SMF - Just Installed!

Just a gripe...

Started by Hippogriff, August 05, 2016, 03:06:49 PM

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Hippogriff

Last Thursday evening I conduct 3 viewings, one after the other, on a modest property.

Everyone seems very interested. One person makes an offer on the night, I tell them not to worry, I won't make the decision there and then. On the Friday morning I get contacted by the other two viewers - they all want it. They all offer the asking price. I get to choose.

So I actually choose the first person who offered.

Scientific? No. Gut feel? Yes.

I speak to her on the phone, I ask if she's OK with the rent, OK with the deposit and whether she has a clean credit history. She says that she had a few problems several years ago, but that's long-gone history.

Anyway, they pay to apply, they pay for the credit checks... today it comes back with 5 CCJs.

That's 5.

Around £6,000 in unpaid debt. Why did they go through the application process? Yes, you can be unaware of a CCJ... but can you be unaware of 5?

Onto the next Tenant, who is still very keen. We've had the chat - "is your credit history clean?"

propertyfag

Holy crap! Just emphasises how important Credit Checks are! 5 is an insane amount of CCJ's!

My guess is they were hoping because you weren't going through an agent, you wouldn't be as thorough with the checks i.e. you wouldn't bother with credit checks.

Did you confront the tenant and explain what you discovered?

Also, which credit check service did you use?

Cheers

Hippogriff

I didn't have a chat, no. The Agent seemed to relish informing them that their application wasn't proceeding. Apparently they professed complete ignorance of all these CCJs. I believe the service used by the Agent was Premier Tenant Referencing. Not my choice, I just go with the flow. Anyway, second applicant has paid their application fee and we're back in action, I took pains, when I met him last night, to explain that I really didn't want any surprises. He is over the moon that he's got a chance (it's a modest property, but done really nice - lots of new, good stuff in it). The Agent said they (the failed applicants) just didn't seem legit... indeed.

Hippogriff

There is an Agent, but I always do the viewings. Agent just gets the properties 'out there', takes initial enquiries and, thankfully, arranges checks.

Mrs m

My sympathies.
I don't use an agent but my property is advertised on a local property centre site by solicitor.
Also advertise on Gumtree.
Always respond to enquiries but as soon as references and credit checks are mentioned some potential tenants disappear.
Good way to weed out undesirable applicants but also a waste of time.
Never skip a credit check, hope you get a good tenant 🙂

Hippogriff

Thankfully the second choice Tenants have passed with flying colours. What does this tell me? My judgement is whack! Not heard a peep from the rejected prospective Tenants which I thought I might if they felt unjustly treated or wanted to appeal to my better nature - that I've heard nothing at all makes me think that they were caught-out trying to pull a fast one. With new Tenants there's always an element of risk, but - so far - I've generally been lucky in the outcomes achieved - I think this one could've been my first truly bad experience.