No children wanted

Finding rental accommodation is difficult at the best of times, but the problems can be compounded when you are a single parent with a child.

Last summer, Mandy Elliott (32), who had been renting a flat in Monkstown with her daughter for seven years, was told by her landlord that he would be renovating the place and then charging considerably more rent. Her daughter was 13.

"I went looking for another flat, because I knew I wouldn't be able to afford very much more rent. Through Lisney's, I found this lovely flat that was perfect. It was also in the same area, so it would still be near my daughter's school and friends, and it was affordable. The landlord showed it to me himself. He asked me if it would be just myself and I told him about my daughter. He seemed fine with that, and told me to go through the agents to rent the flat.

"But when I called Lisney's next day, they told me there was a problem. Apparently that landlord had stipulated no children and he was really angry that they'd sent me. They told me it was his place and it was up to him to lay down the rules, so there was nothing they could do.

"I was utterly disheartened. I had a feeling it would be the same story everywhere else. In the end, I did a deal with my landlord. I suggested to him that I was hoping to be able to buy my own place and move out within the next few years. In the meantime, if I paid a bit more rent, he need not go to the hassle of doing up my flat."

Mandy was lucky. Her landlord agreed.