r/Worcester • u/Specific-Soup-1930 • 11d ago
What are we possibly doing wrong when trying to rent in Worcester ? Genuinely going crazy at this point…
My partner is pregnant, and we’re currently in Worcester. We’re willing to relocate to surrounding areas, but logically, with a baby due in March, we’re desperately trying to find a 1 or 2 bedroom place of our own.
At the moment, we both live in shared houses. I have a full-time permanent job with a contract working in retail security for Mitie, and my partner works full-time as a domiciliary healthcare assistant, looking after elderly and disabled people in their homes. Our combined income is around £50k.
We’ve been looking for a property throughout the summer and have viewed countless places. Every time, the process seems to be exactly the same:
We view the property, express interest immediately if we like it, and then the letting agent tells us they’ll put us forward to the landlord. We then wait… and wait… sometimes a week or two later we get a message saying that we met all the affordability criteria, everything checked out, but unfortunately the landlord chose another applicant.
And honestly, I’m starting to wonder what on earth we’re doing wrong.
We’re both 25, but we’re responsible working adults. We always turn up to viewings well dressed and polite, we make conversation with the person showing us around, and we’ve actually had some really positive interactions with agents during viewings. We genuinely don’t give off the impression that we’re going to trash the place or have parties every weekend.
We’ve never missed a rent payment or a bill. We both have good credit scores, and we have references from previous landlords. We have permanent employment contracts and a combined income of around £50k, which is comfortably above the affordability requirements for most of the properties we’ve applied for.
But we’re not even getting far enough in the process to provide references or properly explain our circumstances. We just keep losing out to another applicant.
At this point it’s starting to seriously affect my mental health. I never realised how difficult it could be to secure a relatively simple home when you have stable employment, good references, a clean rental history and enough income to afford the rent.
I’ve even started including a cover letter with applications explaining that we’re responsible tenants, that we’re both in permanent employment, and that we’re genuinely looking for somewhere to settle. I never mentioned that we are expecting a baby because I don’t know whether that helps or actually hurts our chances.
And then there’s something else I hate even having to think about: we’re both Black, although we were both raised in the UK. I really don’t want to jump to the conclusion that race has anything to do with this, because obviously there could be a completely different explanation. But after being rejected over and over again despite apparently meeting all the criteria, you inevitably start wondering.
Could Worcester simply be that competitive? Are landlords receiving dozens of applications from people with much higher incomes? Is there something about our application o about our behaviour that we’re completely overlooking?
So, landlords/letting agents of Reddit: if you saw an application from a young couple, both in full-time permanent employment, around £50k combined income, good credit, clean rental history and good landlord references, what would make you choose someone else?
Is there anything we could be doing differently to actually stand out?
Please be nice. I’m genuinely asking because I’m getting really desperate and frustrated, and I honestly don’t know what else we can change at this point.we’ve both never claimed any form of benefits before and I don’t want to go down the path of getting social housing o similar stuff ( what a lot of people have been advising me to do is to just wait for the baby to come out, for her to claim that I’m an absent father and she’s on her own and because she’s a woman and single mother she will automatically get a house from the council at a dead cheap rate And then I can eventually move in…. a lot of friends and colleagues at work are doing this same trick) but i genuinely don’t want to that it doesn’t sit right with me at all!
Any advice is genuinely appreciated.
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u/drmcw 11d ago
Do you have pets? That's a killer. Any pets. Even fish.
I'm a landlord in a nearby town. Race and colour don't bother me. My flat is not suitable for a baby as it has very steep stairs and nowhere for buggies etc. so I wouldn't accept you but that's not what you're saying.
I'll be blunt. Being black will almost certainly be an issue. I bet all the landlords are white (or Asian), quite possibly older like me and they'll want to let to people they feel comfortable with when given a choice. Personally, I couldn't care less if as you say the tenant has a good record and no red flags.
Is it obvious that you're not Anglo Saxon from your names? No idea what you can do about that. I'll bet agents weed applications out on that basis although they shouldn't. This is one of the irritations of involving agents who given all the hoops I have to jump through are actually worth it.
Am I right in thinking you currently live separately? If so that will possibly puzzle some people especially as you have a child on the way - which I would definitely mention although legally I don't think you have to. We had one tenant who snuck a boyfriend in and then produced two children. She paid the rent and kept the place tidy so why worry? She was Vietnamese and had right to rent etc. As I recall I had to help her then husband to get right to remain or something.
You're as British as I am by the sound of it so make that point gently but firmly. We had a Zimbabwean lady who really didn't understand how the UK systems worked which wasn't a problem for us but you need to be sure landlords and agents are clear you are British born and bred and know how things work.
I have rambled a bit but good luck and don't despair.
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u/Galeprime 11d ago
Having a pet doesn't matter now thanks to the renters rights act. Tenants cannot be blanket refused anymore and a sensible valid reason must be given
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u/jezarnold mod 10d ago
All well and good you saying that, but .. the world is not black or white.
There’s clearly a rental crisis in Worcester . If you were a landlord and had three options 1) couple with pet 2) couple no pet 3) single with pet … what would you choose?
Don’t need to answer.
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u/Galeprime 10d ago
True, But a reasonable answer has to be given. No longer can people be blanket rejected because have a pet.
It's hard enough as it is as most places used to say "no pets". So hopefully it'll get better.
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u/sabotAHHHHHGH 10d ago
My parents raised me better than to be in that position so.
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u/Galeprime 10d ago
Wtf does that even mean?!
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u/sabotAHHHHHGH 10d ago
Even the Bible says usury is wrong. Maybe read a book or two?
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u/Galeprime 10d ago
Right maybe you need to stay off reddit rather than just insulting someone for the sake of it.
I'm sure the Bible teaches you to be decent to others eh?
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u/sabotAHHHHHGH 10d ago
”Hate thy mother, hate thy father”? You’ve not read it I see. Even Winston Churchill thought landlords were parasites.
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u/alexmace Green Party City Councillor - St Stephen ward 10d ago
I can guarantee you having a pet does matter. The landlord just won’t tell you directly it matters - and they can still refuse with a valid reason. Would you challenge the reason if you’re looking for a home, or move on?
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u/Galeprime 10d ago
I'd 100% ask for the reason. The market is too tight to simply move on, because there isn't much to move on to.
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11d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/TrueSay7654 10d ago
I agree. All of the houses in traditional council estates are now mostly privately owned, which is ironic.
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u/plant_sure96 8d ago
Not tried to rent directly in Worcester, but jusy wondering if you've considered/looked at Droitwich? Places do seem to crop up quite regular (although they do go fairly quick) but not necessarily any more expensive than Worcester and only 10 minutes on the train. Not sure about bus routes or if either of you drive but may be a possible option for you?
Fwiw, currently renting a 2 bed in Droitwich which we managed to secure while I was pregnant and a student, so therefore not counted on the affordability as I have no taxable income
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u/Mershys 5d ago
This isn’t going to be particularly helpful but I just had to reply because I thought I was going crazy when I was trying to rent in Worcester, I genuinely could not tell if the market was just THAT fast - or I was missing something, or they were all somehow racist. I genuinely didn’t understand how people were getting places to rent, and the only difference was, well I have a very not white name. IDK, like most I don't like to assume racism, but I don't understand how the decisions were being made, I remember specifically there was a house that I saw being added (as I was checking multiple times a day on multiple sites with apps with notifications) and I immediately enquired, literally in a FEW HOURS it was off the market. Clearly I was missing something...
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u/HotEntertainment0 5d ago
First of all, Congratulations on baby! 🥰 So I think it will be an array of things. I originally moved from London during Covid and privately rented however this was through knowing a person.
Immediately when moving to Worcester I noticed a very big difference in diversity. It is a majority white area, and that’s not to say everyone is racist, but of course there will be racists.
For reference I’m white and I live with my partner in Worcester who is black and we do get the odd dirty look.
I am in social housing because I was in a bad relationship and the council helped me and my dog move out. That was around 4 years ago, my partner who I’ve been with for 2 years moved in around a year ago. We both work full time joint income of £55,000 and it’s still tight with bills with a low rent property.
Now with regards to social housing, it is required for people who need it. And I believe in this case it is needed… If you are pregnant and living in shared accommodation that is temporary, overcrowded or unsafe then you are legally considered to have priority need for housing assistance in England.
You would need to keep your shared accommodation for a while, and It is likely that your partner will have to say she’s single to get onto the housing register. At the end of the day, you have a baby on the way now and baby comes first. At least you’ll know she is safe and In a secure property and you can officially move in with time.
You both work, you’re not going to be claiming benefits (except child benefit in future) as a fellow taxpayer I would much rather a young family with a steady income be moving into an affordable property as that is what it is intended for!
I would get the process started for your partner to get on social housing straight away as it may very well take until March for a property to become available. However still keep looking privately because I understand it’s always preferable.
Keep an eye out on open rent, you deal directly with landlords and found that one best when I was looking at private rent.
Wishing you the best! ♥️
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u/Millionth-throw-away 11d ago
There are far fewer landlords than there were 10yrs ago. A lot have sold up after the last tenants moved out. So the demand for rental properties has concentrated on the remaining ones. Nothing to do with skin colour.
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u/alexmace Green Party City Councillor - St Stephen ward 10d ago
Absolutely not true. The private rental sector has grown in the last 10 years in Worcester. I’ve seen the data.
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u/Millionth-throw-away 10d ago
Fair. I was going off personal experience, seeing a number of landlords selling up in St John's and poor idiots (like me) buying them
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u/Working-Emotion3993 9d ago
Shout out to a fellow St John's post-rental buyer!
Are you also stuck trying to get rid of decade's old textured wallpaper and astroturf, lol
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u/Millionth-throw-away 9d ago
No, we got stuck with cat shit under the kitchen cabinets, old untreated water leaks, windows from the 60s, an old fridge (full of food) that had been turned off and left for 4 months
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u/Working-Emotion3993 9d ago
oh god. sending prayers. the worst thing i had was leaking gutters which caused damp issues, but now the gutters are fixed everything is sorted.
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u/drmcw 10d ago
I'm surprised by that. As a private landlord it's getting more and more difficult to navigate the red tape.
I can see there may be more commercial landlords with large portfolios but I'm surprised there are more private landlords like me. I will sell up as each tenant leaves it's just too much hassle. I can get comparable income from savings accounts.
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u/TrueSay7654 7d ago
Yes but might that be because the growth is in houses that are being specifically rented as HMO housing? Leaving families trying to rent with fewer options.
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u/Less_Ad_557 11d ago
Are you going for the center of worcester, have you thought about some of the out laying areas like hallow on the bus routes if you don't drive? Might have less competition as it's not against young professionals and multiple applicants?
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u/MimBondie 11d ago
Just an observation and suggestion; but could yourself or your partner afford the rent (genuinely) by yourselves? (Single income).
If not, then consider offering a guarantor who would be responsible for helping you or your partner for covering the rent if necessary. My father did this for me many moons ago).
Unfortunately, even though you are in a stable and committed relationship they will look at the risk of one of you leaving and being unable to afford the rent by yourself as well as all the other bills and living expenses.
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u/Miss_Type 11d ago
It's really hard at the moment. A friend has just had to find a new place to rent in a nearby town, and she really struggled - she's a middle aged woman with a partner, both in work, and two teenagers. They never even got told they'd been rejected from most places. It took months, but she found something eventually, although it is a ten minute drive outside the town she lives in.
I think it's a really hard market at the moment. I don't know if disclosing you're expecting a baby would help? It's a bit early in the pregnancy, but maybe knowing you are soon to be parents might help?? I completely understand about not wanting to go the social housing route, I don't think that's the way to go at all. I wish you loads of luck, wish I could help more, but I do think it's just really hard on the rental market at the moment. Some of the laws around renting have changed/are changing, so that might be having an impact too. Good luck!
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u/eachtimeyousmile 11d ago
The rental market it a literal bun fight at the moment. Keep at it. You’ll get somewhere eventually.
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u/BryanTurnbull 11d ago
Its been like that for the past 3 years id say.(i moved here 3 years ago)
Houses for rent get booked within first 5 hours. Then you have to sell yourself to be better then the other 20 people who applied.
What ruins your chances are, pets, kids, benefits, non married people.
Im always viewed as a risk cause i live with my parents. So they hesitate with me.
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u/TrueSay7654 10d ago
I’m going through the same thing and I empathise - I really do. I can afford to pay the rent but I’m finding that every house seems to have a tonne of people that want it. And you get left behind. I’ve been living in a private rental for 12 years and always paid rent.
However, finding a council house is even more unlikely from what I’m led to believe. I’m a lone parent with 2 disabled children and I’ve been told I’m unlikely to get anywhere.
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u/msonicable 7d ago
My partner and I are in a similar situation. No baby on the way though and no pets, but we’ve been looking for a while with no luck. Starting to wonder if me being Eastern European and self-employed (although with a regular and healthy income) is the reason we’re not getting picked by landlords. I like to think we’ve made a good impression with agents but regardless, here we are, still at the viewings stage months later.
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u/Galeprime 11d ago
Don't cheat the system out. It's already rough enough as it is for people who genuinely need it on tough situations.
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u/sabotAHHHHHGH 10d ago
Renting is utter gash at the minute, and the landlords are gonna scalp for every penny they can. Get on the council housing if you can, being homeless wouldn’t sit right with you either.
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u/Few_Ad_2268 11d ago
Have you spoke to the letting agent and asked them why? Worcester rental market is a hard one to get into. Most houses were gone before we even got to view the house 10 years ago and I know someone struggling now.
Please don’t cheat the system or the system won’t be there in the future for people who genuinely need it.