Private Renting with an active IVA - I need some advice please.

toffeeapples

Hi all!

I’m having a lot of issues with private renting. I’m in receipt of benefits such as UC, PIP and Carers’ Allowance. I am aware that with the Renters Right Act 2026, benefits are more accepted than they were before which is good!

I also have an active IVA with StepChange which I increased the payments for in January this year. My credit score has improved a fair bit since August 2025 and with the amount I’m paying now etc, my deadline to be debt free is Nov 2027 as opposed to July 2028.

I appreciate I need a guarantor for renting as it’s my first rental and I have adverse credit. However, I’ve been told by a few estate agents that my guarantor needs to be a homeowner which mine isn’t. My gaurantor is my nan who is 95, worked until she was 68 and has pensions but she doesn’t own her home.

I don’t have any siblings and I’m not in a relationship with someone etc so it’s only me on my own looking to rent. At the moment, I’m living with family which can be challenging at times which is one of the reasons I want to move. I am on the local social housing register and have been since August 2025 but because my banding understandably isn’t deemed ‘high priority’, due to homelessness etc my chances of getting a property are as good as anyone who isn’t ‘high priority’ so I don’t know when or for how long I’m going to be waiting.

I came on here to see if anyone could offer me some advice, please? Does anyone know what I could do or know of an organisation that could help me with my situation?

Many thanks

chantel1998

hiya sometimes in some cases the council can act as your guarantor. Being that your Nan is 95 I would be suprisrd if they allow your Nan to be one tbh,

Also they do help with the rent deposit scheme too if that helps. Which is the first money rent upfront you need to pay they provide it,

Also pay for help with transportation with your belongings too.

toffeeapples

Hi Chantel,

Thanks very much for your comment - it’s really helpful! I’ll see if I can speak to my local council about it and hopefully they might be able to help :)

Yeah, it’s not an ideal situation with my nan to be honest but I’m starting to feel alone with it all so when my nan offered to help, I was really grateful but yeah, I don’t think she would be able to be a guarantor due to age etc but the estate agent won’t say that.

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

I'm not sure which part of the Renters Rights Act has improved the situation for benefits claimants?

I've watched local rents shoot up since May 1st, which I can only assume is linked to that at the moment.

Landlords are also less able to evict tenants, which means they'll be even more strict about their tenant criteria.

I haven't heard of a guarantor needing to a homeowner before. When I first started renting my guarantor was in rented accommodation. However a guarantor does generally need a large amount of income, which your Nan is unlikely to meet.

I wish I could tell you there are organisations out there to help, but I haven't found any myself in the last 5 years or so. My council haven't been helpful at all. And the housing association just tell me to keep looking at the website.

Stellar

Sorry, but you're not going to get a private rental without a guarantor unless you either become a lodger or the council steps in to act as a guarantor. But for the council to help, you need them to accept the full homelessness duty.

Landlords are mandating guarantors to get around the restrictions imposed by the RRB. It's one of the consequences not thought through properly.