How can i do my own referencing checks?

MrYorke

Hi,

partner and i are looking to rent out our property and have had 2 agents around so far to have a look around and chat about their services and costs.

Both have said they would obtain references and credit checks etc with one company using Homelet to obtain these details.

Is there any way that we would be able to do the same search if we paid it by ourselves. Homelet seem only to offer this service to new or existing letting agents NOT landlords

Thanks

Jowo_2

There are equivalent services with other companies - look at the Tenantverify website for instance that offers a comprehensive report for about £33.

Not sure why you would instruct an agent and then do the screening yourself - you pay them to make your life simpler, not chase up tenants for information and then chase up the service provider for the report, it's still time-consuming.

adamneal

Hi,

I used to work for homelet, they do referencing straight to the landlord through their letsure brand tenant-reference.co.uk

It used to be the same referencing system for both homelet and letsure and I can't imagine that would have changed

456789

you could also ask the tenant for references and write/phone them however they might just get a friend to pretend :S

G_M

tenant screening
smartlandlord
letsure
homelet
tenant reference check

you could also ask the tenant for references and write/phone them however they might just get a friend to pretend :S

Big difference between 'asking for references' and 'tenant referencing'.

MrYorke

Jowo wrote: »

Not sure why you would instruct an agent and then do the screening yourself - you pay them to make your life simpler, not chase up tenants for information and then chase up the service provider for the report, it's still time-consuming.

I have been advertising and have good responses with a few people booked this weekend for viewings and wanted to do the same checks as letting agencies are able to do.

I'm not instrucing an agent to find tenants and do the screening myself, i just wanted to potentially reduce my initial costs if i find a suitable tenent myself

clutton_2

"" if i find a suitable tenent myself""

and since you have not done this before - how will you know who is suitable ?

new_home_owner_3

clutton wrote: »

"" if i find a suitable tenent myself""

and since you have not done this before - how will you know who is suitable ?

I think thats why the persons asking, no one can tell what someones like on face value, so they are asking for a good referencing place to try and ensure the tenants they do find are okay financially and they will have less chance of being ripped of by them.

Tell me mystic meg how can you tell good tenants from bad ones?

Have you got some kind of tenant crystal ball, because you are a landlord?

new_home_owner_3

MrYorke wrote: »

I have been advertising and have good responses with a few people booked this weekend for viewings and wanted to do the same checks as letting agencies are able to do.

I'm not instrucing an agent to find tenants and do the screening myself, i just wanted to potentially reduce my initial costs if i find a suitable tenent myself

You can only take people on face value at first, if you think they are suitable ask them for the money for a none refundable comprehesive reference check, tell them if they fail it they will lose the deposit and you will not rent to them.

I suspect most tenants who know they will fail will back out then, i wouldnt want to throw 30 pound down the drain, if i knew i would pass the credit check.

And to make things even safer if they do pass the comprehnsive reference check with tenantverify, you can get rent guarantee for 9.99 a month

poppysarah

new_home_owner wrote: »

Tell me mystic meg how can you tell good tenants from bad ones?

Have you got some kind of tenant crystal ball, because you are a landlord?

No. You can sometimes get it really wrong. But you have to take up references and check them out.
You can find out why they're leaving their current place -take current landlord reference up - sometimes just driving by will tell you if they're messy sods or not.

Chatting with them about other things, work etc can give you an inkling on what they're like.

new_home_owner_3

poppysarah wrote: »

No. You can sometimes get it really wrong.
.
You can find out why they're leaving their current place -take current landlord reference up - sometimes just driving by will tell you if they're messy sods or not.

Chatting with them about other things, work etc can give you an inkling on what they're like.

Obviously you would chat about work if you was not taking dss and you can get a general feel of what they are like.

I know people do get it wrong, but i doubt very much if a tenant was leaving though a disagreement with their landlord or other things they know a future landlord would be upset about, do you really think they would tell their future landlord or do you think they might bend the truth slightly.

And likewise i dont think a landlord would give a bad reference to someone they want to get rid off.

I think the driving by might be a good one, but thats only if they live in a house, how about flats?

I think the main worry for any landlord is for the rent not to being paid, so if you can guarantee the rent by getting a comprehensive reference then its worth it, just to make sure you get the rent every month,