Unreasonable Letting Agent Request?

BubbleFrogette

Hello Everyone,

I'm moving (again) and the letting agent wants my last 3 months' bank statements. I sent them the first page of each of the statements, which details all of the pertinent info, such as opening and closing balances, total payments in and out etc. (it's first direct). However, they are saying they need to see every page of each statement to see exactly what is going in and out of my account.

Apart from the fact that I don't have time to scan in 15 pages, I think this is an unneccessary request. They can quite clearly see that I am well able to meet the rental payments and that I have > £1000 in my account at the end of every month from the first page summary.

They have also had four references; 2 character + previous landlord + employer, all of whom have given good accounts of me as I've seen what they provided. So it's patently obvious I'm not a drug dealer or Madam.

What do you people think? Are they asking for too much?

princeofpounds

Sounds totally OTT to me. Every LA I've ever used has used a referencing firm who got in touch with my employer to ask what I was paid, matched it to what I put on the form, and that was that.

chewmylegoff

i do think they are being over the top - but they can ask for what they want. if you don't want to give it to them, rent a different property i suppose.

i'm not sure you can claim you didn't have time to scan 15 pages when you had time to come on here and moan about it. if you want this property then jump through their hoops.

BubbleFrogette

It took me all of a couple of minutes to write my post. It would take an order of magnitude longer to to scan all the pages and convert them to pdfs. So I can claim I don't have time, because, well, I don't. Thanks for your blindingly obvious advice though.

clutton_2

as a LL i sometimes ask prospective tenants for 6 months of bank statements in full... and more than once i have seen information which contradicts evidence in their Tenancy Application Form - i trust my gut instinct and if i "feel" there is a niggle i get all the data i possibly can....

sadly, especially since HB became LHA., (with rents going directly to tenants) i have to take more and more care with checking out prospective clients...

When you come to buy a house - you will lose track of the number of hoops you will have to jump through to do that !!!

LittleMissAspie

clutton wrote: »

When you come to buy a house - you will lose track of the number of hoops you will have to jump through to do that !!!

We're only halfway through buying a house but all the mortgage application is done and there was only one hoop (sending our payslips, bank statements and P60 off). I think there are more hoops to renting.

Wee_Willy_Harris

BubbleFrogette wrote: »

It took me all of a couple of minutes to write my post. It would take an order of magnitude longer to to scan all the pages and convert them to pdfs. So I can claim I don't have time, because, well, I don't. Thanks for your blindingly obvious advice though.

You asked the question "are they asking too much". Several posters have agreed with you but, as has also been stated, they can ask what they want and you, if you aren't comfortable with that, can walk away.

If you don't want blindingly obvious answers, I suggest that you don't ask questions which can have only blindingly obvious answers.

fair_deal_3

chewmylegoff wrote: »

i do think they are being over the top - but they can ask for what they want. if you don't want to give it to them, rent a different property i suppose.

i'm not sure you can claim you didn't have time to scan 15 pages when you had time to come on here and moan about it. if you want this property then jump through their hoops.

I don't think the initial request for information/advice was a moan at all. Secondly the claim that "..they can ask for what they want.." seems somewhat over the top and cannot be correct
Let's try to help one another rather than criticize legitimate requests for advice:)

G_M

I agree it is OTT. And I'd be reluctant to hand over what I consider confidential/personal information.

But as said they can ask for what they like. You can reason with them to reconsider - and if they insist you either comply or walk away.

BubbleFrogette

clutton wrote: »

When you come to buy a house - you will lose track of the number of hoops you will have to jump through to do that !!!

I am in the process of buying a house (in France, OH is French). I have also rented property numerous times in this country, as well as in France, the Philippines and Malaysia. I think there are more hoops to jump through for renting to be honest. I have asked whether the landlord has permission to let the property, but the LA says they don't disclose that information to tenants. He could be about to go bankrupt for all I know. Seems like rather a one way street to me.

WWH - my Q was a request for people's opinions; thus not blindingly obvious. I wasn't asking what I should do (obviously I know I can walk away if it doesn't suit me). I was asking if others thought it was an unreasonable request.

roger196

BubbleFrogette wrote: »

I have asked whether the landlord has permission to let the property, but the LA says they don't disclose that information to tenants. He could be about to go bankrupt for all I know. Seems like rather a one way street to me.
.

Letting a property without permission to let is obtaining money by false pretences contrary to S2 of the Fraud Act 2006. Ask agent whether he is aware that he is aiding and abetting this?