Rental tenant checks - worried please help

basilplant

Hello, hoping someone with some experience or inside knowledge can help as I'm extremely worried about the outcome of tenant referencing checks.

OH and I are at the referencing stage for a house - agency said could take up to a week for referencing although from the referencing website it could happen within 48 hours, and I am worried about the outcome.

1. We would both meet the 2.5 x affordability criteria for our half of the rent. I'd also meet the criteria for 100% of the rent but OH wouldn't. Been told by a previous agency (not this one), that since we are moving in together for the first time our affordability is assessed individually and not as a couple. I don't think this is the case with this one as the forms asked for "our share" of the rent on each form specifically.

2. We both have "fair" credit ratings - we use credit cards and have debt but no missed payments, CCJs, bankruptcies etc.

3. My employer and existing landlord will give positive references. OH will get employer reference but no existing landlord reference as lives with parents.

If anyone can put my mind at rest about any of these points, either from experience or being in the industry, I would really appreciate it. Going slightly crazy here with waiting for the result

Thanks very much

csgohan4

Have you contacted the EA?

Pixie5740

Odd that the form mentions shares of rent. If you have a joint tenancy there isn't "your share" and "their share" you both have joint and several liability for the whole rent.

Who says your credit rating is fair? Exquifax? Experian? Call Credit? Three companies who neither lend money or let properties so who gives a monkey's how they rate you. Most letting agency credit checks consist of checking your public credit files which show up CCJs and bankruptcy, possibly DRO and IVA as well.

Good references are always good to have.

You've submitted your application, there is no more you can do at this stage so it's pointless to worry about it. I think from what you've told us that you sound ok as tenants but I'm not the one letting out this property.

basilplant

Yes we spoke to the estate agent and gave them all these details before they even showed us the property, let alone began referencing us.

basilplant

Pixie5740 wrote: »

Odd that the form mentions shares of rent. If you have a joint tenancy there isn't "your share" and "their share" you both have joint and several liability for the whole rent.

Who says your credit rating is fair? Exquifax? Experian? Call Credit? Three companies who neither lend money or let properties so who gives a monkey's how they rate you. Most letting agency credit checks consist of checking your public credit files which show up CCJs and bankruptcy, possibly DRO and IVA as well.

Good references are always good to have.

You've submitted your application, there is no more you can do at this stage so it's pointless to worry about it. I think from what you've told us that you sound ok as tenants but I'm not the one letting out this property.

Thanks, you're right, we just have to wait and see. It's the unknown that is bothering me but by the end of the week should know one way or the other.

nkkingston

Referencing usually means calling your previous landlords and making sure you didn't burn their houses down, that you really are employed by the people you claim you are, and maybe glancing at the high level credit reports to check you're not currently bankrupt. As long as you've been good tenants in the past, it's usually fine.

HappyMJ

basilplant wrote: »

Hello, hoping someone with some experience or inside knowledge can help as I'm extremely worried about the outcome of tenant referencing checks.

OH and I are at the referencing stage for a house - agency said could take up to a week for referencing although from the referencing website it could happen within 48 hours, and I am worried about the outcome.

1. We would both meet the 2.5 x affordability criteria for our half of the rent. I'd also meet the criteria for 100% of the rent but OH wouldn't. Been told by a previous agency (not this one), that since we are moving in together for the first time our affordability is assessed individually and not as a couple. I don't think this is the case with this one as the forms asked for "our share" of the rent on each form specifically.

2. We both have "fair" credit ratings - we use credit cards and have debt but no missed payments, CCJs, bankruptcies etc.

3. My employer and existing landlord will give positive references. OH will get employer reference but no existing landlord reference as lives with parents.

If anyone can put my mind at rest about any of these points, either from experience or being in the industry, I would really appreciate it. Going slightly crazy here with waiting for the result

Thanks very much

I'll tell you my case and you figure it out.

I have the rent money saved and I can self certify that I can afford the rent on my own. My credit is fine. Being self-employed I have minimal real provable income but I have savings. I moved from a house that I lived in without a tenancy agreement so had no landlord references and of course I have no employer references.

My OH, however, was 6 months in arrears with her landlord, was currently being evicted for non-payment of rent, she has no income of her own, was claiming benefits and is literally unable to rent on her own. She's got several arrears and defaults. Again she has no landlord or employer references.

As we were moving in together they still did a credit check on her but ignored everything on it and we got the flat based on my savings alone. Rather simple 10 minute call in the end after endless form filling. All the referencing agency wanted to do was for me to prove I had held the savings for 6 months and that's all that was required.