UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi, I'm hoping to ask for your experiences on refusing un-suitable tenants.
Generally I am polite to others, but I've found myself wondering what I would do it faced with a prospective tenant that I don't like?

I mean if there is no reason to refuse the tenancy, but I still get a bad gut feeling?- what should I do, what should I say?

I envision that I would show those people around my apartment, ask for a date they would like the tenancy to start ,ad then explain that any money should be paid into the bank by standing order. but what happens if I'm not happy?
Should I simply  say that I have other viewings later that week, and that I will be in touch? I'm a little unsure about this one!

It's not a first come first served basis.  Explain that you weigh up all the options available to you then Base your decision on that.

There is no issue here, at all. Why you're thinking if someone wants to rent your property you are obliged to offer them a tenancy is beyond me.

Quote from: Hippogriff on February 12, 2017, 09:10:17 PM
There is no issue here, at all. Why you're thinking if someone wants to rent your property you are obliged to offer them a tenancy is beyond me.

It shouldn't be beyond you because you have a section on pushy tenants on your website.

I was asking for clarity on the best way to deal with it.

Pushy Tenants aren't Pushy Viewers, are they? Tenants can be pushy once they're paying you money and they expect (however unreasonably) a certain level of service for a product they're paying good money for. A Viewer isn't that. A Viewer is - at best and most - a Prospective Tenant. You have no need to justify yourself at all and you certainly, certainly, certainly don't go talking about how they pay you at the viewing. If you can't talk to people at this level then you may consider an Agent to be an intermediary for you.

I wouldn't recommend that, but you may conclude if you can't let someone down yourself - let an Agent do it for you - they won't care at all (some would probably relish it).

P.S. - this isn't my website, not by any stretch.

Quote from: Hippogriff on February 13, 2017, 12:09:46 PM
P.S. - this isn't my website, not by any stretch.

That's a lie

Quote from: steve1000 on February 12, 2017, 08:16:26 PM
Hi, I'm hoping to ask for your experiences on refusing un-suitable tenants.
Generally I am polite to others, but I've found myself wondering what I would do it faced with a prospective tenant that I don't like?

I mean if there is no reason to refuse the tenancy, but I still get a bad gut feeling?- what should I do, what should I say?

I envision that I would show those people around my apartment, ask for a date they would like the tenancy to start ,ad then explain that any money should be paid into the bank by standing order. but what happens if I'm not happy?
Should I simply  say that I have other viewings later that week, and that I will be in touch? I'm a little unsure about this one!

I understand what you're saying. It's tough to say "no" to someone, especially when they're nice, but it's the nature of the business and being a landlord. You can't avoid it.

Just tell the prospective tenants that you've arranged several viewings and you're going to give everyone a fair opportunity to apply, and then you're going to choose who you feel is most suitable.

I like nothing more than informing Tenants they cannot have my property. One lady viewed a property once and said she loved it. She wanted it. There and then. I said that the process must be followed and we'd need to do checks. I detected a flicker in her face... but she corrected it quickly. I said, in a by-the-by manner, if you have any CCJs or anything like that - just relay that now, because there'd be no point going down that path otherwise - not a murmur, she paid the Agent I was using for Tenant Find (even though I do the viewings) her application fee and we waited. She came back with 6 CCJs and £7,000 of debt... plus no current Landlord reference because (seemingly this was a reason, as the Agent relayed) - "I have spoken to XXX and she hasn't paid rent through her bank since March, she now pays in cash as and when the landlord(s) turn up!!!  I informed XXX that her credit file has come back with several CCJs - she denied all knowledge only saying that she thought she had one from years and years ago! She also said she works in Debt Collection which is ironic!!"

This is when I got in touch to let her know I'd not be proceeding. I rather enjoyed that as I felt a blag had been attempted on me. I asked her why she paid the application fee as she couldn't be unaware of how the credit check would come back - she said she was unaware, but we both knew that was pushing it.

Quote from: propertyfag on February 13, 2017, 09:46:47 PM

Quote from: steve1000 on February 12, 2017, 08:16:26 PM
Hi, I'm hoping to ask for your experiences on refusing un-suitable tenants.
Generally I am polite to others, but I've found myself wondering what I would do it faced with a prospective tenant that I don't like?

I mean if there is no reason to refuse the tenancy, but I still get a bad gut feeling?- what should I do, what should I say?

I envision that I would show those people around my apartment, ask for a date they would like the tenancy to start ,ad then explain that any money should be paid into the bank by standing order. but what happens if I'm not happy?
Should I simply  say that I have other viewings later that week, and that I will be in touch? I'm a little unsure about this one!

I understand what you're saying. It's tough to say "no" to someone, especially when they're nice, but it's the nature of the business and being a landlord. You can't avoid it.

Just tell the prospective tenants that you've arranged several viewings and you're going to give everyone a fair opportunity to apply, and then you're going to choose who you feel is most suitable.

I picked this up from hippogriff.
As much as I think he's a grumpy old so and so, he knows his stuff, and has helped my many times so far!
I think hes a very difficult person to deal with, but I thank him for his harsh lessons. They will probably become more valuble to me in the future.

It's good to see you here, propertyfag, I noticed an old thread about a drain being blocked.
I didn;t respond to the older thread because I thought you were no longer a member, and I didn't want a keyboard battle with the moderators about bumping old threads.
I guess you solved the drain problem, but I always tear the pipes apart if I have to... first red hot bleach, then if the problem is still there, I tear it apart.
You'd be surprised how easy it is... its kinda like a big lego set.. or maybe meccano?

Quote from: steve1000 on February 14, 2017, 05:30:11 PM...and I didn't want a keyboard battle with the moderators about bumping old threads.

We don't do that. But we do often just delete crap from people who are touting 'their stuff'. Tidy forum, tidy home, tidy mind.

Quote from: Hippogriff on February 14, 2017, 05:55:57 PM

Quote from: steve1000 on February 14, 2017, 05:30:11 PM...and I didn't want a keyboard battle with the moderators about bumping old threads.

We don't do that. But we do often just delete crap from people who are touting 'their stuff'. Tidy forum, tidy home, tidy mind.

lol, So we're friends then? I don't tout my stuff exactly when it comes to land-lording. I'm new to that and I'm always looking to gain my knowledge, However, construction work is definitely my forte, I've built 2 storey extensions by hand and I'm more than happy to share that knowledge if it helps other people. - its a give and take situation... I suppose?

Quote from: steve1000 on February 14, 2017, 06:51:25 PMlol, So we're friends then?

Let's not get giddy.

There is no reason as to why you should feel obliged to offer the tenancy to the first person to view your property. It is completely your choice, so please do not proceed with anyone you feel uncomfortable with.

-Jeff