Landlords (ladies??) - References Advice

[NameThatTuna]

Hope someone can help me, bit of a desperate situation.

How do I go about securing another private tenancy without a reference from current Landlady?

Such a long story I won't go into but our relationship with current LL has broken down, due to her verbal abuse and failing to carry out essential repairs.

We will be contacting Local Council & Environmental health, she hasn't yet issued us a section 21 but we want out anyway

Here's what we can get hold of:

1.Bank statements to prove we've never been late or missed a months rent in 2.5 years (in fact we pay rent 4 days early every month)

1. Documentary evidence of failure to carry out repairs (photo's, tradesmen reports)

1. Character references from a number of sources

1. Previous LL references

1. First months rent & Bond (not in a financial position to offer 6 months up front)

1. Employer references (both work, no Housing Benefits)

Would you accept a tenancy from someone in major dispute with current LL with all the above?

I'm so worried about this, but apparently she has no obligation to provide us with a reference even though we haven't breached our tenancy agreement.

Is there anything else I can do to prove this?

It's so depressing to be in this situation

I think any application made honestly will be looked fairly at by any decent landlord.

I do always ask for previous Landlords references, but sometimes landlords lie to get rid of bad tenants and sometimes credit agencies just send a tick box to the landlord, rent paid on time (yes), property left clean (yes).... so the previous landlords reference isnt always a great deal of help and is only a small part of the picture. So, when/if you are asked for the reference, just tell the truth we all know there are bad tenants and bad landlords.

Do you really need her reference? especially with all the other references? You could always try being up front and honest with any new LL.

Was your deposit with a professional deposit protection company - can they give you something in writing?

When I meet my new (prospective) i always get a gut feel anyway

Hi NameThatTuna,

I'm in exactly the same situation as you are. We are in dispute with landlady and we do not want to ask for reference. It's really hard situation to be in because the next LL/letting agent is likely to believe the LL. Even when the LL has acted totally unprofessionally.

You have 2 choices:

1. Tell the truth. Say that you are in dispute with your LL about repairs. Say that you do not want to give current LL as a reference but that you can give numerous other references that show you are not a bad tenant. Say the dispute is over repairs that LL has not carried out NOT about you being anti-social or not paying the rent. Maybe you can prove with receipts that you have always paid the rent on time.

1. Lie. Tell the letting agent that you are currently living with family or renting from family (that way you can still give your current address). Give the name and address of a family member as your LL/reference and say that the agreement you have is informal so no written tenancy agreement. Letting agent will then just go on other refs (work ref, credit check, previous LLs etc).

there is a concept that the reference that matters is the landlord before the current one. This is because the current landlord may give an unfeasibly good reference to get rid of a crap tenant.

now, that's not you but could well work in your favour. If you have all the other stuff you should be fine. If you don't smoke, great, and if you don't have pets, you are perfect.

give your notice and get out!

ps don't lie about anything. You will get found out, and that is the end of any trust your landlord would have in you.

there's no need to lie with all that evidence.

I am a landlord, nabny years, several properties, have had a few nightmare situations ( caUsed by agents). You would be my perfect tenants! I would completely undertand the other LL prob, and as others have said, their ref would not be as important as the financial stuff that you have. (LLs like your drive me mad, they give us all a bad name. I always contact my ex-tenants a few weeks after they have moved out to ask them for a reference for me as a landlord, and have had some lovely comments. And always hand back deposit on the day they move out.

Thanks everyone, feel a bit more positive after reading your replies.

I had a glowing reference from previous LL, he was gutted when I left. His flat looked even nicer than when I moved in!

I would be honest about all this to potential new LL. We've done nothing wrong. It would be worse if we were found out to be lying. It's a small town so not many LA to go through.

I've never experienced this before in all the years I've privately rented. It annoys me she can do this to us then rent this house out to the next unsuspecting tenant.
She even told us she can get more rent if she kicked us out

What a cow!

waste no more mental energy and give no more money than necessary to this person. As mentioned, she gives landlords a bad name. Move on and spend your money with a good one!

Our last managing agents sprang a referencing fee on us, which we simply did not want to pay, on principle. I was quite frank (no effing, mind) about not wanting to give in about the unexpected charge, and the company doing our next references accepted bank statements and a copy of the previous lease.