Agent wants to know salary for contract

vejebolud

HampshireH wrote: »

What are the reason for not doing it?

Makes no sense at all.

That's your opinion and not what I was asking?

jonnygee2

It's not "so easy", I mean, it's the first time I see such a behavior (first time moving to London). Normally I would say that it is not the way to go, but then I've never rented in London, so

Yeah in London the market is terrible, tenants get treated like ****, estate agents are invasive and rude.

True story: when I was renting my first flat, one Estate agents I went to visit (after seeing the house online) had a sign in the window that said :LANDLORDS - OUR TENANTS PAY 20% MORE RENT THAN OUR COMPETITORS'. I still have the photo somewhere.

It sucks, but you get used to it somehow. Pleanty of reasons to live in London but housing is not one of them!

Brookside88

Would you object if it were a mortgage? Or car finsnce? You're asking them to make a financial contract without knowing you can afford it.

You're being entirely unreasonable

PasturesNew

vejebolud wrote: »

It's not "so easy", I mean, it's the first time I see such a behavior (first time moving to London). Normally I would say that it is not the way to go, but then I've never rented in London, so

It's not just in London - it's almost country-wide.
Agents need to check that you can afford the rent, based on their criteria.

I am nowhere near London and I was asked/had to prove my salary.

When I say "need", I mean "want" - because they didn't used to do it years ago. But now, most of them do.

vejebolud

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Yeah in London the market is terrible, tenants get treated like ****, estate agents are invasive and rude.

True story: when I was renting my first flat, one Estate agents I went to visit (after seeing the house online) had a sign in the window that said :LANDLORDS - OUR TENANTS PAY 20% MORE RENT THAN OUR COMPETITORS'. I still have the photo somewhere.

It sucks, but you get used to it somehow. Pleanty of reasons to live in London but housing is not one of them!

And did you end up going for that house? :rotfl:

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's not just in London - it's almost country-wide.
When I say "need", I mean "want" - because they didn't used to do it years ago. But now, most of them do.

I see and in fact it's my first time in England. Thanks for clarifying.

So apparently I have only one choice. Thanks all!

PasturesNew

vejebolud wrote: »

So apparently I have only one choice.

Yes.

And we hate it as much as you do - but if you want to rent a flat and are asked, you have to tell them, else they'll say "no" to you....

Welcome to renting in Britain.

MovingForwards

We had to complete an application form for the flat we recently moved into, including providing details of employer, yearly salary and date employment started.

Technically, we should have provided 3 months bank statements and 3 months wage slips. (Didnt as they carried all the details forward from the flat we were vacating).

All of the above, plus any financial searches are to allow the landlord to meet their requirements of their landlord insurance company ie prove the tenants are financially stable, not have adverse financial history and not in receipt of benefits (some LL insurance companies do not allow benefit tenants).

So, there are two options:

1. Give the info and hopefully get approved, move in and live happily ever after
Or
2. Don't give the info and look for somewhere else to live

rachlikeswinter

I’ve lived in 5 rentals in london so far and each one has asked for salary, including payslips and bank statements to prove it. Sadly it’s not just Common, it’s basically a requirement. In the early days when I wasn’t earning enough, my parents had to be guarantors as I didn’t meet the requirements. At least they still let to me.

Here’s a fun story - I know someone who provided all their bank statements as requested, but also included a snapshot of all their savings (no idea why, stupid thing to do) - which were not inconsiderable, 30k+, because they were saving for a house. The landlord saw these savings and told them he was putting the rent up because ‘clearly you can afford it’! :eek:

Throwaway1

vejebolud wrote: »

I mean, we work for two huge firms everybody knows and the salaries are well-known too..

Then what's the problem?

vejebolud

Throwaway1 wrote: »

Then what's the problem?

Should've said "minimum salary" or average; but we can negotiate, of course. Also I don't like talking about money (I'm still a student anyway)