Getting married while renting..?
THE SCENARIO
I am renting a property under a 1 year lease. I am a single Dad with 50% custody of my kids who stay with me every second week. I have an excellent tenancy record, long term employment (same company 10 years) with a very good salary, never lost my bond etc etc. I was recently engaged and plan to marry in September of 2010, about 4 months into my new lease agreement. We both plan for my wife to be to move in with me and her 2 children after we are married. This is why I have chosen a large 4 bedroom house, each room can comfortably fit 2 beds (a boys room & a girls room) and an office / spare room plus the main.
THE PROBLEM
I am just now finding it out that any and EVERY adult in a rented property MUST be on the lease (regardless weather they have an income or not). My Fiancee is a single parent, renting and getting by with rent assistance and Family tax benefits, however she has in the past fallen behind a few times (but not to the point of eviction) due to the fact she is studying and not working fulltime anymore, additionally her current property has been damaged by child visitors which will mean she will loose her bond. Several realestate agents have advised me that she will have to apply to be added to my lease, and that we are now at risk of her being rejected. I dont see the full logic in this? and it annoys me partially because:
1 – they look at her individual record, which has nothing to do with me my past records or ability to pay the rent
2 – When married we will obviously not want to be separated so I will be forced to move out and forced to break the tenancy agreement (12 month lease) and we all have no where to live until we find a place we all approved for.
3 – We will have more Centrelink income combined due to having 4 kids under one roof, this should counter balance any concerns they have of more dependants under my income..
4 – she is skilled in several areas and will be looking for part time work, something the landlord agent will probably not take into account as they seem (to me) to be driven by past rental history and blacklist databases rather than an individuals character and potential.
Its annoying and illogical that I could literally be a millionare and if my wife to be is rejected from the lease she will not be allowed to live with me, therefore I will have to move out, break my tenancy agreement and possibly have my name on some blacklist, making it even harder for either of us to rent in the future.
The way I see my choices are let her move in anyway, thereby breaking the tenants agreement and having grounds where the agent can forcibly evict us, OR I voluntarily end the agreement because I dont want my wife to live apart from me.
I can only hoe and pray that they will accept her on the lease trusting that I will still be able to comfortably afford it and that she and the 2 more children pose no risk to the rent payments.
any other ideas on what I should or can do would be greatly appreciated
If you marry her all you have to do is call up your landlord let him know you got married (if hes not a d bag he will congrats you) Then say I wanted these ppl added on lease and there car noted (so you dont have to worry about it getting towed) There should be no issue because he wont want to loose your income.
June 18th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
You have an established rental history with this company. The chances of you being rejected due to problems with your fiancees credit are not very high.
Best thing to do would be to talk to your rental company about it.
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June 18th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
If you marry her all you have to do is call up your landlord let him know you got married (if hes not a d bag he will congrats you) Then say I wanted these ppl added on lease and there car noted (so you dont have to worry about it getting towed) There should be no issue because he wont want to loose your income.
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HEy just so you know the person below me doesnt know what they are talking about your credit scores do not become linked once your marreid they are seprate.
June 18th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
It’s not "illogical" as no one wants to risk renting to an unemployed person that doesn’t want to pay her rent and is a negligible tenant. That is standard business practice in real state.
When you get married, your record and your credit history will be forever tied to hers and therefore, carrying a liability that will result in potential rejection for rent applications, loans and much higher interest rates.
That’s how the world works: you don’t pay your bills, you get a record, you marry into someone that is irresponsible and has bad credit, then you will marry into that too.
Good luck (you are gonna need it)
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June 18th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Tough situation, with her being added to the lease agreement, they will do a background check on her as well, however, some places will look to see how far back it was ( her previous problems etc..) and also if there are any felonies etc… but with your good credit they will also look at that ( which will help).
Yes, it will be tougher to find a place, however, not impossible. Talking to the landlord(s) about the situation etc… may also help or putting down an bigger rental deposit may also help.
Good Luck
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Parents own 3 rental homes.
June 18th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Unless somebody on here happens to be an expert in Australian tenancy laws, the answers you’re getting are guesswork. In the US, for example, this stuff varies from state to state, and often city to city. And then there is the added issue of the terms of your lease.
Bottom line: Seek legal counsel. And I’d also ask more general questions about the risks of tying your future to someone whose credit history is damaged like this.
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June 18th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
I am a landlord. If I had a tenant who could clearly afford the rent himself, who wanted to move in his new wife (not girlfriend, WIFE) who had a less-than-perfect tenancy record, I would let her move in. He can afford the rent, therefore, there are no excuses for them to get behind. I would run a background check just like every tenant, but it would be more so that I knew her situation than to possibly reject her.
HOWEVER, I would NOT take her if:
- A previous landlord informed me that she seriously damaged property and would not pay to have it fixed
- If she had a serious criminal charge on her record
- If she brought a ton of pets, and/or the total family members combined was more than what was allowed according to city occupancy laws
If any of these were the case, I would NOT take the wife, but I would allow the husband to change the terms of his lease to a month-to-month lease, without penalty and without rent increase so they could look for a new home. Because, really, how could you force newlyweds to live apart? That’s just wrong.
Look, you’re taking all of this too personally, like every landlord on the planet is out to get you and make your life difficult. It’s just not true. For the landlord, their property is their investment. For a lot of landlords, their properties are their retirement fund. You want someone jacking around with YOUR retirement fund? Look at it that way, and you’ll have a better understanding of your landlord’s POV… and therefore what you can do to reassure them that you’ll continue to be a good tenant.
So, before you work yourself into a frenzy, TALK to your landlord. Explain the situation. Tell the landlord up front that since your wife-to-be has been a single mom for years on a limited income, and her rental history is not great because she’s fallen behind a few times. But remind your landlord that you can afford the rent on your own, regardless of if your wife is working currently. As long as you can pay the rent, many landlords are more flexible than you might think.
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June 18th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
My best advice is "CHILL OUT!" and dont let her see this question you submitted.
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June 18th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Not knowing all the rules concerning this, I would consult a lawyer, usually the first consult is free anyway. I personally do not get it. Like if my daughter who is leasing a one bedroom apartment, if say her boyfriend wanted to move in with her, it wouldn’t matter unless there were pre-conditions in the lease. The lease is in her name and she pays the rent. So, I just don’t get it. Re-check source of info.
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