References

stashmycash

I've got a friend who wants to rent a private property. Does anyone know what references will she be asked for ?

stashmycash

bump......................

rosysparkle

I don't think it's possibleto give a definitive answer, some private landlords do referencing comparable to agency refs, some do none at all. Most fall in between those two extremes.

Your friend should probably be prepared to provide employment and previous landlord refs, and possily a bank reference, but it will be up to the individual landlord what they ask for.

As a guide, an agency will do a reference check through a third party such as Letsure, and this will check employment, salary, credit history (with experian/equifax/callcredit), previous landlord ref (if applicable), electoral roll, risk score, CCJs, aliases and linked records.

Alleycat

Usually previous landlord, employer references are the ones asked for.

vodkagirl001

Alleycat wrote:

Usually previous landlord, employer references are the ones asked for.

what if you have never rented before though?

Alleycat

Thats always a tricky one. It would depend on your age I guess, but if no previous landlord, then maybe a couple of employer references? If straight from Uni or something, they might accept tutor or lecturer references.

stashmycash

My friend has tried to rent a property, but as well as the usual refences she has been told she would need a guarantor or to pay several months up front.
Also that she would need to pay a non refundable £300 up front for admin and contract fees.

Is this normal?

Guy_Montag

Personally I never rent through letting agents - so I've never had to pay these outrageous fees. Rent direct from the LL through the small ads in the local paper, all I've ever needed to produce was a statement from my company saying I was working there.

rosysparkle

stashmycash wrote:

My friend has tried to rent a property, but as well as the usual refences she has been told she would need a guarantor or to pay several months up front.
Also that she would need to pay a non refundable £300 up front for admin and contract fees.

Is this normal?

If she has a poor credit history or her income is below or near the threshhold for the particular rent level, she will have to provide a guarantor or pay rent in advance.

The admin fees vary in amount from agent to agent but are to cover the cost of referencing (most references are done by a third party reference agency) and drawing up the agreement.

Some agents charge contract fees and some don't. We don't.

rsykes2000

stashmycash wrote:

My friend has tried to rent a property, but as well as the usual refences she has been told she would need a guarantor or to pay several months up front.
Also that she would need to pay a non refundable £300 up front for admin and contract fees.

Is this normal?

Not sure about the first part, but my admin/reference etc fees were 141 when i signed up for a property in Jan and that was on the high side compared to other agents in my area (Leeds). It does depend on the area though, London can be very expensive for fees - the agents there rob you blind.

Wings

vodkagirl001 wrote:

what if you have never rented before though?

I would set up a Deed of Guarantee, thereby having a Guarantor for the tenant.