Is credit an Issue when renting everywhere in the UK?

My US student loans are killing my credit!!!!!!!

I don't want to be penalized when I move, my husband tells me its a fricken nightmare to get even a year contract on a cell phone over in the UK if you don't have a job when you go in! I have money saved up, and my credit is a bit sh*t at the moment b/c of my loanssssss. Will I have any issues with renting a nice flat?  Thoughts?

Your US credit has nothing to do with your UK credit.  They are two totally different systems.

The problem you are more likely to have is that you have no credit history in the UK, rather than a bad credit history in the US.

really!? Eeeek.... is there anything I can do from the US to establish some British credit?

No, but you should be able to get a flat despite your lack of credit if your husband's name is the only one on the lease. 

So I can not even sign the lease?

It depends on whether they accept you and/or you pass a credit check.  My husband and I were on our flat's lease without any UK credit.  It really depends on the individual situation.

Thanks!

My US student loans are killing my credit!!!!!!!

I don't want to be penalized when I move, my husband tells me its a fricken nightmare to get even a year contract on a cell phone over in the UK if you don't have a job when you go in! I have money saved up, and my credit is a bit sh*t at the moment b/c of my loanssssss. Will I have any issues with renting a nice flat?  Thoughts?

I'm curious as to why your student loans are killing your credit. Is it because they are the only type of credit you have? I have an absolutely unholy student loan debt, and my credit is in the 700s. Just wondering.

For a cell phone, if you offer to pay a deposit, you may be able to get a contract. If that doesn't work, then pay-as-you-go isn't so bad, and you can transfer your number into a monthly contract account usually after a period of only six months to a year.

Both my husband and I have barely any credit in the UK. When we rented our house, our landlord just wanted to see some proof we could afford the house- a letter proving my husband's income and my payslip was all the documentation required.

Some useful information re: renting, credit ratings and finances:

Information on private rentals:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/RentingAHome/index.htm

Information on reviewing finances:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingMoney/PlanningYourPersonalFinances/DG_10013390

To get your credit rating / sort it out:
http://www.equifax.co.uk/
http://www.experian.co.uk/

I also suggest Alvin Hall's Your Money or Your Life for the UK and The Wealthy Barber (US version) for the States, if anyone has any credit / finance issues.

Both my husband and I have barely any credit in the UK. When we rented our house, our landlord just wanted to see some proof we could afford the house- a letter proving my husband's income and my payslip was all the documentation required.

Same.  Except that instead of barely any credit, we had no credit.  We had the deposit money and a letter from my husband's employer stating salary and that was it.  It was harder to get a BT landline without a credit history than it was to get the apartment itself.   

Hi there USdgUK,

Actually there IS something you can do, if you have an American Express card in the US. You can transfer your account to the UK operations of the company. Keep operating the account normally and they'll start to update the UK credit agencies here. That effectively becomes a 'shot in the arm' for you to build up UK credit.

If however you don't have a US Amex card, then as already said, you'll have no Credit History here and will need to start from scratch. Plenty of threads as well as the links above about it to help get you started. Get a low limit credit card from the bank you get with here and operate that well for some months, also a pre pay or substantial deposit on a mobile phone on a monthly contract will help too. These are just a couple of ideas.

Hope this helps a bit - Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!