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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

When Trying to Find a Flat to Rent

38 replies

TheChandler · 08/05/2015 22:36

...would you expect to provide references?

I have a small flat for rent, and I am turning prospective tenants away because they object to providing references. Am I being incredibly unreasonable in expecting a prospective tenant to prove they are who they say they are and prove they can pay the rent and will look after my property?

Every time I've rented property (I'm renting now where I work), I've had my references ready to go.

OP posts:
CupidStuntSurvivor · 08/05/2015 22:39

I've needed references about 50% of the time and have moved a lot. Even needed them for my current place let by a HA. I'd say if they're actively objecting, they've likely got something to hide.

gallicgirl · 08/05/2015 22:43

Yup. Definitely get references and consider a guarantor.

Fluffcake · 08/05/2015 22:48

We rent out my mum's house (she's in a care home). We rented it out through an agency and they got references. You should definitely get them. I also work with a girl who was asked for someone to guarantee her rent or provide 3 months plus deposit up front which is a bit unreasonable.

lunalelle · 08/05/2015 23:53

I expect to, and would insist on them if it was my property. We have always been asked for references and proof of income - the agencies even contact our employers.

We have nothing to hide, so it's all fine.

Redglitter · 08/05/2015 23:56

I had to provide several references when I rented my flat. I think it was 3

Original poster
TheChandler · 09/05/2015 00:09

Well, it certainly was a red flag! Chap wasn't very happy and became threatening when I said no. Still no references (not even an employer's, claimed no previous landlord as sold own property) and was getting a bad vibe.

OP posts:
bride2be2015 · 09/05/2015 00:09

No you're not BU - are you dealing with them directly? In London (sorry don't know where you are) anyone would just be grateful not to be paying ~£300 estate agent fees - I'd have no problem giving a reference!

TheFlyingFauxPas · 09/05/2015 00:24

Watch Pacific Heights :) and get references and check their validity.

SockQueen · 09/05/2015 00:45

Assuming I can just refer you to the estate agent who lets and manages the property (I've never had direct contact with the landlord, who lives overseas) I would have no issue with this.

Iloveonionchutney · 09/05/2015 00:54

We had to give our previous landlord and our employers as a reference, definitely something strange about the guy you saw.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/05/2015 00:56

Chap wasn't very happy and became threatening when I said no. That's why he can't scare up a reference.

Aprilday · 09/05/2015 07:52

Definitely get references !
Employment/ability to pay the rent, credit references and previous landlords.There are specialist Credit Reference Agencies that will check references for you. At a cost, but worth it , stacked against the risk and cost of an unsuitable tenant.
A useful book is: The Complete Guide to Residential Letting by Tessa Shepperson.
Letting a property is a big undertaking, knowledge makes it less intimidating.

fredfredgeorgejnr · 09/05/2015 08:36

The problem is, the reference you get will have to be meaningless - what landlord is going to risk having to prove what they write when there's absolutely nothing in it for them.

Use a referencing agency, don't just ask the individual to provide them, they'll of course only be checking their financial and address etc. history, but a letter from a previous landlord confirming dates is going to be pretty irrelevant.

catgirl1976 · 09/05/2015 08:44

YABU

I rent and I have always had to provide references (employer, previous landlord, a credit check, wage slips and bank statements)

I do find the credit check slightly invasive, but I understand why it's done and I fully expect to provide all of this. Plus hundres of pounds in fees for the priveledge :(

raawwhh · 09/05/2015 10:18

Asking for credit check, employer/wage check and references is not a problem and pretty standard.

I've had a letting agency ask for bank statements and a guarantor when our combined income was over 50K a year. Neither of those things is acceptable and is unusual so we passed on the property.

MissWimpyDimple · 09/05/2015 17:37

Absolutely! You need references. I would use a company for them. Far less likely problems down the line.

As a rule of thumb the prospective tenant should earn approx 2.5 times the rent Gross, although depending on the area you could reduce that to 2 times if it suits.

Make sure you draw up a proper AST and take and protect the deposit in one of the schemes too.

