UK Landlord Forum / Life

I am new to getting references and my prospective tenant is coming from Poland, to start a new job in England, for just 3-6 months.  I have never asked for references before (as my previous lodgers have all been known to me), so what's the best way to go about this, and also ensure that references from abroad will be genuine without having to telephone abroad to check?
Thanks for your help

Either take all the 3-6 months rent in advance or get an agency to check.
Take a large deposit.
Also speak to the future employer to confirm employment.
How do you propose to set up a tenancy agreement for just 3 months? Or do you mean this is a prospective lodger and not a prospective tenant.

Hi Benji
Thanks for your response.  Yes, I meant prospective lodger (not tenant).  I am new to being a "landlady".  I will write a written agreement and she has now agreed to 6 months.  However, is she within her rights to leave at any time before the six months are up by giving a reasonable amount of notice?  Or can I write into the agreement that it is for 6 months (with no get out unless either of us have breached our agreement)?

Not sure that the person can pay 3 months in advance as she is coming to start a job here in the UK.  I have told her I must have a month's rent plus the refundable deposit (for the same amount) to be in my account before she comes to me.  A good idea, thanks, about contacting the future employer, I'll ask her for those details.  What about other references from previous employer and previous landlord?How can I be sure that they will be bona fide and not just sent by a friend of hers to help her out? . 

You can make the agreement for 6 months, but in practise you may have difficulty enforcing a breach (although you could keep her deposit).

I'm assuming you comply with the criteria for taking a lodger i.e it's your PPR, shared areas, no exclusive use etc.

If this is the case then you are reasonably secure with 1 months rent in advance and 1 months deposit. If she stops paying or breaches your agreement, it is relatively easy for you to get rid.

Regarding references, there is no harm in asking for them as it shows you are serious. If your Polish is not very good you can use google translate. You should be able to check her ex-employer is genuine via the internet. The Landlords reference is probably useless as she can always claim to have been living with parents etc. It's debatable how much the references are worth, and as before, it's always easy for you to get rid if needed. If you really want to be certain, many letting agents now have Polish interpreters that would check for a small fee or maybe try an agency like letsure etc.

Powodzenia.

Hello, thanks so much for your useful advice!
When you say it's easy to get rid, please can you explain how in practical terms?  (What I offer is a granny flat in my house, so not as easy as a room in the house).

PS If I get rid because of breach of agreement, I assume I would also then lose future rent (just keep the deposit)?  By the way, you mention PPR, what does that stand for?  Principal Private Residence?

Granny Flat, Your goalposts keep moving!

Look up whether your definition of a Granny flat matches the criteria for a lodger agreement. If it does, my last advice is correct.
If not, my first post still applies but you either need to do far more research or to take professional advice.

odniesieniu do wlasciciel.

Hi

You can register at www.uklandlordregistry.co.uk were you can reference check prospective tenants and also register bad tenants, request written references plus you can list all your properties online.

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Quote from: allenmock on February 25, 2011, 03:27:07 PM
Great news over here this something i am really looking forward @stu the link you have mentioned are very helpful to me.Keep up the good work....

Hi

Thank you. I have built this service with the help and advice from landlords in the north west. Its a service for the whole country to use and is proving very very successful within its first few months. there is a lot of landlords using the services and hundreds of tenants data entries.