Hi,
I try to rent an apartment for my family...but in all the cases I find the message: NO CHILDREN . I undestand no pet no smoking but I think no children is too much...maybe I am stupid I I didn't know.
Could somebody try to explain me what is the problem with the children...?
Thanks, Chris

I think thats terrible, however, i can see why landlords wouldnt want families to live in these so called 'up and coming areas'.

The worlds getting silly.

Originally posted by Lickable
I think thats terrible, however, i can see why landlords wouldnt want families to live in these so called 'up and coming areas'.

The worlds getting silly.

why, do families lower the tone? Or don't they pay on time?

Unless children are likely to cause damage to a property, which i can't really see, then i can't think of any reason a landlord would care.

I don't have a problem with children, but they can cause alot of damage. I've heard some horror stories from friends who let to a woman who concealed the fact she was moving a child in with her. The place needed complete redecoration after 6 months.

I know how you feel. Our dog goes everywhere with us, but we are often discriminated against because other dog owners permit their dogs to foul, sleep on beds, or trample muddy paws over carpets.

I know I've been no help, but I thought both sides needed to be seen.

How about offering to pay a higher deposit? This will show your commitment to ensuring no damage will be done - as you'll have more to lose. Take the child with you to the viewings. This persuaded another friend of mine that the child concerned would be no trouble. Of course this only works if the child has been well brought up!

what sort of children are we talking about here? Demon children?
Seriously, how do children cause a lot of damage, apart from maybe crayoning a wall if left unsupervised?

And who the hell would allow a pet to foul in the house?
Carpets come clean, bedding is your own.. I'd have thought the danger was scratching at doors or antics like that?

I am totally agree that the children can do a lot of damage but why they ask for a deposit or bond(i think is the same)?

Originally posted by Cyclone
what sort of children are we talking about here? Demon children?
Seriously, how do children cause a lot of damage, apart from maybe crayoning a wall if left unsupervised? Well yes, it was crayon. And all over the house.

And who the hell would allow a pet to foul in the house? Somebody who's out?
Carpets come clean, bedding is your own.. I'd have thought the danger was scratching at doors or antics like that? [/B]

Originally posted by Strix
Well yes, it was crayon. And all over the house.

Somebody who's out?

so, nothing that a coat of paint can't fix, hardly what i'd consider 'a lot' of damage.

Someone who isn't looking after their pet properly and probably shouldn't have one in the first place. Surely that's the minority of pet owners?

So what happens then when you move into these places are you banned from having a child !!!

Well, as I've pointed out, some people who are irresponsible give others experiences which colour their judgement. We either need to either boycot these people and their services, or persuade them differently. I don't like it either.

I'm still fighting my corner over prejudice against my pet ownership. Regular visitors to the forum will know I'm no passifist (not even sure I can spell it!) :mrgreen:

A ban on children in rented accomadation?
The only reason I could think of was if it was a flat in a building with other rented flats. We all know that children rarely play quietly and in most modern buildings the sound proofing is pathetic.
A cautionary tale from a friend who rented out a two bedroomed ground floor flat to a small family. The childs room got repainted in purple and what looked like a bunk bed was fastened to the wall with masonry bolts. Kiddy stickers stuck onto walls and furniture with super glue or similar.
They also had a cat that wasn't litter trained so carpets were smelly and full length curtains had got so damp at floor level they rotted. The nice tenants also fitted a so called cat flap in the back door that when they left had a two foot square piece of plywood nailed over it, it must of been a big cat!!!

My uncle recently rented his flat out to a "yourg couple" who moved in and then moved there 4 akitas in and the his brother and his wife! it is only a 1 bed flat so I can see the lanlords point of view i know that this is not always the case but once bitten twice shy!!

Hi! It really is not right is it to say children are not allowed! Come on everyone who is discussing on this forum was once a child.
I think the best answer is us tenents saying that we wont rent from someone who does not have a family! Really this whole thing of BTL has become so much profit oriented! The landlords should understand that if they were living in that house with their family instead of the tenents, they do expect some wear and tear and definately the damage lovely children cause cannot be more than the deposit is it?

lovely children dont cause much if any damage its the little kids from hell that do, but how can a lanlord know if yours is a little angel or not

Originally posted by Bulldog
lovely children dont cause much if any damage its the little kids from hell that do, but how can a lanlord know if yours is a little angel or not :thumbsup: Yup, it's parents that are the problem. Perhaps 'no parents' is a more appropriate ad?
I've still got nothing against kids, but from a business point of view - it's non-viable.

Stand in the landlord's shoes, then decide how you're going to persuade them they're wrong is the best tactic.

I hope I can give *my own personal* opinion here without being shot down in flames.....

