Using current landlord as reference?

katlilly

Hi there. 

I’m currently looking to move house and I have some concerns and worries about referencing. Until my current house id only lived in student housing. I’ve been in my current house 3 years and am looking for more space (along with wanting to move as structural repairs I reported a year ago and followed up have never been fixed) 

im a bit concerned with giving my current landlord as a reference though. My tenancy is monthly rolling. Will anything bad happen if he finds out I intend to move before I secure the new place? I can leave with a months notice but additionally he can ask me to leave with a months notice and I’m worried if I use him as a reference he might give me a bad one or give me a good one but I lose the property and he asks me to get out within a month. could this potentially happen? I have no actual relationship with the landlord and only deal with an agent but I’ve always paid rent on time in full and reported maintenance issues within the building in a timely manner. 

greatcrested

additionally he can ask me to leave with a months notice

No. He must serve a S21 Notice expiring (currently) after 3 months (Coronavirus Act 2020 ) and then must apply tocourt (which will take time too).

But your points are valid.

There's no guarantee what his reference will say. If he wants you to stay, he may give a negative reference! Or vice verse.

But if he does prefer you to stay, why would he then evict you....?

The alternative is to give the letting agent as the referee. There may be a fee for this.

Post 4: Ending/renewing an AST: what happens when a fixed term ends? How can a LL or tenant end a tenancy? What is a periodic tenancy?

theartfullodger

A landlord or agent does not have to give a tenant any reference: (Any more than a tenant has to give a landlord or agent a reference: Now there's a thought: Why don;t prospective tenants require names & addresses of previous tenants so they can contact them and find out how much of a devious cheating cheat/crook the landlord/agent is.)

Any reference must however be honest.

As a landlord I don't value reference from current landlord much (they might want tenant out & give a great reference to a terrible individual).  The name and address of previous landlord is the one to check with..... (if tenant gives permission..)

Artful: Landlord since 2000

Morbier

theartfullodger said:

A landlord or agent does not have to give a tenant any reference: (Any more than a tenant has to give a landlord or agent a reference: Now there's a thought: Why don;t prospective tenants require names & addresses of previous tenants so they can contact them and find out how much of a devious cheating cheat/crook the landlord/agent is.)

Yes please!  In your dreams methinks though, open to too much bias. 

One of the lettings agencies I applied to used to ring the previous landlord and asked just one question, "would you rent to Morbier again?"   (Not sure how they checked the veracity of the LL's answer, but it seemed to satisfy them).