To not want landlord to contact my employer!

[IceColdChardonnay]

First AIBU post so please be gentle.

We’re having to move house very soon as current landlord selling up. We’ve found a new property (much higher rent for a not much better house!) and knowing we’d be paying more, I’ve sought and luckily managed to find a full time job as current job is part time and pay a bit low for income criteria for higher rents.

Letting agent is obviously doing letting checks and as part of that my new employer will apparently be contacted to confirm job and pay. I have not started with new employer yet (start beginning of June). New employer is very small business and I don’t really want them knowing personal info including my housing status, I.e that we rent as opposed to owning, before I’ve even started. I mean do they really need to know??!

I have supplied contract for new job, previous payslips etc. DH has been in his job for 15 years and supplied pay slips but they are still contacting his employer too!

With current house, payslips with bank statements just showing salary credits was enough.

AIBU to think this is really intrusive?

For a reference? Might be a condition of their insurance

That’s weird

it’s usually just a credit check that they either pay or you do.

My DP has just moved, and the letting agent had to get confirmation from his employer that he was employed by them. I don't know if they asked about his salary.
When I last rented over a decade ago, I had to do this too, so I don't think it is unusual.

You're not being unreasonable at all, it's intrusive. There's a reason almost no one who has rented likes landlords...

I had to do this when my landlord sold our house just after I was made redundant & we had to look for a new house while I was job-hunting. Single mum to a 4 year old at the time, probably the most stressful time of my life.
Fortunately found a new job/home but hadn't started the new job yet & had to ask their HR person (small organization) to provide a letter stating start date & salary for the rental credit check.
I didn't really think twice about it as was so relieved to have found a new job & a new home!Think it's pretty normal really.

It’s standard when renting OP

That's just to check your telling the truth and indeed earning what you said you were. So they know you can afford the rent.

Not much different to mortgage checks, I assume...

It's normal. You could have forged a contract of employment for all they know. They need proof you'll be employed and earning enough.

Too many people lie you see.

It wouldn’t bother me personally and was standard when I was last private renting about 6-7 years ago.

It wouldn’t be a thing if so many people didn’t lie their way through applications.
Be angry at the reasons these checks need to exist rather than those trying to protect themselves from the liars.

Perfectly normal when renting.

Why would you care though that your employer knows you rent rather than own your home?

Same as new employer would contact old for a employee reference check, no different, they need to check information is true

It’s very, very easy to fake payslips… I could make you one with any salary (and correct tax, ni and other deductions) in about 15 minutes… sadly this check is necessary.

I hope you get it all sorted and love your new home 🏡🙂💐

It's been standard every time I've rented. My job involves some HR and I complete references for rental all the time... I don't bat an eyelid or care whether staff rent or not (and neither would any of my bosses past or present).

It’s standard, I’m afraid, they need to check that you’re actually employed there. As @Poppins2016 says, your employer won’t bat an eyelid, they’ll have done it before.