RENTING? Check your LL has permission to let that property.

franklee

More consent to let avoidance from a couple of landlords here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2173453

PayDay

franklee wrote: »

More consent to let avoidance from a couple of landlords here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2173453

And here
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2184367

itwiz

This is slightly off-topic so I hope no-one minds me posting here, but there seem to be some very knowledgeable people contributing to this thread.

I'm fortunate enough to have a second property which I bought for cash (10+ years ago when they were much cheaper, and with a loan from parents!), hence I've never had a mortgage on it. I'm hoping to shortly become a first-time landlord, but I'm now concerned that a prospective tenant may ask for a consent to let, which obviously I'd be unable to provide.

Any advice on how I could prove that I don't need consent, so as not to deter tenants? I want to be a "good" landlord, but it seems to be a minefield!

Cheers.

silvercar

itwiz wrote: »

This is slightly off-topic so I hope no-one minds me posting here, but there seem to be some very knowledgeable people contributing to this thread.

I'm fortunate enough to have a second property which I bought for cash (10+ years ago when they were much cheaper, and with a loan from parents!), hence I've never had a mortgage on it. I'm hoping to shortly become a first-time landlord, but I'm now concerned that a prospective tenant may ask for a consent to let, which obviously I'd be unable to provide.

Any advice on how I could prove that I don't need consent, so as not to deter tenants? I want to be a "good" landlord, but it seems to be a minefield!

Cheers.

For £4 the tenant could download the deeds from Land Registry and see that you have no mortgage on the property.

itwiz

Great, thanks for the clarification.

franklee

Yet another example:
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=95981&postcount=22
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=96382&postcount=27

This is interesting too, looks like the lender was going to repossesses due to lack of consent to let but then backed down.
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=72922&postcount=12

techno492

Hi Guys,
New to the Forum.
Ive had a bit of trouble with my landlord being late with their Morgage payments and i became increasingly concerned that the property may be reposessed.
I decided to check the Consent to Let.
Firstly, I searched the Land Registary and found that the landlord is registerd as living at the rented address.
Although this adds to my concerns I know they used to live in the house prior to letting it to me so this doesnt instantly tell me that they dont have a consent to let.
I then asked my Letting agent to confirm the consent to let.
The response I got was that the lanlord had given the letting agent consent to let the property and the letting contratct that the landlord has signed details their responsability to the morgage providor.
I asked again that I required a copy of a consent to let from the Morgage providor and the response was that as the agent isnt an ARLA registerd agent I should not ask for written consent !!
This gets me worried.
Does it look like they have something to hide ?
Why would the letting agent refuse to give written consent because they are not ARLA registerd.
Thanks for you help

theartfullodger

Techno:

Your contract is with the Landlord: The agent is just that, an agent, and works for the landlord anyway..

Write a calm & polite letter (keep copy) to the Landlord, copy agent, asking him for copy of consent to let..

Sadly i expect he won't have it from what you said...

I your shoes I'd start looking for somewhere else just-in-case...

It could be innocent: I had a property I rented out that I used to live in (consent to let, buy-2-let mortgage, all above board..) and it took I think at least a year to get the lender to reflect my new address in the accounts, & I guess maybe some solicitor/the-landlord hasn't updated the land-registry records...

Re..

the response was that as the agent isnt an ARLA registerd agent I should not ask for written consent !!

- sadly that indicates to me 2 things...
- a) He ain't ARLA so no code-of-conduct, no regulation, may be a cowboy...
- b) He doesn't want to ask the Landlord for you (stone me, it's only a letter ..) so either he doesn't want to turn over a damp, dark stone or he knows there is a problem...

You do have your deposit properly protected & all info about it given to you?? Gas Safety cert?? Inventory & 'photos??

Hope it works out

Lodger

techno492

Thanks for the information, It may be worth a letter to the landlord. I have been making plans to look for somewhere else if I find a problem

In terms of the deposit, yes thats in a protcted scheme, I have a Gas safety cert but no Inventory exisits for the property.
I picked the keys up from the letting agents office and that was it. They have never done a meeting with me to go through an inventory.
Im under the impression that this can only bennafit me as they cant try and take any money for any issues they may see in the property when I leave as they cant prove the origional state. (not that there has been any damage caused)

theartfullodger

no Inventory exisits for the property.
I picked the keys up from the letting agents office and that was it. They have never done a meeting with me to go through an inventory.
Im under the impression that this can only bennafit me as they cant try and take any money for any issues

Correct: However the lack of any inventory/condition check confirms to me the agent & landlord don't know what they are doing...it is in their own interests to have one, even a simple, short, easy one!

Best of luck!

Lodger (Landlord since 2000).