UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi there, I have a slightly unusual question.

I had a good relationship with my landlords in 2022 and previous. I have since spent quite lengthy periods out of the country. Much of the most recent period was for an internship (to make myself more employable in the sector in which I am qualified).
Following my return, I am searching for a job (have been to 6 interviews since February), but have failed my Habitual Residency Test to access unemployment benefits. I have been advised to register as homeless to give myself a better chance in passing the Habitual Residency Test at the second attempt.

I am vaguely aware that lettings agents have quite an extensive system to vet potential tenants, and this can involve going through a potential tenants' social media for example.
I was wondering whether they will try to work out if you have been homeless, by which means they would try to work out that I have been homeless, and if registering as homeless with the local council can in any direct or indirect way reduce the likelihood of being accepted for a tenancy in the future.
I am even wondering whether a property lettings agency (or any third party contractors used to conduct background checks) have access to the list of homeless people held by the council, since I have no idea how they operate.
If I were placed in accommodation by the council and a potential landlord required a reference from my last accommodation, would a reference from the council-provided accommodation be likely to give away that I was homeless. Would this be worse than explaining that I have been staying in hotels whilst abroad as well as in the time since returning, and providing a very positive reference from the landlord I had in 2022.

Thanks for any links, info, and advice, or for giving me a very rough idea of how the screening process works in this regard.

You don' t mention what your current source of income is, and if you have rent arrears. I would be most surprised of any lists exist. More to the point it would be possibly fraudulent to register as homeless. Who advised you to do this? 

I have had zero income since entering the country more than 40 days ago and am living on a small amount of savings. I have no rent arrears or debts (other than student debt).

I stay with my parents for a minority of the time but it isn't good for my health (don't want to overwhelm with details), hence the hostels/hotels with dormitories. If this continues to cost £9-25 per night then I may last a couple of months more without an income. As time goes by I will have no choice but to spend more and more time with my parents.

It would be entirely accurate to describe myself as being homeless, and staff (including specialist staff) at more than one advice service (including Citizens Advice) have advised me to register as homeless with the local council.

Regardless of whether the advice services are correct that I should register as homeless, I am keen for any pointers I can get from you on this forum whether that could directly or indirectly reduce the likelihood of being accepted for a tenancy in the future. If landlords are unaware of any list of homeless people, even that for example is useful information.

With no income and a limited amount of savings, your status as homeless or otherwise is unlikely to make any difference to your chances of finding accommodation. Which are very close to zero.

I believe that getting an income again will be inevitable, it is just a matter of time until I am considered habitually resident in the UK again. I have spent >14 times more of my life in the UK than in the area where I had been for 360 days through 2024 and the start of 2025. I just need to challenge every decision made that I failed the Habitual Residency Test and also make a new application to Universal Credit every week, or so I am advised. I am also getting help to fill out my application for Adult Disability Payment from the council in-person, and my mum is going to come along to the appointment for that. As I previously hinted I have also had 3 job interviews abroad and 7 job interviews in the UK since the beginning of December, an average of almost one interview every two weeks. The last interviewer called me yesterday and told me that I performed very well, I would have got the job 3 years ago but the competition now is just much more intense. Also she cannot promise me a job, but she said I am very welcome to apply to them again and she would be happy to see me for a third interview (I had one with them in March and another in May). She said she thought I just need to keep plugging away with my applications in that sector and that she has her fingers crossed for me. I should apply to less specialist variants of the role, as they are looking for a very specific personality type for the most specialist variants of the role.

I am not trying to make anybody look bad by asking awkward questions on this forum, however I just want to say that an absence of answers does make it less likely that I will register as homeless. I have already booked all my accommodation for the next 30 days at a cost of around £430. (£14/night, more than 4 nights at my mum's, and £55 for Flixbuses to get to/from my mum's.)

You have not asked an awkward question as such .The fact is that few landlords would currently accept you as a tenant. So many things in your post would raise red flags, no income, disability, some vulnerability I am guessing? I would grit your teeth and stay with your family while continuing to look for work. Landlords need to know you can pay your way without support, in a steady job. It will take time, but you will get there. Good luck.     

