Can previous landlords give bad references?

weevil_

I had a lot of problems in my previous houseshare, I got robbed and beaten up in the house which brought on my worst anxiety yet. I got behind on rent because of someone elses mistake which took ages to sort out. I ended my tenancy out of contract because I was too terrified to live there and one of my housemates was a walking pigsty.

The rent still isn't sorted because we had to come to a deal, she lied to me about my replacement not moving in and expected me to pay his rent. We are approaching that deal now but I will still owe her a bit of rent I can't afford to pay in a lump sum until I get my student loan (going to be a mature student) There isn't any space on the flat application to explain all of this.

My current landlord will give me a fantastic reference, she wanted me to stay but I have to move towns. I will also get good references from ex employers and personal references. And because I'm a student (even tho I'll be 30 at the start of term) I have a guarantor (Where would we be without Mum's eh?) with excellent credit, out right home owner, etc, works for police. Never had a problem getting a flat with her as my guarantor and this place is cheaper than others I've lived in.

So do you think the one blot on my landscape will do me any harm or will everything else save me? My credit rating is also not good but they will be more interested in my guarantor's surely? Plus my circumstances are different this time, I will have a regular income as a student. I've always been better with money as a student than not.

princeofpounds

This is a previous landlord right? Not your current one?

Normally you only have to get one to reference you, so I doubt anyone will dig into previous landlords. And if they do ask about it, just claim you were living at home or something if credible.

weevil_

Yes previous one from July to Feb, I have been in this flat since Feb (leaving September) where I have had no problems at all. The landlady was so pleased with me she was thinking of dropping my rent if I got into Sheffield uni, which I didn't so am moving to Norwich which actually I'm much happier about. Just a shame I can't take this flat with me.

I could put an even previous landlord down but then there will be a gap in times, they're definitely asking for 2.

Do you think I should leave it blank or will that make it look worse?

theartfullodger

Weevil, sorry to hear of your troubles...

Landlords (particularly if they've had problems before...) may request references from previous Landlord...

Why? Well the current Landlord (not in your case..) may be simply desperate to get a bad tenant out and thus give a great refence and so "pass the problem on". I now ask for previous Landlord every time.

However what Landlords really dislike is surprises.. so if you're upfront about what happened (if asked for previous Landlord), explain your issues, you might get a reasonable Landlord or agent...

True story: I had 3 Eastern European gentlemen wanting a house.. They gave me name/address of their current landlord. She gave me glowing references... They took my house, signed up, all fine.. 2 weeks later ex-landlady 'phones me up to say I should watch out as they "left the place in a filthy state & damaged".. (err,, wouldn't she have noticed this earlier??). Turned out it was a tiny caravan they were renting at significantly more than I charged them for a 3-bed terrace..


Since then they've been OK, basically (few issues, nothing permanent): They keep their house in a better state than I do mine...

Hope it works out. Cheers!

Lodger

tbs624

princeofpounds wrote: »

This is a previous landlord right? Not your current one?

Normally you only have to get one to reference you, so I doubt anyone will dig into previous landlords.

You'd be surprised - some do , for the reason that Artful gives. Unfortunately, some LLs really are that desperate to get rid of the T without a full court action, that they will either be non-committal or tell porkies.

princeofpounds wrote: »

And if they do ask about it, just claim you were living at home or something if credible.

How to get on well with a new LL - lie from the word go? Experienced LLs are fully aware that some shared houses are an absolute nightmare and that there can be resultant breakdowns in the relationship between other Ts and with the LL him/herself.

weevil- 'make sure you use an LL/LA who is registered with your Uni's accomms office.

weevil_

tbs624 wrote: »

You'd be surprised - some do , for the reason that Artful gives. Unfortunately, some LLs really are that desperate to get rid of the T without a full court action, that they will either be non-committal or tell porkies.
How to get on well with a new LL - lie from the word go? Experienced LLs are fully aware that some shared houses are an absolute nightmare and that there can be resultant breakdowns in the relationship between other Ts and with the LL him/herself.

weevil- 'make sure you use an LL/LA who is registered with your Uni's accomms office.

I don't think they are normally a student property agent they have all kinds of other landlord registrations on their website though (and they charged the highest admin fee I've ever seen, I'm hoping maybe some of this includes the deposit scheme fees but I bet it doesn't) I liked the flat though, I needed the biggest studio I could get as I'm downsizing from a 1 bed and it has a fantastic kitchen.

Do you think it might help if I include an extra sheet of paper or even just put in email about the problems with that house. The council blamed her for my rent getting in arrears in the first place, long story, a mistake she allegedly made because she owned the house next door as well. I have already told them that I don't have a good credit rating and that's why I always have a guarantor and this hasn't put them off.

Oh also, she might even refuse to give them a reference, she's not the greatest of communicators. I asked her for a letter confirming the date I moved out so that I could give it to a utility company to get my name taken off a bill weeks after I'd gone and she completely ignored my request.

weevil_

I mentioned it to them today when I phoned them about something else, I mostly said you may not get any communication from her at all. They told me to put a note in the email about her. I'm sure Agencies know it's not always the tenant in the wrong when previous tenancys are left on bad terms.

princeofpounds

How to get on well with a new LL - lie from the word go?

Look, I'm not going to pretend it's an ethical thing to do, but sometimes the stakes are just too high to involve vindictive ex-landlords in the process.

The thing is, if you are a bad tenant you wouldn't tell them anyway and probably get your mate to pretend to be the ex-landlord.

I wouldn't seek to defend such a deception, but to be honest, I'd probably practice it if I was running out of time before being evicted. Thankfully it's never come to that.

preable

With most people its 1 referance which will be our current landlord/

weevil_

I put this in the email when I sent my forms:

"I phoned earlier and was told to mention in the email that you might
have trouble getting any communication from my previous landlord
**** ****. There were a lot of problems in that house which I
can expand on if necessary, it caused me a lot of stress and anxiety
and carried on after I moved out.

My current landlady however is fantastic and wishes I wasn't moving.

Let me know if you need any further information."

That's alright isn't it? I'm not badmouthing her or anything, I just don't want her to turn round and say I'm bad with rent and I'm likely to break my lease before the end. There were reasons for that which won't exist anymore and haven't existed in my current flat. I paid 2 month in advance here and have always been on time and am not breaking my lease.

weevil_

My new LA seem to be quite thorough, they want 2 employers references, 2 landlords, 2 personal and possibly my guarantors bank references though they don't know about that now and are getting back to me. They're certainly "earning" their fee. Well, providing they actually contact all these people, maybe they just want backups incase they can't get one.