UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,

Organising my first tenant seems to be a bit of a pain in the arse, is this usual or am I being unreasonable.

I have asked for as part of my application process:

Initial application:
Fill in an initial form I created - Asking the basics, name, address, contact details, do you have references, will you do a credit check, do you have any pets, how may people will be living at the property??

Further application:
To go through a  credit check at tenants cost - I can get one online for £20ish
Landlord references
Employers References
Proof of ID etc - which will be better confirmed through the credit check

Just seems when I interview tenants they have a bit of a problem with this - or some excuses.

I don't care what your excuses are this is what I want I set this out from day one, am I being unreasonable?

Also what do you landlords charge if anything for all this do you charge an administration cost like letting agents do all be it just a few quid for your time? I haven't as of yet but was thinking of charging £30-40 for the credit check as it seems to take up my time quite a bit.

Thanks, Joe.

No

£20

I am not a fan of Letting Agents, but I do employ them for Tenant Find.

I sometimes take the pictures and write-up the advert. The Agent gets it on the portals. I do the viewings. However, prior to that, the Agent has taken them through a few basics on the phone... like asking them some questions to assess their suitability. This allows a bit of weeding-out, I suppose. I do not, personally, charge the Tenants any fees other than rent. The Agent will have application fees, though, and will also charge them to be referenced and to have things like a Guarantor arranged. I stay out of all that.

I can't say you're being unreasonable - but I'm envisaging this... if you're a Landlord working without an Agent, maybe you are attracting the kind of folk who think that means there'll be fewer fees or none? Then, when you talk about these fees (which are entirely reasonable), they are becoming upset about it.

Is that a pre viewing application form you want them to complete?

Hi. I am doing the same thing and also telling them on the phone, before they view,  that they will need to show some sort of photo identification at the viewing (passport/driving licence and, if appropriate, a work permit) and fill in a pre-application form if they are interested in the flat after viewing. I also tell (warn) them, before viewing,  that I would expect 3 months bank statements showing wages paid in and rent going out, utility bill from their present residence, a contract from their employer, a landlord reference and a credit check if they want the flat. This has put people off. I prefer to say that I have weeded out the no-hopers, chancers, outright crooks and strange people that have some plan but I don't know what it is. I think that people surmise that a private landlord will take anyone without any relevant checks. Even after all these provisos I  have had people through the door who won't give me photo ID but who have brought along experian forms and references that they thrust in my hand and insist they don't need another credit check. I am sure that the person they are insisting is them has excellent references and credit!
It has taken rather a long time (1 month) to find the right tenant with all the right references but I think the hard work put in is going to pay off. If the prospective tenant is willing to put in some work (and remember he is avoiding costly agency fees and checks), it shows they are taking things seriously and are trustworthy. Bear in mind my flat is in London, I have shown probably 20 people round, spoken to 50 and really only thought one couple, besides the one who is taking the flat, were suitable. It is hard and I am very choosy.
Having said that, I have had some really funny people ring from advert. One man rang and said he needed to move in straight away as all his belongings were in the van and he was on the run from his previous landlord in Sheffield. Mmmmm, the perfect tenant no doubt. Another person rang on behalf of someone and when I asked to speak to the prospective tenant, she said they couldn't speak any English. Fair enough, but they didn't work either (my flat is no DSS) and the gentleman was disabled (I am on the first floor with narrow stairs). When I said it might not be suitable for this elderly, disabled couple, I received horrible texts saying I was racist and that the person knew I was going to say no as soon as I heard the tenants were refugees! As far as I know she didn't say they were refugees at any point. It wasn't nice. I also received several texts from 'Olga' who could pay 'good rent' as she was 'model from Russia' and if she couldn't pay, 'she was very pretty' and 'helpful'. Fun times.
I wish you luck and I think you should be very choosy who you take for a tenant. My other property has had the same tenant for 3 years, then the lodger of the tenant took it over for 5 years and now his lodger has it and is proving to be just fine.

And, yet, there are never any guarantees and all we are doing is making ourselves feel better about the risk. A model Tenant can change overnight if their circumstances change, and that aspect is something we have no control over.

Can you let me have Olga's number please.

Ha, lots of people have asked me for Olga's number

I don't understand some people with all this referencing and things, what do they expect just to be able to move in without you even knowing who they really are.

I'm pretty sure one lady who phoned up for a viewing and wanted to rent the house was willing to swap her daughter for the rent, she spoke very broken English and I assume that's what she meant!!!

It is hard work getting people to go with your way of thinking.

But a point made above by LGOMEZ is that you in theory are saving them a small fortune when they don't have to pay agency fees!!!!