Rental Property Advice

[LorryHen]

Hello

I'm looking for advice as I feel a bit stuck.

Me and my partner are currently going through an application process to move into a rental property.

The agent is asking for a guarantor and a previous landlord reference.

I've never rented before and although my partner has, he doesn't have a good relationship with his landlord.

He's had problems such as no hot water for a week, no shower for 6 months and also the landlord didn't pay the TV license and enforcers came round. My partner pestered the landlord multiple times and nothing happened; he then started withholding rent and the problems got fixed the next day.

I know he won't give my partner a good reference and I'm worried and unsure of what to do. Shall we tell the letting agency about the strained relationship?

It wouldn't hurt to tell them, however, I think they may not look too favourably on your DP should thr previous ll inform them of the rent withholding. There are VERY few reasons that a tenant can withhold rent legally and there is nothing in your OP to suggest that any of those reasons have happened.

Saying that, you may just put it in the agent's head that the ll is just acting as you have warned and may just ignore him!

tell the agent what you've told us. Two wrongs don't make a right and with-holding rent was wrong. Also surprised that TV licence wasn't tenant's responsibility, but there you go.

But if the landlord was as bad as that, tell the agent - they may well know of this person anyway, and it is a perfectly good reason to explain why the reference could be bad.

remember usual checks; property state, gas safe, deposit protection and so on.

Thanks for your advice.

I think It is best to be honest too. The TV license was written in the contract as the landlords responsibility.

The rent is due quarterly but my oh pays it weekly so although he did withhold the rent for a week it was never technically overdue.

First time tenants don't have a landlord reference. An employer reference might suffice. If not, explain the problems.

You have to be honest.

if the rent wasn't overdue, no problem!

please make sure your next landlord is one who deserves your money. The way to get rid of the crooks is to starve them.

The problem with that special is you don't know what kind of a ll they are until it's too late. I've often wondered why we can't have a referencing system for tenants to reference prospective ll's.

I think there is one website that does that!

you can't find out everything; but you can find out everything about the property. Check it over as if you were buying it - turn every tap, flick every switch, flush every toilet. The landlord may not always know what is wrong unless previous tenants have told him (but if it is empty he should have checked).

gas safe?
deposit protection?
home emergency cover?
easy contact details?
six monthly inspections? (good landlords do this to keep an eye on maintenance, and of course to check you are doing your bit)

you don't pay for any of these but if they aren't there, walk away.