UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,

It's my first post ever and I'm very happy to have joined this forum.

I am looking for some advice as a landlady. I am renting out a flat through a rental agency.
In the past I have never had any issue renting my property. This time my agent is saying that due the shutdown, he is finding it harder to find a tenant. He eventually found a prospective tenant. The problem is that the prospective tenant is unemployed and cannot provide a guarantor. His record with previous landlord are excellent and has good credit score. I should also add the fact that he is a microbiology and works contracts. I was told that he should be expecting work soon again (but who knows).

My agent is telling me that it should be ok to rent to him despite of the situation. I have never been in this situation before and I'm not sure what to do. Any recommendations about whether I should proceed or not or what else can I do to protect myslef?

I have asked my agent if we could go for month to month type rental. He says that the only thing he can offer is 6 months.

I'm a bit confused and would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks a bunch!

Quote from: Bf101 on March 25, 2021, 04:14:15 PM
I have asked my agent if we could go for month to month type rental. He says that the only thing he can offer is 6 months.

Periodic from the start doesn't really offer you much additional security. In England, you are not able to serve a valid s21 notice until after 4 months, then (in normal times) the 2 months notice period works out as over 6 months total anyway. Right now, s21 is 6 months. Section 8 notice can be served quicker, but again right now those are 6 months, unless the tenant is into 6 months arrears in England.

Having said that, the agent works for you. If they can't handle a not common but still fairly simple request, I'll question staying with them.

Thanks RTC for the reply. You are right on with the comment on wether I should stay with this agent. That's my feeling.
What I cannot understand is what's in it for me..I'm willing to take this prospective tenant but I want some form or guarantee considering the tenant doesn't have a guarantor.
What would be make accept this prospective tenant?

The lack of a guarantor is not relevant,they are not really a safeguard when it comes down to it.What is this man's income,is he entitled to housing benefits? Has he said how he intends paying his rent ?  The only way I would take on such a person would be if he was able to pay the first 6 months rent upfron,with the hope that within that time he would either find a job or have got his benefits all sorted out for you to be paid directly by the council. Out of interest,why did he leave the previous place?                     

Quote from: heavykarma on March 26, 2021, 01:19:22 PM
The lack of a guarantor is not relevant,they are not really a safeguard when it comes down to it.What is this man's income,is he entitled to housing benefits? Has he said how he intends paying his rent ?  The only way I would take on such a person would be if he was able to pay the first 6 months rent upfron,with the hope that within that time he would either find a job or have got his benefits all sorted out for you to be paid directly by the council. Out of interest,why did he leave the previous place?                   

These are all good points you're bringing up. He is unemployed but how is he intending to pay the rent is the key. I was told he has UC but it's first time I hear of it (I live overseas now);so not in touch with the change of laws etc. From my research it's not possible to have the money paid directly to the landlord. Which I don't like. Also I don't know why he has left the previous place.

I don't take tenants on benefits,though to be fair the disaster caused by Covid could affect a lot of people who don't fit the stereotype. I did think though that tenants could agree to have their rent paid directly to the landlord.If this is not the case,I would refuse.

It is possible to have rent paid directly to the Landlord with Tenants on Universal Credit... it's harder, though... the Tenants have to kind of prove that they're unable to manage their own money due to being feckless or addicted to some substance they'd prefer to spend the money on rather than rent. For me it's curry. £11.90 per lovely lovely lovely hit... they lured me in with the promise of 'free' chips... they're not free at all, they're bundled into the high price. It just looks like they're free, to the feckless. Anyway, I have a Tenant on UC and the money is paid direct... that Tenant is feckless. Bottom rung of the social ladder and all that. Lovely with it, though. When she gets her UC paid into her account she calls it "getting paid"... dunno why. She's not worked for years and years.

Thanks all for taking time to respond. This was tremendous help!