I'm a 32 year old female, I do not like children, and have no desire to be a mother. If I was looking at a flat, and there were kids next door/above/below me, I wouldn't take it, simply for the noise factor. I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks like this either.....

Originally posted by Pauline BHG
I hope I can give *my own personal* opinion here without being shot down in flames.....

I'm a 32 year old female, I do not like children, and have no desire to be a mother. If I was looking at a flat, and there were kids next door/above/below me, I wouldn't take it, simply for the noise factor. I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks like this either.....

Don't see why you should be shot down in flames for that Pauline!
Kids are noisy! And I can totally understand why someone with no desire to have kids would find living next door to them a less than thrilling prospect!

My son isn't particularly noisy but at least his noise making is limited to certain hours when the little angel isn't tucked up in bed! I have single, non-parent doctors renting both sides of me and I am concious of the noise levels we generate as they work shifts. Shame they aren't as considerate with their late night parties, early morning door slamming!

As for damage to property - he's done the crayon on the wall and picked at the wall paper when he was a toddler but it was nothing that soap and water and a bit of paste didn't fix. I can see the point of landlords not wanting their investment wrecking but surely a decent person, parent or not, would take pride in their home and respect their surroundings. As a parent I wouldn't want my kids living in a hovel so I'd look after it.

Thanks Becky. I just think there may be some parents out there who cannot understand the concept of us *anti-children* types, and I didn't want to offend anyone.

I suppose when looking for a house, it's all down to personal taste, we're all picky, and so we should be. In that case, the Landlords should be allowed to be picky too ;-)

I must say, whilst looking for a house/flat in Sheffield, I never saw *that* many *child free* properties, but I've NO idea how smokers and pet owners ever find a place these days ! heheheh

yeh loads of places are pet/smoking/children free now. A good method is to find a landlord who is a pet owner/smoker/parent themselves and they are usually more understanding.
personally, I think it's because of the noise that people say no children. I also thought, perhaps it may be that some private landlords are worried about being responsible for the child's safety in a secondary way? being a landlord means proper gas testing, safe structural work etc and it's one thing bending those rules for students, but maybe when it comes to children they are not willing to take the risk?

Originally posted by HarrietStar
and it's one thing bending those rules for students, but maybe when it comes to children they are not willing to take the risk?

If a landlord bends any of the safety laws then he should be fined, have his properties taken off him and if through his disregard for the law causes the death of a student then he should be charged with man-slaughter

well yes of course i wasn't condoning it, i was just suggesting that some landlords may feel it is ok (even though it isn't) when it's adults, but a different matter when it's children.

i'd have thought that most of these 'problem' behaviours would be stopped by regular inspections (every 6 months) and is precisely the reason you take a bond.

I can understand some up-market properties for rent not wanting children so as to keep them in decent condition, the same with pets. We all know the comments people make when a person has a beautiful home then they fall pregnant and the comments made , 'huh their home won't be nice for long'. ie the grubby finger marks, spilt drinks, pulled paper, scratch marks on the tables,wet beds etc. As for pets it's obvious, I'm a pet owner and know the muck my dog can fetch in even though I catch him at the door with a towel. Also my beloved cat ,that's now deceased, (after 6 years of non-destruction) started to scratch my stair carpet to my husbands complete annoyance.

Originally posted by morales1
Hi,
I try to rent an apartment for my family...but in all the cases I find the message: NO CHILDREN . I undestand no pet no smoking but I think no children is too much...maybe I am stupid I I didn't know.
Could somebody try to explain me what is the problem with the children...?
Thanks, Chris

Nothing wrong with children so long as the parents have control of them. My neighbours annoy me cos they seem to let them do a they wish.

Dont like cheeky kids, or kids that ruin your garden kicking a ball over it when trying to make it look nice.

Just had to reply. I bet the person who srated this topic never expecred the uproar it would cause! I have 2 children myself and I can see why people get annoyed when landlords say no children, although there are plenty who don't. It is down to the parents though to have better control over their children. I think some landlords should go for no smokers, drinkers, DSS, pets, children, food eaten without a plate and no people with long hair that can fall out on the carpet. I know I'm exagerating but it just seems that landlords should think carefully before saying what kind of ADULTS not just children they want to live in their property.

Originally posted by Pauline BHG
I hope I can give *my own personal* opinion here without being shot down in flames.....

I'm a 32 year old female, I do not like children, and have no desire to be a mother. If I was looking at a flat, and there were kids next door/above/below me, I wouldn't take it, simply for the noise factor. I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks like this either.....

I'm a 32 year old male and my feelings are exactly the same, when i bought my property in what looked like a nice quiet Cul de sac,i could not believe all the noise you get when the kids on on Holiday.
At the computer now and not a bit of noise and in ten minutes all that will change and i will retire to the back of the house which thankfully is a kid free zone!

I really must do more home work on my next property!