I do have a disability which makes finding work much more difficult (makes me less suitable for various practically oriented casual jobs like in a bar, warehouse etc), although it hasn't stopped me in some ways, like I have a drivers' licence, science degree from a well-known university, two internships (+letter of recommendation and good reference from one of them), I've done a sabbatical which involved walking and cycling 1000s of kilometres climbing mountains etc etc, I have held down paid jobs in healthcare and and in supporting vulnerable people during COVID, and I had all those interviews, as well as two references from landlords who liked me from before I did the sabbatical.

As I see it the latest thing which took me off the rails was  not really being able to speak the language well enough (even though I'm a dual national of that country) for the sector I would have been qualified in whilst abroad in 2024-early 2025, and I also ended up completely isolated due to relationship breakdown with my grandmother.

Just to clarify, I am actually not looking for a tenancy right now, I will leave that until after I have a job.

However, the question is if course whether having either registered as homeless or having to provide a reference from the manager of council-provided accommodation (eg the b&b owner, homeless shelter, landlady they are contracting) would count against against me when I look for a flatshare in eg 6 months, once I have a job.

It does sound like it might sound better to a future landlord if I am able to explain that I have been staying with family, which is not good for my health but which I can do for some of the time.

First of all you need to understand that the Council will only owe you a Housing Duty if you are deemed as a vulnerable Tenant.

Then there are other rules like a local connection which means you need to have worked or lived in the area you are applying for.

Nothing is inevitable when it comes to income, you either have the money to pay rent or you don't.

I would advise you sort out your employment, meanwhile go on bent knee to ask your parents permission for you to stay with them while you get a job, any job, I hear that Aldi pay well, but do not give them this spiel about your intended career, just say you have been travelling for a year.  Supermarkets do not want to invest in people who only want to work there until they find something better, same as any employer.

Once you get your first two paychecks you can look for a room as a lodger, Landlord lives in and they are far less fussy.

The only database you need to be concerned about is the Credit Reference Database, so if you left some debt and got a CCJ or you do not have a Landlord Reference from before you left you are a risk.  Most Tenants get over this by paying 6 months rent upfront, but I suggest you do not try to be a Tenant, but a lodger.

If you ask your parents to allow you to put your banking at their address then move any credit cards you have to same address that will update your credit reference database entry, get on the voting register there too.  This will at least corroborate your story that you are staying with your parents for the moment.  It is not sensible to use savings and pay daily rates.

I suggest you look at the Shelter website and scour open rent or local facebook posts, but there is no point even trying to be a lodger if you do not have an income.

If you ARE a vulnerable tenant with a diagnosed condition you can start your application near your parents, you have a local connection there.  Later you can transfer within the social housing system if you are lucky enough to get such a property, this is unlikely unless you have a priority need.  Again, see shelter website to understand the system.

Quote from: masterofdesaster on May 11, 2025, 10:33:54 AMI believe that getting an income again will be inevitable, it is just a matter of time until I am considered habitually resident in the UK again. I have spent >14 times more of my life in the UK than in the area where I had been for 360 days through 2024 and the start of 2025. I just need to challenge every decision made that I failed the Habitual Residency Test and also make a new application to Universal Credit every week, or so I am advised.

I am also getting help to fill out my application for Adult Disability Payment from the council in-person, and my mum is going to come along to the appointment for that. As I previously hinted I have also had 3 job interviews abroad and 7 job interviews in the UK since the beginning of December, an average of almost one interview every two weeks.

The last interviewer called me yesterday and told me that I performed very well, I would have got the job 3 years ago but the competition now is just much more intense. Also she cannot promise me a job, but she said I am very welcome to apply to them again and she would be happy to see me for a third interview (I had one with them in March and another in May). She said she thought I just need to keep plugging away with my applications in that sector and that she has her fingers crossed for me. I should apply to less specialist variants of the role, as they are looking for a very specific personality type for the most specialist variants of the role.

I am not trying to make anybody look bad by asking awkward questions on this forum, however I just want to say that an absence of answers does make it less likely that I will register as homeless. I have already booked all my accommodation for the next 30 days at a cost of around £430. (£14/night, more than 4 nights at my mum's, and £55 for Flixbuses to get to/from my mum's.)