Aibu to ask help on OpenRent?

[PrincessWatermelon]

Sorry to put this here, but need a quick response!

We have 9 viewings on our flat this morning that we advertised through OpenRent. We are VERY wary of any selection where we could be open to accusations of discrimination.

What happens if all 9 want it and all press Rent It Now? We had thought we'd do first come first serve - but surely that's not fair as the early bookings have a head start over the later ones. Or do we say, apply after 1pm and if they apply early they've cheated so are discounted? Or if we don't get a good vibe from someone, but there isn't a specific reason why not to rent it to them?

Has anyone any experience of this? The viewings start in half an hour!

Thanks

I think you are over thinking it massively

They can't. If someone presses Rent It Now then it's closed to everyone else. There can't be multiple groups that have done Rent It Now that you then choose from.

Is that right, PinkyPink?

So the first person could walk out and click it and that's that. Done. How is that fair on the others?

I know it seems like I'm overthinking it!! But I was anxious that if I select a person then the others will sue me.

The others won't sue you for selecting someone! That's absolutely rediculous.

It's well within a landlord's rights to choose who they think would be the best tenants. Some landlords interview potential tenants to choose who.

Whoever it is you would need to thoroughly background check anyway: landlord references, credit check, work reference, 3 months of payslips and bank statements etc

Yes, it's first come first served. Why isn't that fair? What would be more fair? Of course people can't sue you. You have choose someone so others will miss out.

Thank you.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but late last night I received a formal letter of complaint accusing me of direct discrimination as I rejected an application. It wasn't discrimination. But I have had that in my head all night and I need to deal with it somehow. So forgive me for now being extra anxious! I had no idea this would be such a minefield.

Fine. If it's first come first serve that's fine. Just wondered how you can screen or choose the tenant if all it takes is one to click the button.

Basically if they Rent It Now then you have to actively reject them and then it goes back on the market. It's not a case of multiple people say they want it and then you choose someone. But it does mean that people who have made an appointment to view might end up with it being cancelled if the first to see it take it.

“We are VERY wary of any selection where we could be open to accusations of discrimination. “

Accusations? Maybe, but that’s about it.

Relax, ignore these idiots and rent your flat to who you want to rent it to.

OpenRent isn't quite like that in that you get multiple interested parties and then you choose who is best, this took me a bit by surprise the first time I used it but it the system does effectively take your property off the market when someone clicks Rent It Now and you would have to actively reject them to open it up to others. You can of course always reject them though if e.g. they fail the referencing checks or financial checks. That isn't discriminatory at all. In some respects OpenRent reduces the possibilty because if anyone who viewed comes back to you about why they didn't get it, the answer will be because someone else got in their first.

If someone presses rent now without first agreeing it with you then just decline them until you accept from the person you want.

You can rent to whoever you like as long as they’re suitable

Yeah I'd ask people to text/email/communicate with you personally that they are interested in the flat after the viewing, and not to click the 'rent now' button until you've confirmed that they are your preferred option.

If they can't follow that instruction then they are unlikely to be your new roommate/tenant.

Thank you so much for your input. We had interest from 7 out of 9 viewings but 3 are all strong contenders. As it was suggested, we told them that once they had indicated to us they were keen to proceed, we would decide who we were offering it to and they could go through the referencing process. No one has hit the button yet!

It's a steep learning curve...