they come to 76% of my basic wage. Rent alone is 46%. Before you feel sorry for me, I get commision which supplements that basic wage nicely, but theres always the threat of not getting any.


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 11:44 am
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[i]Why on earth do you have 16 sheep? [/i]

Because we didn't realise lambs come into season so soon or we'd have a lot less.

The reason we have sheep at all is that we wanted 2 or 3 to keep our fields looking neat and tidy. When we move we're hoping to keep some if not all of them as they are very friendly and we've become very attached to them. Eating them is not an option 👿


 
Posted : 17/04/2012 1:29 pm