Tenants - are you happy for your personal data to be shared ?

clutton_2

lynz - this is not like you "sloshing around in the ether" ???? what on earth.......

chucknorris

clutton wrote: »

So tenants can quite legitimately ask the LL for any information they find out about them... but in 11 years i have never been asked for this.....

Earlier today I met up with my two new tenants and as well collecting their holding deposit and copies of their payslips, bank statements and passports. I handed over my passport, driving licence and proof of ownership which they copied.

Mind you it was the first time in 19 years.

lynzpower

What do you mean? thats the sort of thing I say everyday

It is, if the access to the data is uncontrolled, then its exactly that

The tent thread good example, all it needs is for someone to put a t's mobile no on the internet, then it gets copied to another site, and before you know it, everyone in the UK has access to your mobile no, knows where you used to live.

Put it this way its something I am very uncomfortable about.

clutton_2

Landlord Referencing employ dedicated data-controllers, so data is not just "sloshing around"..... LLs only have access to only 3 pieces of data as already explained name, DOB and NINO - these pieces of data are not universally distributed

all other data is exchanged on the phone between one landlord and another... and as far as i know private conversations are not yet regulated.......

Chuck ""Earlier today I met up with my two new tenants and as well collecting their holding deposit and copies of their payslips, bank statements and passports. I handed over my passport, driving licence and proof of ownership which they copied.

Mind you it was the first time in 19 years. ""

a sign of the times.....

chucknorris

clutton wrote: »

Chuck ""Earlier today I met up with my two new tenants and as well collecting their holding deposit and copies of their payslips, bank statements and passports. I handed over my passport, driving licence and proof of ownership which they copied.

Mind you it was the first time in 19 years. ""

a sign of the times.....

I actually prompted it by saying that they should never hand over a deposit without asking for proof of ID and ownership. I think it's a good thing to promote and encourage, if it rubs some LL's up the wrong way then so much the better as it may help me stand out as being more sympathetic to a tenant's needs.

clutton_2

i think tenants can often get a good picture of a LL prior to signing an agreement if the LL makes every effort to ensure they have all the paperwork well in advance, to enable them to consult with whoever they wish on the clauses in the AST, with the T&Cs of your business, and NLA membership number, the inventory, EPC, and deposit protection scheme information...

i think provision of all this early on, should show a tenant that they are dealing with a professional...

Chuck says "" they should never hand over a deposit without asking for proof of ID and ownership.""

excellent advice... when i first sought out a good LA - the first one i spoke to, i asked him what proof he needed that i owned the property, he looked really surprised and said "none"

Frighteningly - 11 years later - my current LA who have the misfortune to rent from, insisted on the deposit is cash, and the first months rent in cash, and when i asked for a receipt he said " i dont have any paper" - in spite of having a clipboard full of the stuff in his hand.... I did not let go of the dosh till he wrote out a receipt.....

chucknorris

clutton wrote: »

i think tenants can often get a good picture of a LL prior to signing an agreement if the LL makes every effort to ensure they have all the paperwork well in advance, to enable them to consult with whoever they wish on the clauses in the AST, with the T&Cs of your business, and NLA membership number, the inventory, and deposit protection scheme information...

i think provision of all this early on, should show a tenant that they are dealing with a professional...

Chuck says "" they should never hand over a deposit without asking for proof of ID and ownership.""

excellent advice... when i first sought out a good LA - the first one i spoke to, i asked him what proof he needed that i owned the property, he looked really surprised and said "none"

Frighteningly - 11 years later - my current LA who have the misfortune to rent from, insisted on the deposit is cash, and the first months rent in cash, and when i asked for a receipt he said " i dont have any paper" - in spite of having a clipboard full of the stuff in his hand.... I did not let go of the dosh till he wrote out a receipt.....

Totally agree I also emailed a copy of the contract to them before meeting up (as my printer had run out of ink I couldn't print one off for them).

Funny thing was they didn't ask for a receipt, but I wrote one out for them anyway.

Svenena

I haven't read this whole thread yet, so I'm sure this has been mentioned many times, but it just seems that this database is so open to abuse. It's all very well for Clutton to describe how she will use it in a legitimate way, but there's no way of knowing how all the other users will use it.

If there has been a deposit dispute which was found in favour of the tenant, the LL is likely to be annoyed. SOME (not all, of course) might consider this a reason to give a bad reference, hurting the T's chance of getting future tenancies.

Also, as a T, I don't like the idea of not knowing what's being said about me, and it seems like it would be difficult to check. How about if the reference coming from previous LLs had to be shared with the T at the same time as the new potential LL? Then at least the T would know what was being said and have a chance to put across their side, and ex-LLs would be less likely to exaggeration? (I'm not implying all LLs would exaggerate, but I think some would as in the example above).

I also think Ts should be informed and asked for permission before this search is performed, in the same way that permission is given to collect references and have a credit check done. If they refuse, the LL can find a different tenant.

clutton_2

Svena ""It's all very well for Clutton to describe how she will use it in a legitimate way, but there's no way of knowing how all the other users will use it.""

Svena.... you now understand EXACTLY the dilemma a LL faces every time they assess a prospective new tenant.....

For years we have taken tenants pretty well on trust... and more and more landlords are being let down and stolen from and having property damaged..... hence the need for different referencing when a tenant's story "does not add up" -

Rest assured that most tenants' stories "WILL add up"

its the same in many aspects of life.. the awful minority spoil it for the majority .. this wont change

Prior to 7/11 who would have ever accepted 2-3 hour check ins at airport, having to remove shoes to be checked, only being allowed tiny shampoo bottles.... etc etc - the minority spoil it for the majority.. the same with banking security.... we are over-run with security .... a small number of money launderers spoil it for the majority...

and no.. i am not callng tenants terrorists, or bankers, or anything else unpleaseant.. simply comparing scenarios.....

clutton_2

""I am turkish and need to correct my granmar ""

is your granma always getting things wrong them Ali !!

glad to see you using more paragraphs.. makes it easier to read