openrent.co.uk

flutterby123

I've been on and off this forum since we started debating letting our house.

Anyway, a little down the line, mortgage sorted and we now have tenants wanting to move in on 23rd :j

We advertised our property using openrent.co.uk and were planning to use their credit referencing and tenancy agreement service. For some reason I've started to worry a little as openrent ask the tenant to pay a £200 holding deposit which then goes towards the first month's rent with the deposit paid when conract is signed. I just started to worry that we're asking our new tenant to pay openrent £200 and we don't actually know much about them.

Has anyone had any experience with them? Good or bad?

Thanks

whalster

Personaly I would not use anyone who is out to rip off a tenant,Most of the time I have tenants ringing me and don't have to advertise but we do use Upad and we do use private landlord directory I have total controll ,you have to have, they send me the tenants Ido the rest and use their credit checks and with PLD you have to advetise all your fees to a prospective tenant up front all open all fair ,when letting agents have to do this in their window it will be much better for all but you do need the controll its your business run it like one where the customer comes first and in our game the customer is the next person YOU show around

G_M

Putting the £200 holding fee towards the 1st months rent is fair. It's what I do myself, and it weeds out the timewasters and those who change their minds after you've forked out for credit checks.

But as for Openrent - I have no experience.

Can you not bypass them and take the holding deposit yourself? Provided you give the applicant a receipt, clearly stating in what circumstances it will be returned, retained, put towrads rent etc, you will cover all bases.

whalster

Is that true? I didn't know Upad charged the tenant????
When I have used them it has been £99 plus vat ,How could they be charging the tenant they forward them to me ?? I would be very disapointed if they were charging the tenant some way

raindudu

Please keep us updated with your experience with Openrent. Thinking of using them. Thank you.

mattc4

I would recommend using the openrent.co.uk website to any landlord

I found their "live help" facility very useful in answering a number of queries I had about what they do

keyser666

mattc4 wrote: »

I would recommend using the openrent.co.uk website to any landlord

I found their "live help" facility very useful in answering a number of queries I had about what they do

Whats the point in using the Live chat facility when your colleague is sitting next to you?

whalster

I see ,from the last post on here:rotfl: subtle not ! that said looking at the website looks reasonable for £20 but I think I would just let them send me the tenants and do all the other stuff myself certainly wouldnot want to get into a 3 way I/m doing this your doing that no holding deposit but yes send me tenants for £20 ,anyone beat that ??? I am open to offers for a Tenner ?

amandajc

Are there any more comments from people who have used OpenRent?

We have a tenancy due to end in 2 months time and, from a quick look at their site, using them in preference to our usual agent would save us a fair bit.

Thanks in advance

mart.vader

amandajc wrote: »

Are there any more comments from people who have used OpenRent?

We have a tenancy due to end in 2 months time and, from a quick look at their site, using them in preference to our usual agent would save us a fair bit.

Thanks in advance

Yes, I have used Openrent. I found them to be completely genuine.

At the time I used them, they had a free service for a while. All of the tenants that responded were reasonable and though not all of them proceeded, the tenants I have now were from OpenRent.

As I had had a free service from them, I asked them to get references for me for 20 GBP. That didn't work out so well, as the tenants needed to move in a week or so, and the references had not come back by then. However, I did my own checks and the tenants who have now been there for six months or so, are fine, very prompt with the rent, etc.

I would use OpenRent again.

SerialRenter

I've not used it myself, except to see how how many properties it lists near me. Seems to be gathering a fair few landlords, although it doesn't appear quite popular enough that i'd actually be able to find something that meets my requirements locally just yet.

However, I do know the brother of one of the founding members pretty well (only know this because he posts about it on facebook quite often).

So if anyone wants me to put any questions forward, i'd be happy to see if i can get an answer.

Disclosure: I only know the guys brother, I have no stake in the company, nor have i ever met or talked to any of its founding members/staff.