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Letting to tenant living overseas

Started by RMC, February 25, 2021, 08:03:12 PM

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RMC

Good evening, I wonder if any of you might have any advice please?

Having advertised on Open Rent, I have been asked for a virtual viewing,  by the overseas based parent of an  adult international student at a UK university. They have offered to pay six months rent in advance, plus deposit, as they intend to come to the UK on a British National Overseas visa, with a view to moving to the UK. They propose to share the flat with their child, and are looking for a six month tenancy.

I have made a request for employer references, credit references, and accommodation references. The parent states that they are not working ( hence no employer reference), that their child is a student ( ditto), and that the providers of the lodgings where the child is living can give a reference for them. I have asked the question : " If you are not working and your child is a student, how will you pay the rent?". The response is that the parent is willing to pay six months rent in advance, plus a deposit.

I feel uneasy about this, and as a novice landlord am not familiar with potential scams. My worry is that without credit, employment and current accommodation provider references, I am high and dry. I have checked the student's name on the internet, and it seems to check out, but I worry too that perhaps the 'parent' is using the identity of an apparently good student.

Does anyone have any advice, or cautions, please?

KTC

While I very much appreciate the difficulties of someone attempting to rent somewhere before they relocate, especially internationally and would wish some landlords are more willing to accommodate, pretty much the advice is if you "feel uneasy", then move on to somebody else.

QuoteI have made a request for employer references ... The parent states that they are not working

It wouldn't have helped you anyway unless they are moving job with the same international employer since whatever job they have now, they wouldn't be doing when they move.

RMC


heavykarma

They may be perfectly genuine,but this sets too many alarm bells ringing for my liking.What country do they claim to be moving from out of interest? Whatever, I would pass on this one.

KTC

Quote from: heavykarma on February 26, 2021, 09:32:57 AM
What country do they claim to be moving from out of interest?

"British National Overseas visa, with a view to moving to the UK"

I'm guessing Hong Kong, under the new scheme that started last month.

Inspector

Quote from: RMC on February 25, 2021, 08:03:12 PM
Good evening, I wonder if any of you might have any advice please?

Having advertised on Open Rent, I have been asked for a virtual viewing,  by the overseas based parent of an  adult international student at a UK university. They have offered to pay six months rent in advance, plus deposit, as they intend to come to the UK on a British National Overseas visa, with a view to moving to the UK. They propose to share the flat with their child, and are looking for a six month tenancy.

I have made a request for employer references, credit references, and accommodation references. The parent states that they are not working ( hence no employer reference), that their child is a student ( ditto), and that the providers of the lodgings where the child is living can give a reference for them. I have asked the question : " If you are not working and your child is a student, how will you pay the rent?". The response is that the parent is willing to pay six months rent in advance, plus a deposit.

I feel uneasy about this, and as a novice landlord am not familiar with potential scams. My worry is that without credit, employment and current accommodation provider references, I am high and dry. I have checked the student's name on the internet, and it seems to check out, but I worry too that perhaps the 'parent' is using the identity of an apparently good student.

Does anyone have any advice, or cautions, please?
If there is any doubt, there is no doubt.

Your instincts are generally correct.  If it seems fishy, it probably is.

In my experience, not as a landlord, genuine tenants like this will usually go through a reputable agent.

Where do you advertise?

Hippogriff

There are unique challenges with this scenario... for both sides... not necessarily fishy... just administrative challenges. I let an apartment (I don't call it a flat because it's way too posh) to foreign students and you have to give up on the idea of doing referencing. That said... I have the rent paid upfront for the full fixed term... 1 year... and that could be a similar situation for you. That is a lot of money you're getting with a year of certainty. It offsets any concerns you might have... things might still go wrong, true... but once you have the money that's mostly what you care about. If they balk at that idea, then that is your get-out.

heavykarma

This applicant only wants 6 months though.I would want some realistic proof of how they will continue paying if they want to stay on longer.If they offered 12 months in advance that would certainly help  ease any misgivings I might have. If they only want the basic 6 months,you will have all the hassle of reletting again before you know it. 

RMC

Thank you all very much indeed for your helpful advice. As a novice, I have been dismayed by how many odd sounding enquiries I have had, including many from people wanting it for serviced accommodation ( R2SA).

I've advertised on Open Rent, and it has generated a lot of interest, but, as I say, many unsuitable enquirers.

As I understand it, they are looking for a 6 months tenancy with a view to moving, permanently, to the UK. I did think, as heavykarma has pointed out, that I'd only be three months into the tenancy before I had to start looking for tenants again.

The internet is full of terrifying scams ( selling all the apartment furniture and white goods?!) so this had made me more anxious.  We are conducting a virtual viewing tomorrow, but as it happens also now have a query from a UK based person in full employment, so they sound like a better bet.

I'm really grateful to you all for your generosity with your time and expertise. It seems like a complex area out there and your guidance and experience is very helpful. Thank you.

KTC

Any tenancy can only be granted by you on the condition that they get their visa anyway due to Right to Rent. If they can show they have applied for or gotten the visa, I would suggest they are serious / not a scam. It cost £1,740 per adult for a 2.5 years visa, and £3,370 for the 5 year version. So that's about £5K or £10K for the 3 visas, plus the international student tuition fee for the kid.

Six months is not only the standard minimum length of AST in England & Wales, for historical reason. It also happens to be the length of time they have to show they can support themselves for, living expense and rents included. Remember not every country has the security of tenure protection that exist in this country. And for that matter, not all(/many) renters knows about that for this country either. In many places in the world, when the fixed term ends, the renter can be evicted simply there and then. So it doesn't suprise me that when you asked them how they're going to pay the rent, they simply said they're paying it all in advance because as far as they're aware that's all you would be concerned about. They don't have your concern of what if a tenant stop paying rent, and then how long it would take to evict them while that remains the case.

In your position, I would maybe see if they're willing to show you a copy of their bank statment to see how much savings they have. I would be more concerned if they just have the minimum amount required to meet the visa requirements, than say if they have enough to pay rent for 12 months plus living expenses.