AIBU to think letting agents prioritise their existing tenants

[Lettingagentsaretwats]

And per my username, are twats? Or other expletive of choice?

DP and I have just been turned down for our 15th property in a row. No explanation from the agents, because 'its DPA' .

There's nothing wrong with our applications. We're both professionals with good credit history. We earn more than double the affordability criteria. No pets, children etc. We've been applying solidly since August and nothing.

The only property we were offered was one with DPs current letting agents. Same information for every other application and we've been turned down every time (this is with another 8 or 9 different agents, the ones DP is with have only had 1 house on their books since we started looking).

I understand theres competition, blah blah, but if they're favouring their own tenants then we are basically wasting hours of our time every time aren't we? It takes hours of my life - checking Rightmove, contacting agents about viewings, then having to do a kind of initial vetting JUST to be allowed to view. Then DP has to attend viewings all over the county with little notice because they won't let you apply without an in person viewing. Then theres the applications (one for me and one for DP, so 2 lots every time) which take a good 45 mins to print, complete by hand, scan and email every single time. None of them use online forms.

DP has said we may as well throw in the towel and give up applying unless something comes up with his current agents but as theyve only had 1 house in 4 months it's unlikely. We are both at the end of our tether with it.

The latest place, we would have offered £50 more a month but didn't even get the chance it's just a flat no.

I honestly understand your frustration... but yes LAs will recommend their own long term tenants with a reliable history. Sometimes before the house is even marketed.

I understand your situation but I don't think it's unfair.

Better the devil you know etc.
Surely you can understand why letting agents would prefer tenants with known history.
I understand why you are annoyed though. Have you tried applications direct to landlords (properties not marketed with an agent) where this won't be an issue.

I suppose they do prioritise their existing tenants, which must be infuriating but it understandable.

If you are after properties that are especially in demand, is there a way to consider other types of properties and areas that aren’t in such demand??

How is it not unfair? It means we will only ever get a property through DPs agents (who let flats almost exclusively, we want to move to a house) and on that basis anyone moving from out of the area, or who isn't currently renting through an agent has bugger all chance of getting anywhere.

Basically what you're saying is it's hard luck. Lovely.

I'd like to know what you'd do to find a house in this situation, or whether you'd be prepared to spend hours each week every week on it. And to get ZERO feedback too, because the agents are so sly and conniving they can't admit they're favouring their own tenants. Which is not in the landlords interest if we could offer/ pay more.

I don't know what more we can do.

We're currently looking at properties in a 20 mile radius, we can't spread our net much wider due to family commitments that mean we can't be more than 30 mins away. DP has been renting for 8 years and moved 6 times in this area and others, this has never been an issue before.

There are about 20 letting agents in town. Everyone uses a letting agent, there's never anything on OpenRent, FB pages etc.

It’s natural that when they can have their pick of tenants they would chose ones they already know are reliable. Even though it sucks for everyone else.

Finding new rented accommodation is so competitive at the moment, hopefully things will calm down soon. (I’m in private rented but lucky to have a decent length contract)

Bahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha ... NOPE!!!

I'm over my notice period my landlady served because she's become unexpectedly homeless herself, by a month. I've applied for 42 houses, 11 of which with my current LA.

Turned down for them all. Why? Landlords have around 20 applicants per property.

They're free to pick the top of the lot. Someone earning more or older or more senior in their job.

Its hard not to take it personally but it isn't.

Why did you reject the house you were offered by your dps current letting agent?

Some letting agents are crap. One up here turned their nose up at us for some reason. Any house or flat I applied for, others were prioritised above us, and I got told once that I was the first to view a particular place, to turn up and find another couple in there already. I gave up on them and found a place with someone else. They also let us place a deposit immediately, the other agent wouldn't. Sucks for them, if anyone ever asks me what they are like, I tell them to avoid them.

I can understand why it feels unfair and it must be incredibly frustrating, but it comes down to the fact that the EAs don’t work for you, they work for the landlords. Their job is to find the best possible tenants, and obviously it’s easier for them to do that with people they know.

Trying to get a rental in my area is currently horrific, there just aren't any!

Think it's the market at the moment unfortunately

There was some basic maintenance that needed doing to the house we were offered, we couldn't get the agents to confirm it would be completed before we moved in, plus there were some other issues, the house was priced high compared to others and we didn't feel comfortable paying top dollar for something that wasn't right and where the landlord was possibly unwilling to do basic maintenance. It was only the 2nd or 3rd place we'd applied for. We had no idea that this would become effectively a FT job in itself.

We could offer more money, pay 6 or even 12 months up front, but we don't get the chance. The place weve just been rejected for DP was apparently the only viewer, so HOW is it possible we didn't get it?

I don't know how we're meant to get a place, or keep spending probably 10 hours a week on the process.

I get everyone saying oh it's the market.

But there are houses available, they're just going to other people, probably other tenants from the same agents. How long are we meant to keep bashing our heads against this brick wall, because it seems like we are wasting our time? And because those complete arsehole agents won't ever give any kind of reason there's nothing we can go on.

