Current agents refuse to give me a reference til I give the my notice. What should I do?

unforeseen

I don't believe there is a legal duty to provide a reference.

However I see the agency's POV. You are moving so want a reference, HOWEVER, you have not given them notice. Since a reference should cover the whole period of your tenancy then it makes sense not to give it until they have a firm date for you moving out.

You give notice, they give reference. Everybody happy

My other thought is that if you tell your new agency that you don't have a reference because you haven't given notice then they will wonder how serious you are about the new place.

Slithery

missile wrote: »

Is there a LEGAL requirement for the agent to give a reference?

Nope. Absolutely not.

need_an_answer

There is no legal requirement to give a reference,although I believe I may have read somewhere that as part of the new fee structure introduced in June that it has become something that could be charged for.

Sorry I cant remember who the charge could be against but its another reason for the LL and tenant to bypass the agent and sort a reference out between themselves if necessary

G_M

unforeseen wrote: »

I don't believe there is a legal duty to provide a reference.

However I see the agency's POV. You are moving so want a reference, HOWEVER, you have not given them notice. Since a reference should cover the whole period of your tenancy then it makes sense not to give it until they have a firm date for you moving out.

A reference will of necessity only cover the period of the tenancy up to the date of the reference itself.


Even if the LL/agent waited till the tenant served notice, there would still be a (short) period of the tenancy still to run, and no one can be expected to give a reference about a tenant's future actions/behavior.

unforeseen

G_M wrote: »

A reference will of necessity only cover the period of the tenancy up to the date of the reference itself.


Even if the LL/agent waited till the tenant served notice, there would still be a (short) period of the tenancy still to run, and no one can be expected to give a reference about a tenant's future actions/behavior.

No but the period not covered by the reference is going to be limited to the notice period.

G_M

unforeseen wrote: »

No but the period not covered by the reference is going to be limited to the notice period.

errr... yes. My point exactly! Whereas you had written:

Since a reference should cover the whole period of your tenancy then it makes sense not to give it....

which is clearly not correct, hence my post clarifying the position. Whether the tenancy runs for a further week, month or even 6 months, the reference only covers the period up to the date of the reference, not up to the end of the tenancy.

missile

I would suggest the OP avoids creating an issue with her current landlord.

If I were the new landlord a prospective tenant who told me they asked for a reference without first giving notice might ring alarm bells. Are they intending to leave without giving proper notice and would he/ she do the same to me?

I might tag the OP as potentially a difficult tenant.

cashmonger

missile wrote: »

I would suggest the OP avoids creating an issue with her current landlord.

If I were the new landlord a prospective tenant who told me they asked for a reference without first giving notice might ring alarm bells. Are they intending to leave without giving proper notice and would he/ she do the same to me?

I might tag the OP as potentially a difficult tenant.

You are advising for someone to potentially be left homeless while they do not have any firm tenancy secure. Seems very dangerous advice to me.

You are talking like the new tenancy would be 100% guaranteed so long as notice is given at the current tenancy when there is nothing which assures that is the case.

Maybe you have many options if you lost your current place you live but I don't.