Renting via Agent - What Sensitive Info does the Landlord see?

cwcw

When applying for a rental property through an agent, and you have to complete application forms full of personal and sensitive information and copies of documents and ID are taken, does the landlord get a copy of the application or does the agent just use the application to submit the checks? Does the landlord get a copy of the credit report? Not so bothered about the references.

My concern is that a landlord who I have never met and know nothing about will know every little financial detail about me and also have keys to my house (e.g. mail interception). I've not rented before so no idea how it works in practice - we've sold and will need to rent until we find a place to buy. I just feel uneasy about the application process and the amount of details you hand over, and who to (i.e. agent alone (well established company governed by data protection and with local offices) or landlord as well (as yet unnamed individual who I have never seen or met).

jjlandlord

In principle the landlord has access to everything, since the letting agent is just representing him.

cwcw wrote: »

My concern is that a landlord who I have never met and know nothing about will know every little financial detail about me and also have keys to my house (e.g. mail interception).

You know nothing about the agent. And he might have keys too.

Also it depends on what you call "every little financial detail" as this should not be what you're asked to provide.

Perhaps being a tad paranoid?

rentergirl

This is such a good question: there is no secrecy, and when agents are neither trained nor regulated, I have worried about this myself. Do they erase you details when you move out? Sorry to reply with a question, but that's the point. Agents are requesting increasingly intrusive material, and I wonder if they are aware of data protection/confidentiality, even when other tenants visit an office and details are being loudly discussed: '..oh 'Such and such' that's the tenant who is gay/ill/going bankrupt.' That is why letting agents must be regulated and trained.

G_M

Depends what the LL asks his agent to do, and what he asks his agent to provide.

As a LL I always ensure I see everything. Otherwise how can I decide which of the applicants to grant the tenancy to.

The property is mine. The tenancy will be in my name. The tenant will have a contract with me.

The agent is nothing more than.... an agent acting on my behalf to do marketing, gather information for me etc.

DVardysShadow

Anything you communicate to the agent is communicated to the landlord. It cannot be stressed enough - the agent is in no way a middleman, he is paid to represent the Landlord.

cwcw

It's all a bit one-sided though, isn't it. I understand they need to make sure they're not going to get a dodgy tenant, but equally there's just as much chance of a tenant getting a dodgy landlord, but I cannot do any similar checks on them. For all I know I could be renting from a convicted fraudster/rapist/murderer, with access to all of our personal details and our home.

G_M

Ask to do a credit check on the LL? He can refuse of course, but there again, so can you...

Certainly it is wise to check he actually owns the property (£4 to the Land Registry). And you can ask for written confirmation he has his mortgage provider's permission to let the property - this is likely to be forthcoming from a responsible LL who HAS got a BTL mortgage or CTL. (The Land Tregistry Title will show if he has a mortgage - and who with).