I am absolutely sick of having to second guess it, it's ludicrous.

@Lettingagentsaretwats

How is it not unfair? It means we will only ever get a property through DPs agents (who let flats almost exclusively, we want to move to a house) and on that basis anyone moving from out of the area, or who isn't currently renting through an agent has bugger all chance of getting anywhere.

Basically what you're saying is it's hard luck. Lovely.

I'd like to know what you'd do to find a house in this situation, or whether you'd be prepared to spend hours each week every week on it. And to get ZERO feedback too, because the agents are so sly and conniving they can't admit they're favouring their own tenants. Which is not in the landlords interest if we could offer/ pay more.

I don't know what more we can do.

But it is in the Landlords interest. Most would take a bit lower monthly rate with a known reliable tenant than someone who says they will pay more, but may not pay at all.

But you have my sympathies. Renting is awful right now.

It is just the market though. There are a lot of people looking and not enough places.

When it comes down to having half a dozen people who all pass all the checks, who all have the same score when you tally up affordability, no kids, no pets etc, then there has to be a tie break thing. When it's that they have a known background then it's completely understandable.

Just in the same way people who don't get on with the LA will lose out in the same circs because the LA doesn't like them or they're too much hassle.

It's purely down to the lack of properties available atm compared to people looking.

@Lettingagentsaretwats

How is it not unfair? It means we will only ever get a property through DPs agents (who let flats almost exclusively, we want to move to a house) and on that basis anyone moving from out of the area, or who isn't currently renting through an agent has bugger all chance of getting anywhere.

Basically what you're saying is it's hard luck. Lovely.

I'd like to know what you'd do to find a house in this situation, or whether you'd be prepared to spend hours each week every week on it. And to get ZERO feedback too, because the agents are so sly and conniving they can't admit they're favouring their own tenants. Which is not in the landlords interest if we could offer/ pay more.

I don't know what more we can do.

I think you are being a bit ridiculous suggesting that letting agents are being sly and conniving because they have shown preference tired and tested tenants. If I were the landlord, I would prefer to have the tried and tested tenant than the unknown one too. The letting agent also does not need to be “fair” to applicants, they need to do the best they can by the landlords. There is no point moaning about letting agents who are just doing their job.

Anyway to the issue. Twelve years ago we moved to Sydney when the rental market was crazy and we came with no track record being new immigrants. I put together what I called my rental pack which contained references, proof of earnings, proof of savings and a covering letter introducing us . We had previously been to some of the rental open houses (which is how they did it in Sydney), however once I did the rental pack we got a more personal service.

@Aprilx well I'm glad that worked for you. However none of the agents in the place we're applying will accept any documentation other than their stupid printed forms. I've tried to send covering letters saying we'll pay a lump sum of rent upfront and been told the only info they can accept is their own forms.

They won't accept references upfront, ditto any proof of savings, assets or investments etc. They have their own agenda which is to feather their nest, moving their own tenants around and keeping the money rolling in. I can pay a landlord 12 months up front and offer up to 10% more than the rent they're charging -that WOULD clearly be in the landlords interest but the agents won't put that to them.

I'm so angry about the latest one I'm considering contacting the landlord directly and offering the extra per month. And also asking why our application was turned down -assuming of course they actually saw our application and it wasn't just vetoed by the fucking agents.

I’ve nothing to add other than to say it sounds incredibly frustrating and I’m glad I’m no longer renting, the market sounds nuts.

If you were the only viewers for one of the properties I’m confused as to why you weren’t accepted given what you stated earlier about your circumstances.

I'm a landlord. I prefer someone closer to the minimum salary and in industries unlikely to not have work. For example I have rented to a 25k a year lorry driver over a 50k a year managing director.

Also I had a guy wanting to pay a year upfront. It made me more nervous if anything as something didn't quite add up.

Op, you said earlier your dp had rented 6 places in 8 years.

If I were a landlord, that wouldn't appeal to me at all. I'd want a tenant who was going to stay put for a few years, not constantly changing. Less hassle.

Perhaps that is the issue.

The year up front can be a minefield. It can't be a protected deposit because of the rules, and then you have no idea as the year progresses where their finances are at (or how organised they are) as no-one is going ot pay 12 months, then pay every month as well.

It's not an automatic good thing.

Also if the other applicants who pass the same checks as you all already live together and you don't (as it seems from your OP) then that will go in their favour.

@MintJulia 2 of his moves were due to relocation, and 2 to landlords selling. The others were because he found somewhere better. He was in all of them for a year apart from the ones where LL wanted to sell and he agreed to leave after 6 months. He's been in his current place for over 2.5 years.

Also the agents have no idea about this as their forms only require us to give either current address only, or address for past 2 years, which is the same thing.

Both our jobs are very secure. We work in legal/ financial services. I've worked for the same company for 12 years.

@SenseSphere yes we don't understand why we were rejected as we were the only viewer.

I suspect we've been misled and we were not the only viewer. I am going to ask the agents about it. At this stage I have nothing to lose. This is the 3rd property we've been turned down for by the same company. I strongly suspect its the agent doing the choosing rather than the landlord.