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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Lettings Agents...again

28 replies

NickyEds · 01/05/2015 12:46

Dp and I are currently looking for a place to rent. I've always been really lucky in that we've dealt with ll rather than lettings agents. I've posted before asking if having to provide 3 months bank statements was normal and apparently it is so we've just had to stomach it. Filled in an application form last an I'm stunned at the things they wanted to know. I can totally understand wanting referees, pay slips, Id etc. I get wanting to know if we've ever been evicted or lost a deposit. We are more than happy to provide LL details, referees, current work details etc. But ffs, this one wanted to know:

-Provide details of all investments/stocks/shares and copies of savings accounts statements
-Who is your current internet service provider?
-Who is your mobile phone with?
-Do you have private health insurance? Who with?
-Please give details of your pensions provisons/providers (we're 35)
-Who is your current insurance provider?

I was actually shown the property by the LL and she seemed very normal, interested in things like were we smokers, pet owners etc. I can imagine she gives a shit about who we have our mobiles with.
AIBU in thinking that this is not for the benefit of the LL but that the contemptable bastards are not content with making money from admin/signing on/referencing they also want to sell my information on?

OP posts:

londonrach · 01/05/2015 13:16

Ive rented for 30 years and have always gone through ea and have never ever given any of that information to ea!

londonrach · 01/05/2015 13:18

I always change my internet provider, energy firm etc to the best value once in. Ea cant force you ever to take one over another if you paying the bill.

Fudgeface123 · 01/05/2015 13:25

I have rented for 20 years and have never had to provide any of that information listed! I've only ever been told that they will check my credit record (which is crap) but I've never been refused a property.

That is utter madness

londonrach · 01/05/2015 13:27

Not 30 years 10 years... Typo..

Toughasoldboots · 01/05/2015 13:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BuzzardBird · 01/05/2015 13:38

They are definietly selling your details on...the same way some Estate Agents do. I would refuse.

Amarena · 01/05/2015 13:47

I would put n/a in the space for all of those answers.

There is absolutely no reason that they need to know that. They are definitely going to sell your details on. If they query why you've not answered, ask them why they need to know.

Bloody HATE letting agents.

Original poster

NickyEds · 01/05/2015 13:48

We actually just left all of the pensions stuff blank as if we don't have any! The service provider stuff were "required responses" so were couldn't actually complete the application without filling them in so we lied.
They are cheeky, greedy bastards. What's the betting that the junk e-mails are pouring in within the week??

OP posts:

Becca19962014 · 01/05/2015 13:54

I was shown around a property last year and was asked for my Twitter and Facebook account details AND told I must add them as a 'friend' as well as a lot of other information.

I don't have Twitter or Facebook and they then refused to allow me to rent from them For that reason

By then I'd already decided not to rent from them anyway (they just said no to me before I said no to them!) . I posted here and got lots of 'run away now' type replies.

namechangeafternamechange · 01/05/2015 14:02

Wtf?? I have rented gor 16 years and, beyond the normal credit check, I have NEVER been asked for such personal information. Even the bank statements would've caused me to walk away, they have had an employment reference outlining what I earn, they know my credit status and they have the same information on my OH. They don't need to know how much I spend in aldi, how much my mobile bill was last month.

It's agents like the one you've encountered that gives good agents a bad name. The agent we are with now didn't bother to do the credit check as we had told them on viewing about our previous bankruptcy and they said it would be a pointless expense. They are fab and wish there were more like them!

Original poster

NickyEds · 01/05/2015 14:16

I know namechange but it's hard to walk away when they're managing the property you want to rent! I feel backed into a corner. I do often wonder if LL actually know what the lettings agents are doing "on their behalf" and how many potential tenants walk away because of it.

OP posts:

SquiddlyDiddlyDoo · 01/05/2015 14:43

I have never been asked for any of these, despite having rented at least 10 different flats and houses over the last few years. First things first - go and ask them why they want each of these piece of info and let us know!

To take these one at a time:

-Provide details of all investments/stocks/shares and copies of savings accounts statements. I could understand why these might be requested (i.e. to show that you have a fall back in case you lose your job and therefore income). I do know someone who has asked for savings account statements for this reason. However, I wouldn't give out your investment information!

-Who is your current internet service provider? I don't see any harm in providing this information, though I would make sure that they don't try to write into the contract that you have to use a certain provider..

