Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Letting agent is asking for details of maternity pay...

34 replies

LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:30

Really a WWYD.

Have finally found a new rental property (they seem to be like hen's teeth in my area). In the spirit of honesty, I told my letting agent that I am pregnant (24 weeks).

I have supplied references from my boss, previous landlords, bank statements, payslips, passport copy, stool samples etc. Now he wants confirmation that I am going to be paid maternity pay.

I am employed on a self-employed basis so I am not entitled to any SMP. However, I am well able to support myself, as I was quite lucky to get a well paid job that has given me some good savings to fall back on.

I am a bit annoyed as I didn't have to tell him about the pregnancy (not really showing). Also, what would have happened if I'd moved in and THEN got knocked up? Would he be knocking on my door for these references now?

I think the icing on the cake is that we paid him a £200 'administration fee' and he couldn't even be bothered to email my boss to ask him himself - he has all his details because my boss emailed confirming my job! He instead chose to call me to ask me to ask my boss to email him.

My boss will lie for me at a push, but I don't want to have to do that.

So what would you do - get boss to lie, or some other option involving the slow death of the agent?

Maybe I'm overreacting, I'm sure you'll tell me I am if so!

OP posts:
FourFortyFour · 16/03/2011 19:32

I would get my £200 back and get another place.

HecateTheCrone · 16/03/2011 19:34

Well. What do you want? you want the house? so just do whatever is most likely to get you the house. If your boss will tell the letting agent what they want to hear, then fine.

I think in most situations, it's important to just focus on what it is you actually want / need to acheive and how you can best do that, rather than the ins and out and fairness and 'winning' of it.

If that makes any sense.

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:34

Easier said than done - rental properties are so scarce where I am, it was a proper scrum to get my hands on this one and I'm not letting it go.

OP posts:
MaisyMooCow · 16/03/2011 19:35

He shouldn't be asking you this. His 'rip off' £200 so called 'Admin Fee' is supposed to tell him whether or not you are a risk.
I don't know why he's so bothered, if you decide not to pay rent, his client the landlord, will still get his money because the letting agent will have taken out insurance (that's included in the £200 fee but they don't tell you that!) for non payment of rent.

Personally I'd ask my boss to lie!

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:36

That's good advice Hecate. I think I have lost sight of the goal in my annoyance. But I still want him to be as grumpy as I feel right now. Maybe once I'm in the flat I'll call him every day about the gutters or something.

OP posts:
MaisyMooCow · 16/03/2011 19:37

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so aggressive in the last post but it gets my back up when people get charged such extortionate admin fees for renting a property. :)

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:37

He's not bothered, Maisy, he's just sitting back in his cushy agent's chair and making me do all the work. Good point about the insurance, I didn't know that.

I did ask him how much of the rent goes to him, and he said he 'didn't know' and we eyeballed each other across the desk for about 30 seconds. Think I'd better play ball.

OP posts:
Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:38

No you didn't sound aggressive, I get annoyed too and am feeling rather aggro myself!

OP posts:
HecateTheCrone · 16/03/2011 19:39

yup. eyes on the prize.

You always have to ask yourself what really matters. In this case, it is getting the house. Do what will get you the house.

bibbitybobbityhat · 16/03/2011 19:39

Well, don't take it personally.

He is acting on behalf of the landlord. The landlord is paying him. The landlord wants to know if you can pay the rent.

Part of the admin fee will pay for a credit check (done by an external agency) but that credit check will not see in to the future and guarantee that you will be able to pay the rent whilst on maternity leave.

Surely it is fairly obvious that a landlord needs to be assured that a potential tenant can afford to live in the property?

Its no big deal.

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:40

Point taken, bibbity, but what had happened if I had said nothing? What happens to existing renters who get knocked up, do they have to legally declare their maternity status to their agents?

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 16/03/2011 19:40

its not really your business how much commission the agent gets and I think it is really rude that you even asked.

They go through an agency to save themselves the bother of getting a non paying tenant, a tenant who messes around or a tenant that moves in and does not pay/causes damage.

I used an Agent in my property and never paid any up front fee.

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:42

I work in property myself and I always get asked how much commission we get! I don't see why it's so rude.

I didn't pay a fee last time (or there was a fee but it was waived), but the market is so bad for tenants right now that they are upholding the fees.

OP posts:
ObscureReference · 16/03/2011 19:43

Ok can I play devils advocate for a second?

Yes he ahs all that info off you. Excellent. So say it is a six month tenancy at £100 per month. You are pregnant and wont ave a wage coming in. He looks at your bank statements. You have £500. Even not taking into account bills such as gas, electricity and groceries, you do not have enough 'savings' to cover the rent. He therefore needs to ensure you have pay, even maternity pay, coming in to pay the rent. He would be negligent as an agent is he rented you a property e knew you could not afford.

This would equally apply if you had £750 you could cover the rent, yes, but he als knows the general occupancy cost of the property is £75 per month. So therefore you couldnt if you paid all your other bills. You would still be sort in the last months.

ObscureReference · 16/03/2011 19:43

Sorry. Dodgy keyboard.

ObscureReference · 16/03/2011 19:44

xpost bibbity! I took too long to type!

bibbitybobbityhat · 16/03/2011 19:44

No, Lulu, but we are talking about something that has actually happened. Not something hypothetical.

ObscureReference · 16/03/2011 19:46

No, they dont have to declare their maternity status. The agent rented them the house based on their current and expected earnings. Circumstances change. Thats life. but as bibbity said, noone can see into the future.

TBH, I think in this case, your honesty as been your downfall. Sorry :(

MaisyMooCow · 16/03/2011 19:46

I'm a landlord myself and as Bibbity says you cannot see into the future. Some previous tenants passed the credit check/referencing stage with flying colours yet failed to pay me after the second month of the tenancy. I had to take some very dodgy (yet somehow still legal) steps to get them out. I then took on a 'housing benefit' tenant even though people warned me not too (apparently they wreck your house and never pay you...yes, I know, unbelievable)... and she was a great tenant.
I've just placed new tenants in this month, again in receipt of housing benefit and they're great.

I appreciate your Landlord wants to know he's going to get paid but in the current climate circumstances are changing more rapidly than ever before.

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:48

OK, so in the future I'll just lie. Wonderful!

OP posts:
Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:49

Hi Maisy - so what would happen if you knew your tenant was up the duff? From what you've said it sounds like you wouldn't be particularly bothered. What are your legal rights here, can you ask for any proof that they get SMP? Just out of curiosity.

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 16/03/2011 19:49

Even if you're not entitled to SMP though you'll get Maternity Allowance won't you? Which is basically the same thing.

Original poster
LuluLozenge · 16/03/2011 19:54

Yeah I guess so, Rita. And it's not like we're moving into a penthouse apartment on the Thames, it's just a standard flat in an East London suburb.

Thanks all for your replies and giving me some perspective. I've got to run out now.

OP posts:
MaisyMooCow · 16/03/2011 19:56

Lulu... A pregnant women did view my house on one occasion. Obviously during the viewing I asked questions about her situation and she told me she would be claiming SMP. She could have been lying, I don't know. It would be easy to stay well clear of people in her situation but then you could potentially be losing a very good tenant.
I always take out insurance against non payment. It doesn't cost much and gives me the peace of mind I need.

NotDavidTennant · 16/03/2011 19:58

Surely if you're planning to live off savings while on maternity leave you simply tell him that fact and then show him a statement from your savings account to prove that you have enough money to cover it?

Swipe left for the next trending thread