To think some letting agents make life difficult and need clearer regulation

[lubeybooby]

I've been looking for somewhere to rent. Single working professional, self employed but with all paperwork and an excellent guarantor. Should be fairly simple right?

Nope.

Not even going into details of all the places I've missed out on (3 or 4 places, viewings cancelled just when I'd got there, etc)

Anyway...I've just finally been able to apply for a rental without someone else getting in there first. I was really chuffed and the agents info said they wanted the forms, some ID, 2 months bank statements and 2 months utility bills.

So I went to the letting agent with all my paperwork - forms filled in and signed, passport, 2 months utility bills, 2 months bank statements, 2 years tax info, and my guarantors signed forms, 2 months payslips, and copies of his utilities and bank statements, and copies of his driving license and passport. Plus of course the fee to reserve the place/apply and the fee to have a guarantor.

They have said they want to actually see him in person with his passport and 6 months bank statements from him, and they want 6 months bank statements from me as well

My guarantor is my partner but he lives and works away. Lots of travel and stressful meetings this week and he would have to actually go home on Friday after a full day of work, get his passport, and the 6 months bank statements (3 hour drive) and then drive back here to me where the letting agent is to be able to do this (another 3 hour drive)

I've paid the fees etc and they took my application but we have to jump through their hoops by Saturday. It can be done but with a great deal of stress on my poor partner who suffers from anxiety in the face of so much to do this week with work and then having to go home and then get back up here again

A previous agent for a place we just missed out on was happy with all the info we supplied and copies of things. AIBU to think there should be some industry standard of the amount of ID and paperwork needed and that copies should be acceptable where there is a great deal of other supporting evidence (the payslips and utilities etc)

I know a lot of people have parents as guarantors and they might not live in the same areas of the country, does everyone have this rigmarole of an agent needing to see an actual passport with the actual person?

BTL is a big reason why the country is in the state it is IMO.

Well, as of the 1st March all LLs are bound by law to ensure that all their tenants are legally entitled to be in the UK. So many of the usual checks that were acceptable last week no longer cover the LL legally.

It isn't BTL that is the problem, per se. It is the weird regulations the government are putting in place whilst ignoring the common sense variety!

It's a new practice and is all to do with the new 'right to rent' bill which came in last month. All new tenants have to be verified in person. It is annoying but it's sadly the law now.

Ahh I see. Wow that's going to make life difficult for a lot of people. hope everyone manages ok without losing the property they just paid massive application fees for, while they run around trying to make various arrangements and juggle that with work and kids etc. argh

Although my partner is guarantor and not a tenant, and quite clearly is a uk resident from the vast amounts of info handed over and the HR folk at his work who can verify it all.

Oh well.

I've used a guarantor in the past as well as I have a bad credit history (no current debts), I use my mum who is a house owner with good credit but who lives hundreds of miles away. She's previously sent details of income and ID, but wouldn't have been able to travel to where I live just for the sake of it

It sounds like they're over interpreting the regulations

Not anymore, NotMe. There has been an escalation in 'proofs' that make the money laundering ones look silly.

The government has swung from the sublime to the ridiculous on this issue. They had a golden opportunity to work with both landlords and tenants, to ensure more open lines of communication, to curb the middle man, the agent.

Instead it has been left to individuals to take on the agents, see the law cases against Foxtons for a prime example, and the government just make it more necessary for a LL to use an agent and so ensure that such 'miscommunications' continue.

I think it's fair enough tbh, they are only trying to ensure that they aren't being scammed, which unfortunately does happen.

as mentioned, while it is fun to bitch at landlords, the 'right to rent' regulation is imposed by the government and there is a big fine for getting it wrong. All the things you mention are now legally required of landlords, and yes the ID check does need to be done in person.

here is what landlords must now do. It has only recently become law which is why a previous agent didn't do it.

www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents/who-to-check

this IS regulation. Be careful what you wish for.

Closes eyes, taps heels together three times, I wish a 100% TAX on everything to do with BTL profiters
That would really fuck things up, briefly, then sanity would prevail.

I work in be industry and to be honest it's a massive pain in the bum for us too. But rules are rules. I'm not sure we insist of guarantors coming into the office though, I thought it was just tenants but could be wrong.
But don't blame us, it's the government!
Also, the letting agent should have made you aware of the regs before viewing as its unfair to land it on people.

as I said - it is lots of fun to bitch at landlords whether something is their fault or not.

let's not spoil a good whinge with facts.

Thanks Belvedere. I wasn't aware of the new regs at all when I first posted and the info the agents sent to me themselves mentioned copies of things and 2 months worth. Not oroginals, both tenant and guarantor present in person and with original documents and 6 months of bank statements each

If their info had saod I needed that then I'd have made sure I was prepared. There I was all proud of myself for getting so much ID and proof together and then told it's still not enough. haha. Even when I was clearly dumbfounded by the request for extra stuff they still didn't explain new regulations - it took MN to do that

As I say though, oh well. At least I know now, and at least it is possible for my guarantor to go there. Pain in the neck, but doable.

So yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't aware it was a government thing prior to this thread

make sure you read the how to rent booklet on gov.uk - your landlord should give it to you but due to another piece of cocked-up regulation, that can't be done until you sign up. You need to read it now.

Don't be sorry lubeyboobey! Hope you get your house all ok and it's plain sailing from now onwards

Another, in the industry, saying don't apologise. Fingers crossed it all goes through.

www.landlordzone.co.uk/

A good site with all sorts of info aimed at landlords and tenants alike.