-Who is your mobile phone with? Again, I don't see the harm in telling them, though I would question why this is in any way relevant to a property lease?

-Do you have private health insurance? Who with? Again, this is so irrelevant to a property lease it's just ridiculous. I would refuse this one. It's a private matter of no concern to anyone.

-Please give details of your pensions provisions/providers (we're 35). I would never ever give details of my pension out. I imagine they are asking because if older people rent they want to know that they can afford it... but as you're 35, you should just tell them that it's not practical for you. For a short term lease that provides termination provisions prior to you turning 60, this is totally unnecessary.

-Who is your current insurance provider? Again, you can tell them, but it's pretty irrelevant to them who insures your current property. Again, check the contract to make sure they don't expect you to use any particular provider.

MissWimpyDimple · 01/05/2015 14:58

I am a letting agent and we definitely don't ask for this level of info. It's to use for partners. Like to try and get you to change to Virgin media or something.

UncleT · 01/05/2015 15:58

Tell them to get fucked. That's an absurd amount of irrelevant detail, clearly requested for reasons barely connected with renting a property.

Original poster

NickyEds · 01/05/2015 21:00

Squiddly- I agree some of it is just to try and get us to change provider etc but I just resent it so much. I was the same with the 3 months bank statements but have been told so often that this is standard now that I've just about had to stomach it. It's really not that we're particularly interesting (quite the opposite!!) just that this is private information and I very much doubt any LL cares. It feels like a bloody fishing expedition and I think it's totally unnecessary.

UncleT- I really want to rent the house they're managing. I feel like I have very little choice but to accomodate them to some degree or my application will simply not be considered.

OP posts:

OrangeVase · 01/05/2015 22:04

I have rented and was never asked for any of this.

londonrach · 01/05/2015 22:08

Even if they write into the contact you have to use x provider for energy, internet you can change it if you pay the bill. If i remember rightly its enforceable. Talk to cab. I wouldnt give them too much information.

fredfredgeorgejnr · 01/05/2015 22:35

First up, why did you give it to them? You said you got on well with LL, tell them you're ready to walk because of the ludicrous agent.

Now you have, (and feel free to wait until they move in) make complaints to the ICO it doesn't appear to meet the adequacy principle - ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/principle-3-adequacy/

Then complain to the company and ultimately the redress scheme, I believe all of them say that referencing should usually be done by one of the referencing services, I don't believe any of which ask for all the things above, so I think they're in violation of the code of conduct - which redress scheme are they with?

Don't just moan on mumsnet, complain on to the bodies which exist for this, then hopefully we can drive out more of the cheats.

Original poster

NickyEds · 02/05/2015 09:45

I get on with the LL at current home (rented privately so no contact with lettings agent)-this is for a new house. The questions were from a referencing service on behalf of the La and LL. Thanks for the link-I'll definitely be looking into it, especially if I don't get the bloody house because I wouldn't let them know about our pensions!

Didn't mean to just moan (well, not only that!) but having never used them I genuinely didn't know what constitutes "normal disclosure" when renting from an agent. I was on a thread about having to give 3 months bank statements as I found that a bit intrusive and ott and had a mixture of replies but quite a few saying it was normal nowadays. People were surprisingly sanguine about giving these things so I thought perhaps I was just over-reacting.

OP posts:

Handsoffmysweets · 02/05/2015 15:30

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request

paxtecum · 02/05/2015 15:39

Becca: FB and twitter friends -complete madness.
I suppose you get set up an account and just have one friend - the EA.

NotDavidTennant · 02/05/2015 15:44

If it's a third party referencing agency asking you these questions then almost certainly the questions have nothing to do with referencing and they're simply harvesting data to sell for marketing purposes. You could complain to the letting agent about it, but it may be that they're already aware and just don't care.

AyMamita · 02/05/2015 15:48

I usually fill in "required response" fields with the words "Decline to provide" if they aren't relevant to what I'm applying for/buying.

AyeAmarok · 02/05/2015 17:52

Wouldn't this be a breach of the data protection Act?

NotCitrus · 02/05/2015 19:42

They aren't much better for prospective landlords. Luckily have found last two tenants as they put ads up on Gumtree asking for a flat in our area. I can update names on a contract and read bank statements and ID myself.

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