Six months rent in advance

Countrywide did ask me to pay 6 months rent in advance because I dont have any credit in UK when they run my credit report and 205 Adminstrator Fee.
Did USA citizen  pay 6 months when the come to UK ?

thanks.

I did pay 6 months in advance, but that was by my own choice... i did not have a job, and wanted to make sure i wouldnt be homeless in the next 6 months!   The landlord did not ask me to do this (however, he was very pleased when i offered it!     )

No 6 months in advance.  I did have my English BF as the gaurantor on the property because I didn't have a bank account set up yet.   

We didn't. Our situation was my DH is a UKC, I am USC, but neither of us had a UK credit history. We just did the usual deposits etc. I know other expats who have paid 6 months up front. (ouch!!)

that's unusual i think. usually a month deposit as security, and first and last month's rent - at the most.

this credit rpt stuff is bullshit - i think they even use experian et al in the UK, which if true, makes one wonder why noone is looking at it

just slap them down in front of the internet and log on to mycreditrpt.com - pay the fee using visa - and show them your score etc, print it out, it's very self explanatory - after that there should be absolutely no reason for them to say theydon't have a credit history for you

you must be going with some large commercial leasing company. individual landlord's won't care to check provided you have a deposit and first month's rent

just slap them down in front of the internet and log on to mycreditrpt.com - pay the fee using visa - and show them your score etc, print it out, it's very self explanatory - after that there should be absolutely no reason for them to say theydon't have a credit history for you

Being pushy isnt really going to help in these type of situations. 

sometimes you have to be pushy to get what you want? the whole credit rpt thing is an excuse for who knows what reason. there is no reason to say you don't accept a US credit rpt - it's not like it's in another language or hard to find - it's on the www for god's sake. it's like me coming to england and saying i don't have a criminal record because it's not a UK criminal record and a US one is just too hard to understand because theft here is very different from theft there.

Can I just point out the legal aspect.

If you have just moved to the UK and have no credit record here, even if you have a good record in the US a landlord may be reluctant to accept that as, if you buggered off back to the US owing him money, he would have no legal redress to get his money back.  This is why he asks for 6 months rent as a guarantee.  It is a common practice in the UK with businesses, and I have come across it before with expats - I seem to recall I had to give a six month deposit when I moved to India, for the same reason.

Landlords will do a similar thing with student who have no credit record because they are only 18 - it is either 6 months in advance or your parents as guarantors.


Vicky

Can I just point out the legal aspect.

If you have just moved to the UK and have no credit record here, even if you have a good record in the US a landlord may be reluctant to accept that as, if you buggered off back to the US owing him money, he would have no legal redress to get his money back.  This is why he asks for 6 months rent as a guarantee.  It is a common practice in the UK with businesses, and I have come across it before with expats - I seem to recall I had to give a six month deposit when I moved to India, for the same reason.

Landlords will do a similar thing with student who have no credit record because they are only 18 - it is either 6 months in advance or your parents as guarantors.

Vicky

well, i take your point. but that's not because one doesn't have a credit rpt, but because one is not a UK citizen. hence, it's a citizenship issue, not a credit one.

well, i take your point. but that's not because one doesn't have a credit rpt, but because one is not a UK citizen. hence, it's a citizenship issue, not a credit one.

Did you miss the part about students?  Students have the same problems because they may be a UK citizen but have no credit history.  I had no credit history but didn't pay 6 months up front.  I did have a guarantor, though.

No 6 months in advance.  I did have my English BF as the gaurantor on the property because I didn't have a bank account set up yet.   

I guess I´ll have to get a english gf also....

When we came over we had to pay 6 months in advance and the security deposit. With no job they needed to be sure we could pay the rent. At least that was the reason they gave us =)