UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi, my tenants have not moved in yet. They signed a contract on Christmas Eve and are due to move in on Jan 15. However during the Christmas period when I looked at their 'references' I was unhappy with what they had supplied.  Hers was a p60 which doesn't prove that she's actually working. His was a blank a4 piece of paper saying where he worked and how much he earned.  No wage slips or work references. I got in touch with them and told them their references were not  sufficient and I needed better proof of employment.  They refused saying I was happy enough when they signed the contract and took the deposit and first monyhs rent.
Am I entitled to refuse entry? They have a set of keys, which I gave them so they could get the place ready to move in to. They said they had friends coming up for Christmas and they were going to help get the place ready to the moving in date. This was the reason why the contract was rished through on Christmas Eve.  I knew I wouldn't see them over the holidays.
Can I change the locks?
regards
Steve

Okay.

You took there money, you signed the contract and now you want to dump them in the SH 1 T.

I am glad I don't rent off you..... Why not phone both the companies? I suspect you are trying to pull a fast one, or have had a change of heart.....

I suspect you are not looking for an answer, just justification for your frankly.... Okay Bob leave it.... okay, fair enough....nuff said.

Actually, they viewed the house 5 times each time asking for more things, new carpets, money off, washing machine,  house painted etc etc. Yhey were told no each time. I had already knocked money off for them.  They asked me to meet them at the house 3 days after Christmas and told me if I didn't paint the house and put in new carpets they no longer wanted the property. II said fine and they gave me one of the two sets of keys back. They then at a later stage decided that once agsin they did want to move in. So as you can see they have messed me about massively.  I am not in the rental game to make money, just to help cover my mortgage.
I find your reply very offensive and your remarks well off the mark.

The truth often hurts and might be seen as offensive.

If I could just put 2 and 2 together I come to a different story.  The 2 + 2 would be this thread and this THREAD.

Order of how you should let a house out.

1. Advertise it
2. Get time wasted by lots of time wasters
3. Pick the best of the bunch
4. Go through referencing
5. Once happy with referencing proceed with drawing up the AST
6. Once AST is signed take money for the deposit - I also get them to sign a Section 21!
7. Take money for the one months rent in advance
8. Give the keys to the tennants on the same day that the AST is signed, deposit taken and one months rent taken
9. Go back for periodic inspections
10. Wait for the tenancy to come to an end
11. Get house back to standard then go to number 1

You've gone 1-3, skipped 4 & 5, ignored 8 and now you want to go back to 4.

Why on earth would you give someone keys to a property before their tenancy starts is so beyond me.  I missed a step out which is lodge the deposit with an appropriate scheme, please tell me you've done this?

Hi, I have done that. In my defence it is pure naivety.  I was desperate to get a tenant in . I still have a mortgage and I am renting a house myself. I gave them the keys, as I said naively under the impression that it would help them. There was absolutely no malice in my post just desperation.  Its a house I bought from new just before the property crash. Tried to sell it and have really fallen on hard times financially . I am desperate to rent it out but not to potential projlem tenants whivh I believe these might be

Quote from: Steveod on January 12, 2014, 04:02:30 PM
Hi, I have done that. In my defence it is pure naivety.  I was desperate to get a tenant in . I still have a mortgage and I am renting a house myself. I gave them the keys, as I said naively under the impression that it would help them. There was absolutely no malice in my post just desperation.  Its a house I bought from new just before the property crash. Tried to sell it and have really fallen on hard times financially . I am desperate to rent it out but not to potential projlem tenants whivh I believe these might be

I know there is no malice in your post.  I've just rented a house of mine out last week, it took a little while to do so (about 6 weeks but over Christmas), I'm not under the same financial pressure as you so when I was asked by friends and family if I'd rented the house out yet I'd say no but I could have done so in the 1st week of it becoming available, I explained to them that it would cost more money to get a bad tenant in than wait for a good one.

I still don't understand why you didn't follow through the references prior to completing the paperwork and taking money from them, it's just the wrong way of doing things.  If the refs had come back great then all would have been good to go.  I don't know what you can do to better your situation at the moment the way it is.  The only way I can see is to tell them that you don't want them to have the house and you will return all the money that you've had from them. 

Your intentions were good but in the house renting game 'helping people out' including friends and family, as proven by multiple threads on here just leads to a world of pain, I'm not saying be a *astard landlord but just don't give anyone an inch of room, they will take a mile.

Thanks for the reply. I just feel that their reluctance to supply references now suggests they're hiding something.  Obviouslyy house is my most expensive possession and I'm obviously worried about it. I think they played me to be honest and I'm really worried

Quote from: Steveod on January 12, 2014, 06:17:58 PM
Thanks for the reply. I just feel that their reluctance to supply references now suggests they're hiding something.  Obviouslyy house is my most expensive possession and I'm obviously worried about it. I think they played me to be honest and I'm really worried

Well at least follow the references you have, if they are lying then you can confront them and tell them that you don't want them to have the house on that basis.   Have you phoned their employers?  Have you phoned their previous landlord?  References aren't what's written on a piece of paper, you have to follow them through.

Quote from: Steveod on January 12, 2014, 10:21:42 AM
Can I change the locks?

You've changed them already.  Have you managed to change them back unnoticed?

no the lock is not changed back. My point is that although I have been sa little stupid in allowing them to have the keys early and to sign the contract early, surely anyone can see that my request for information on employment status isn't unreasonable and her reluctance to provide these details appears somewhat alarming?

You are very brave/stupid.

If a tenant is in your house and hasn't paid rent for 4 months then surely anyone can see it would be reasonable to go round, change the locks and stop them using the property, of course they can but by law you'd be in a whole heap of trouble.  Its pretty much the same situation you're in now.  Let's hope they're too stupid to be able to ask advice on forums themselves.

I didn't mean to be offensive.
Mr Tide explained what I was feeling in a more pragmatic and constructive way, that is why he is the Mod!
I meant what I said, you know there employers, give them a call. If it's good, let them be, and issue notice at month 4 of the AST if it's not to your liking, if it's bad (i.e. they have lied) then fight like a cougar to stop them gaining possession. Then Reference and get a tenant who is really strong and good at Martial Arts, should they try and come to the house and cause trouble!

In my experience, once they ask for anything other than a discount on the rent, they are gone.

Personally I never take reference ( yeah I know!) I rely on the fact that I talk to them and get to know them, I chat to them, see where they socialize, and see if I can find a six degree of separation common friend, it is referencing to me, but not formal. Honestly my average tenancy is over 4 years, and I make a point of NEVER increasing the rent once they occupy. When voided I always make sure the property is 100%. I always talk to them nicely, and try and work on a "partnership" basis, this was the hardest lesson to learn, if you try and "lord" it up, or indeed acquiesce over matters ( no one has ever asked me  for painting or carpet as its pretty much always brand new )  it causes problems. Oh and anther tip, NEVER rent to anyone who views with there Mum or Dad, it means they are a pain in the bottom and Mum can't wait to see the back of them.

Overall though if you are naive * cough, employ an Agent in future. BUT there is every chance these people will be nice, and every chance your fully referenced up people from the Agent will be Trash. Joy!