Looking to rent - Good Tenants?

i would probably invite you to be my tenants - if you go armed with references, pay slips, bank statements, for each of you, and a deposit in cash, this will certainly sway the agent into thinking you are serious contenders. if you have a recent equifax/experian credit check report to take with you -this will also impress a landlord.

good luck

Flipped27 wrote: »

.... they have told us that if the people viewing after us want to rent the property as well they will have to speak to the landlord and let him decide.....

Is this normal to do this? and would you consider us to be good tenants?

Just looking for some opinions really (and would like to know what landlords think!):o

Just so you know where I'm coming from, I don't use agents, & I always interview/reference all my prospective tenants personally for my own peace of mind as I prefer long-stay tenants.

In your quoted example, I would normally let both/all candidates view the property, draw up my "order of preference" for letting purposes based on my 'gut instinct', and then reference each of them (one at a time / consecutively --> NOT concurrently) .... The first one that met my criteria would be successful.

From the information, you provided, I would say that you would have a good chance of being at the top of my shortlist, and your cat wouldn't phase me at all as it's my normal policy to specifically permit upto 1 dog + 2 cats subject to a clause making the Tenant fully responsible for any possible damage/3rd-party-liability.

.... HOWEVER (referring now to your LATER ADDITIONAL post) ...

Flipped27 wrote: »

yeah, i wasn't sure about mentioning the cat at first, as we do have someone to adopt if needs be.........

I would hate to loose a house because of the cat as well, so may wait until we have signed and then ask if a cat is ok (and hope it is!)
I don't mind paying a bit more of a deposit but would want to make sure we get the house first....

Those parts in bold would earn you several negative brownie-points and would make me FAR less trusting & MORE suspicious about you in any possible future renewals.

I would personally consider that to be quite dishonourable & underhand and it would certainly put my back up somewhat (& be filed away under "Give them an Inch, & they Take a Mile" category).
... For example, I once had a (seemingly perfectly normal & acceptable) tenant who I was seriously considering, casually ask me if I would change my specific "2 cat clause" to allow them to keep "more pet cats" ... When I naturally asked them to specify exactly how many "pet cats" they had (as I won't do 'blank-cheque/open clauses'), they (eventually) sheepishly admitted that they had 37, and I subsequently discovered they were effectively commercial cat-breeders ... They didn't get the house.

I also note you have 2 kids, but didn't give their sexes.
... FYI, I have nothing against kids (especially fried or boiled ), but I also include a specific clause in my agreements limiting the bedroom occupation to the Statutory age & sex requirements for children (I once had a tenant trying to cram 5 x age9+ opposite sex kids into one double bedroom of a two bedroom house after the tenancy commenced).
I wouldn't view your kids ages as a real problem, but it is perhaps something for you to consider as you mentioned the house you're after only effectively has 2 bedrooms.

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

You'd get my house too (depending on your husband's view of speed cameras).

Might be worth not mentioning the cat IMHO. I would ask for a larger deposit to cover the cat.

Different strokes for different folks :beer:

Speed Cameras = I agree ... spit! ... but I wouldn't hold it against them

Cat = Wouldn't be a problem for me personally, nor would I require any larger deposit ... But I would prefer the prospective tenant to be honest with me "up front" and not try to decieve me in any such way ...
If they are honest & honourable I am much more likely to try & help them to meet their needs, and also want to retain them when the initial period is up.