MissWimpyDimple · 09/05/2015 17:39

Why don't you use a agency on a introduction basis. It'll stop you having to deal with anyone who gets unpleasant. It will cost you around 2 weeks rent, but they will do your agreement, inventory and referencing.

mrslydiateapot · 09/05/2015 17:45

Get a reference !

Knobhead agent we used didn't get one once because ' they went to his church '

Dickhead tenant turned out to be a thieving lying violent bastard who ended up in prison after doing a runner and owing us money

GaryBaldy · 09/05/2015 17:49

I work for a lettings agent don't hate me

We get employer's references, previous landlord's references, do credit checks and obtain a guarantor if there is an issue with a credit check. We also do a home check too to make sure they don't live in a drug den / have a pack of wolves to move in etc etc

Themrmen · 09/05/2015 18:53

I've never moved (abd unluckily we've had to do it pretty much yearly) and not been asked for previous landkord and work ref

Nolim · 09/05/2015 18:59

You mean employment and previous ll references? I thought they were standard.
That being said there was a time were we did not give a reference from our previous ll because she was dishonest (we had to hire a solicitor to get our deposit back) and we did not trust her to give a truthfull reference. Instead we showed bank statements showing that we did pay the rent on time. Luckly our new ll accepted those.

Original poster
TheChandler · 09/05/2015 19:24

Thanks all, just wanted some perspective. I was beginning to feel I was living in a parallel universe! I just wanted an employer's reference, since he said he had sold his house and was looking to buy another.

He was a shyster - he kicked off big time last night when I cancelled the viewing after the 9th or 10th email from him skirting round the issue of providing references, and threatened to "report me to the Council for messing him around", and to take legal advice, if I "didn't change my mind about letting him view my property". Good luck with that one mate!

MissWimpyDimple Why don't you use a agency on a introduction basis. It'll stop you having to deal with anyone who gets unpleasant. It will cost you around 2 weeks rent, but they will do your agreement, inventory and referencing

Yes, I think I will. I can't be doing with this. I've been asking people to fill in a simple form and start organising references between first contact and viewing, and its amazing how many go quiet and disappear when they realise they will have to do something formal. I did have one view, provided an employer's reference, then when it came to signing the contract, disappeared. I'm beginning to think the dodgy tenants avoid agencies and go for landlord's direct. Admittedly though that was the first abusive one. Or I might just leave it empty, its so much hassle.

OP posts:
jay55 · 09/05/2015 19:37

I pay the agency to do a reference check on me but they rarely actually carry it out, of my last 5 rentals my employer and previous landlord have been contacted once.

drivingmisspotty · 09/05/2015 19:52

I think it's a bit unusual to ask for references before viewings though? When I was looking for a rental I would be doing 6-10 viewings a week and if each of those landlords approached my employers for references I wouldn't be very popular with HR! I'm not sure I'd want to give you all those details before I met you either. The trust has to go both ways.

None of that excuses the attitude of the chap who wanted to view. Sounds like you had a lucky escape there!

Re whether unreliable tenants favour non-agency. I'm not sure. I rented several properties before we bought and I was pretty reliable. I went landlord direct when I was a student as the union had an agency that checked them out. This was before the days of deposit schemes so had to be careful. Since then have used agencies. Would have much rather gone landlord direct for fewer fees, personal contact and speed of repairs. However I wouldn't have done it unless knew the landlord or had recommended by friends who had rented from them. Just too risky you would get someone dodgy otherwise.

Original poster
TheChandler · 09/05/2015 19:59

I think it's a bit unusual to ask for references before viewings though?

I agree it is, but I was sounding him (and others out) by mentioning them, and seeing if they were likely to be able to provide references at all, after past experience. And I'm not going to bother arranging a viewing for someone who doesn't sound very reliable or easy to deal with.

Quite often, when you advertise, you get someone contacting you by email with just one or two sentences, not introducing themselves by saying they work for X or as an X or whatever, or any information about themselves at all.

I also seemed to get a lot of single men responding to the ad, who claim they need somewhere to stay asap, ie tomorrow or the next day or something, as their partner/wife/girlfriend has thrown them out. I'm not joking! Now that's a weird one - whats the explanation for that? And no, I don't let them view either.

Actually, I think I will just leave it empty for the time being.

OP posts: