# Renting a flat in Scotland with no rental history or job



## aperture_hour (Apr 19, 2016)

First, a little background: 

I'm a German citizen, but have lived in the US most of my life. My wife is an American citizen, however she has previously lived in Scotland for two years under a missionary visa. 

We're planning on moving to the Glasgow area (specifically paisley) in about 6 months. I'll be using my German passport and she will be getting a spouse visa.

We won't have jobs when we first move there, and obviously we will need a place to stay.

So here's my question:

With no European rental history, credit, or job, how hard will it be to find an apartment? How much can I expect to pay? I found a bunch of flats on zoopla for about £300 a month which is perfect, but will they require me to pay a years rent in advance? I'm trying to figure out how much money we need to save for the move. The plan is to get any minimum wage easy job to pay the bills while we work towards better jobs. 


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

First, your wife should get EEA family permit and then apply for 5-year residence card under EEA regulations. While there is uncertainty over Brexit (UK voting to leave EU next month), I'd expect existing rules to continue for the time being. This is much easier and cheaper route than UK spouse visa, which she isn't eligible for as you aren't a British citizen or settled in UK (after 5-year residence). 
You don't need evidence of accommodation for EEA family permit if you are arriving together. Without credit history or local references, you may have to pay more rent in advance and/or higher deposit. But once you get full-time job, it should get easier.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

aperture_hour said:


> First, a little background:
> 
> I'm a German citizen, but have lived in the US most of my life. My wife is an American citizen, however she has previously lived in Scotland for two years under a missionary visa.
> 
> ...


Any non-UK European rental/credit history would be equally as useless as American rental/credit history.

The usual for new arrivals is:

a) have a UK guarantor

b) pay more deposit - we had to pay 4.5 months rent deposit instead of the usual 1.5 months when we first moved to England

c) pay the 1.5 months rent deposit, plus 6 months rent in advance (the initial length of lease)

d) rent directly from a private landlord who might be more flexible than a letting agency (that's what we did when we moved to Scotland)


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## aperture_hour (Apr 19, 2016)

ALKB said:


> Any non-UK European rental/credit history would be equally as useless as American rental/credit history.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Starting out again with no credit would actually be beneficial for us in the long run since we have made bad decisions in the past and have pretty bad US credit. 

I have family in England but I really doubt they'd go down as a guarantor and I really don't want to ask. 

I've found a bunch of flats in paisley for about £300/mo. So if I had about £1,500 set aside just for the flat you think I could get one? I'd like to do the entire move with about £3,500 cash to get me started. That way I have enough funds for a month or two of job hunting if it takes that long. Do you think that would be enough?


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## SharpE (Mar 20, 2015)

We moved to Edinburgh in October 2015 with a similar credit situation you are in.

As a single data point, we had to pay 0.5 month deposit, and 6 months rent in advance for our 1000/month flat. 

--
SharpE


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

You haven't responded to the more important point I've made about getting in under EEA route. Are you going to? Your wife isn't eligible for UK spouse visa as such.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

aperture_hour said:


> Starting out again with no credit would actually be beneficial for us in the long run since we have made bad decisions in the past and have pretty bad US credit.
> 
> I have family in England but I really doubt they'd go down as a guarantor and I really don't want to ask.
> 
> I've found a bunch of flats in paisley for about £300/mo. So if I had about £1,500 set aside just for the flat you think I could get one? I'd like to do the entire move with about £3,500 cash to get me started. That way I have enough funds for a month or two of job hunting if it takes that long. Do you think that would be enough?


I think that sounds extremely tight.

Setting up life in a new country always comes with surprise expenses.

Have you figured in council tax and utilities?

+1 regarding Joppa's comment on your wife's visa.

She is not eligible for a UK spouse visa and you'd need to apply for an EEA family permit (cheaper anyhow, so that's good news!).


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## aperture_hour (Apr 19, 2016)

ALKB said:


> I think that sounds extremely tight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I was told I just need to get her a residency card since I'm an EEU citizen, which is free for the first 6 months and then £65 after that for 5 years. Is this not true?

I figure I'll need about £750 for basic furniture like a bed, tv, couch, and kitchen appliances. Then about £1,000 for 3 months of rent, £500 for 3 months of public transport passes, about £75/mo for council tax, and about £200/mo for food etc.

Which puts me at about £4,000 total and a monthly income requirement of about £1,000 which is super easy even if we both only work a minimum wage job. 

Am I super far off on my calculations?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

SharpE has already responded that he/she needed 1/2 month security deposit and 6 months advance rent. £750 for bed etc seems optimistic. Additionally your monthly expenses will include some or all of the following: electricity, gas, phone, Internet, water, TV licence, mobiles, cable/satellite tv service.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes, but you mentioned spouse visa which is totally different from EEA family permit and residence card issued under EEA rules.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

nyclon said:


> SharpE has already responded that he/she needed 1/2 month security deposit and 6 months advance rent. £750 for bed etc seems optimistic. Additionally your monthly expenses will include some or all of the following: electricity, gas, phone, Internet, water, TV licence, mobiles, cable/satellite tv service.


Due to some weird (now possibly obsolete law) there are lots of furnished flats for rent in Scotland and furnished means even crockery, cutlery and pots and pans are included. This might be a better option for the OP to start out with and control cost.

Water is included in council tax in Scotland.


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## HKG3 (Jan 11, 2015)

If the OP is planning to stay in Paisley for the long term, he should consider applying for local council housing with Renfrewshire Council (the local authority for the Paisley area).

Apply for a Council house - Renfrewshire Website

Council housing are cheaper than private rent, but waiting times can be long. However, there are also houses available for rent with short waiting times - 

Available Now! Homes - Renfrewshire Website

You need to be on the council's waiting list first before you can access them.

The OP should also consider social sector housing associations, they also have flats / houses for rent at reasonable cost - 

Housing associations - Renfrewshire Website


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