Tips on vetting new tenants

System

Firstly how are you intending to find the new tenants, gumtree, facebook or similar. in my opinion and experience any prospective tenant that using those platforms to rent and avoids agents normally has something to hide.


There are referencing companies out there that will do full references on any prospective tenants, work, current landlord and credit checks, for a small fee


Better safe than sorry

sal_III

Simonr66 wrote: »

There are referencing companies out there that will do full references on any prospective tenants, work, current landlord and credit checks, for a small fee

Some of these companies are as thick as mince.

In one case I was dismissed as suitable candidate, because i'm not on a permanent employment contract (i'm a contractor).

In another case I was dismissed as I didn't have LL references, for some reason my previous LL refused to supply these and there wasn't much i can do about it.

In both cases I was offering to pay 3-6 months rent in advance and start paying rent from the 1st month, essentially keeping 3-6 months rent pre-paid, but was turned down.

Often their checks come down to e-mail the contact you put in the form as your employer with a link, all the person that receives the link has to do is click "I confirm" that this person works for me and earns X. Ask me how I know... As a director of my own company i'm essentially my own employer so when I was presented with the dumb questionnaire I filled in my personal e-mail for myself and my business e-mail for my employer. Got the link, clicked "I confirm" and voila all good, income proven... no one asked any more questions.

Smodlet

Simonr66 wrote: »

Firstly how are you intending to find the new tenants, gumtree, facebook or similar. in my opinion and experience any prospective tenant that using those platforms to rent and avoids agents normally has something to hide.


There are referencing companies out there that will do full references on any prospective tenants, work, current landlord and credit checks, for a small fee


Better safe than sorry

Yes... Or you could end up renting to the Chav from Hell which might not pay rent for well over a year, have numerous instances of domestic violence until BF is removed then party long, late and loud while dealing weed and possibly running a house of ill repute with herself as the only, ahem, service provider. More to the point, you could inflict such on the poor unfortunates whose only crime is living in the property next door.

You could even end up being barred from being a LL by the council for causing such detriment to the neighbourhood and reduction in property prices. Of course, this is all speculation... Well, the last bit is, unfortunately.

shortcrust

Do people these days really have to show potential landlords their bank statements and have them round to inspect their current living arrangements?! I’m glad I bought my own place.

Smodlet

shortcrust wrote: »

Do people these days really have to show potential landlords their bank statements and have them round to inspect their current living arrangements?! I’m glad I bought my own place.

No, shortcrust; only those who are not super-rich and whose LLs are not irresponsible idiots have to do this.

gonsdad

A significant portion of this thread seems to be landlords gloating about how they can degrade and humiliate their tenants. It's vile.


Perving on social media profiles, pestering them with crank phonecalls and demanding to see their current accommodation? Really?


And as for anyone not going through agents clearly having "something to hide", it's equally as likely they'd just rather not deal with sleazy, money-grabbing letting agents.

diggingdude

Checking of bank statements should be a two way thing. How does a good tenant know they haven't got a broke landlord who can't afford to make repairs, will steal the deposit and avoids mortgage payments? Just for some balance.

I have experienced all 3. Any landlord wanting to see bank statements and come round my current home should be listing this on the advertisement so they can be avoided by all

franklee

buggy_boy wrote: »

Be careful of strange questions like how often do you do inspections

I would have thought this is a good question to clear up at the initial viewings. If you tell the tenant you inspect every quarter you will deter the cannabis farmers. If you tell them you inspect more than once a quarter you will deter the tenant who wants reasonable privacy. Either way it helps make sure the landlord's and tenant's expectations match. Better to know upfront than have arguments about it once the tenant is in. So I would put that on the good question pile.

franklee

diggingdude wrote: »

Checking of bank statements should be a two way thing. How does a good tenant know they haven't got a broke landlord who can't afford to make repairs, will steal the deposit and avoids mortgage payments? Just for some balance.

Years ago when I was posting a tenant ask for proof of consent to let or BTL mortgage (before the law was changed to help tenants should the property get repossessed) I got tons of outraged comments form landlords saying a tenant should not be that nosy. This was before a tenant could apply for two months delay on repossession if the tenancy wasn't authorised by the landlord's lender. And that was not even asking to see the landlord's bank statements.

Soundgirlrocks

franklee wrote: »

If you tell the tenant you inspect every quarter you will deter the cannabis farmers. If you tell them you inspect more than once a quarter you will deter the tenant who wants reasonable privacy.

Do you think every 3 months is reasonable??!:eek:

There are some truly terrifying answers on this thread we massively need the rental sector to be overhauled. Tenants are people entitled to privacy, respect and peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their homes! How they choose to live, what their bank balance shows, really isn't the business of their landlord so long as the rent is paid and don't cause major damaged to the property.