Question for LL's using LA's.

fimonkey

If you had a property advertised for £700 pm rent through an LA, and a tenant (very trustworthy, full credit check history etc) offered you £650 pm rent but they could pay 6 months up- front in advance, would you be interested?

Alternatively, would it be betetr for the propsective tenant to contact you directly (via a note addressed to the owner through the currently empty properties letterbox) offering you £650pm with full 6months paid in advance? (Therefore you save on letting agents fees)?

Just curious as to whether either the above scenarios would work with you..

Cheers

paintpot

Firstly, I'd check the T & C's I'd signed with the agent for any penalties if I were to take the said tenant. Secondly, you don't say where the said tenant came from i.e have you really found the tenant yourself or are you trying to get them through the back door because if you are and the agent finds out they may well invoice and pursue you anyway.

How do you know they have good references, have you checked them out fully? If they do have good (genuine) references then why are they offering 6 months up front? I'm always wary of tenants who offer this, it can be because they are desperate as no other landlord wants them and they are trying to tempt you with the 6 months upfront.

Regading the £650pcm, if the market was flooded with similar properties in a similar price bracket and I wasn't confident of getting a better tenant and quickly without suffering a void then I'd consider reducing the rent. It depends what market forces are operating where your house is. However, I would rather have a void than a potential problem tenant.

I can't say exactly what I'd do in your shoes as I haven't got enough information.

Notlob

fimonkey wrote: »

If you had a property advertised for £700 pm rent through an LA, and a tenant (very trustworthy, full credit check history etc) offered you £650 pm rent but they could pay 6 months up- front in advance, would you be interested?

Alternatively, would it be betetr for the propsective tenant to contact you directly (via a note addressed to the owner through the currently empty properties letterbox) offering you £650pm with full 6months paid in advance? (Therefore you save on letting agents fees)?

Just curious as to whether either the above scenarios would work with you..

Cheers

From what you post, I would do the latter and if the landlord took you up on the offer then an unscrupulous landlord deserves an unscrupulous tenant.

fimonkey

LOL, thanks to those who answered, I wondered what it would look like to a potential landlord.

The full situation is that I am looking for a place to rent along with my bf (we live seperately at mo and want to move in together). We both have great credit Hx, prev landlord refs, employer refs, and even some savings (hence being able to afford 6 months in advance).

There is one lovely property we've seen that is £700 pm (Told about it by a friend who said it's through an LA, but haven't seen LA advert personally) however we can only afford £650 pm. (We would be paying the 'upfront' rent out of our house deposit account so would need to pay the £650 pm 'rent) back into the deposit account to make it back up to what it shoudl be... if that makes sense).

I personally LOATHE LA's, after 10 years of renting have NEVER come across a good one, and would always prefer to deal directly with the landlord.

Funny how the 6month offer of rent upfront was seen as dubious.... so my next question to the LL's out there...


What would you suggest we do to contact the LL and put forward our suggestion? Would you want us as tenants? (As I said, all refs can be supplied and checked etc).

paintpot

The LL is using the agent for a reason. Even if you posted a note through the door there is a strong chance the LL won't receive it but the agent will as they may be doing the viewings and thus going to the property not the LL.

If you like the house, then go via the agent and offer what you can afford, lots of tenants negotiate on rent. The landlord can take it or leave it, although if it's a property in demand you might lose it if someone offers more, are able to proceed and have good references. You don't need to offer 6 months upfront, especially if you have good references. If you don't like agents, the LL may be doing this on a let only and thus your dealings with the LA is only at the initial stage, ask the agent if they are on let only or fully managed if it bothers you so much. Check the tenancy for any renewal charges, inventory charges etc and if you don't like them, negotiate.

If you have good refs then you sound like ideal tenants and if you want this house above others then don't cut your nose off to spite your face.

Paying 6 months upfront also puts yourself at risk as well but I am wary of tenants who shove this in my face from the outset. It shouldn't be necessary for a decent credit worthy tenant with sound references.

Have a chat with the agent. Alternatively look for adverts through private landlords.

fimonkey

Thanks for the advice, especially re: the LA's. As a LL, do LA's give such poor service to you as they do the tenants?

Bungarm2001

fimonkey wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, especially re: the LA's. As a LL, do LA's give such poor service to you as they do the tenants?

Yes.

Although over the years, I have to admit some have been worse than others.

One or two in the past have 'become' pretty bad, i.e. trying it on with contract/AST renewal fees, at which point we have bitten the bullet and let them go.

As for the 6 months up front...I don't think I would turn it down as long as every other ref check added up.

fimonkey

I'd only offer teh 6months upfront if it could swing the case for me (i.e ensure teh landlord chooses me over another tenant) otherwise I'd just keep it in my own savnigs account earnnig interest. ... Seems like it's not the best idea to be honest as paints me as a dodgy tenant..


,.... Where do the 'bad' tenants get 6 months upfront from?

KingL

fimonkey wrote: »

What would you suggest we do to contact the LL and put forward our suggestion? Would you want us as tenants? (As I said, all refs can be supplied and checked etc).

Surely the only opinion that counts is that of the LL in question. You have nothing to lose by putting a letter through the door and making him a offer. You have no control of what happens downstream from that, so don't worry about it.