Landlords - how long did it take you to decide on a tenant?

[ODFOkaren]

We are moving to the other side of the country so it’s all very stressful. We have multiple things going on which means we need to know when we are moving.

Put in for an rental just before Christmas. The estate agent was closed from 23rd until today. Dh has gone to the agent in person today, delivered all paperwork (this was also give via an online system but it’s a good job he went as it turns out the system isn’t working properly). Everything is fine and now they are just waiting to bar back from the landlord.

We are paying 6 months up front and have a guarantor as I will have to give up my job here as we are moving so far away, even though Dh wage more than covers the requirements for rent (Dh works remotely so his job isn’t a problem).

I’m now biting my nails waiting, won’t hear before tomorrow now. We are great tenants, been in this house almost 5 years and never missed rent, no complaints.

It’s such a stressful time and I’ve basically talked myself into the fact that the landlord will say no.

Your agents sound no good. I have two tenants, one of whom is a recent grad so the affordability check was made on her partners salary alone, was not a problem but they were slightly below the affordability threshold so offered three months up front. The agents recommended I go ahead as their credit checks were good and all she needed to bring in was 1k a year to meet the threshold. I don’t get your agents issue here!

I'm a landlord and I never see any of the paperwork. The agency do all the checks, give me a summary and then I say yes or no on their recommendation. It would normally take one day for me to get an email and respond and it should be simple and quick.
The agents sounds appalling. I don't expect both adults to work, just to have enough income to cover the rent between them, and the agents check that. I'd go for another property just because I wouldn't want to have to deal with such incompetent agents. I hope you find something through a better agency that actually knows what they are doing.

I can’t understand them.

We are looking at properties through other agents.

We don’t have a guarantor here and we paid no rent upfront - even though we do claim top up housing benefit. I didn’t get why they needed all that extra security when Dh wage is ample for the rent.

We usually decide within 24-48 hours on our tenants and would have no issue at all with your scenario
Hope you hear something soon OP

That was a crucial piece of information you omitted earlier - you claim top-up housing benefit.

A landlord with a mortgage, or a low appetite for risk, is going to struggle with that. The rent upfront might work in your favour, but not if it’s the bank manager who says, “computer says no.”

I agree that the agent sound completely terrible. However I think the same as the above poster that you failed to include the very important detail about claiming housing benefit top up.
Can you afford the rent just on your husband wage or only with the addition of housing benefit?

My agents did some checks before informing me of any offers - otherwise why bother if the tenant wasn't legit? I'd get a phone call and then a written letter explaining who the perspective tenant was and their circumstances and then if I said yes would do any other checks needed.
I've never said no except to one who had a dog (it was a flat with no garden and head lease said no pets anyway). It then took a couple days for the leases to be signed.
The landlord presumably wants tenants in ASAP so I can only imagine the agents are not doing their job. Having one away for a few days is no excuse another one should be handling their clients in their absence.

@humsnet we claim it here in London.

We won’t be claiming housing benefit when we move. The rent in the area where we are moving to is a quarter of the price it is here.

Dh salary alone will cover everything so no top up benefits needed (or eligible).

@Yellowbutterfly1 I explained up thread as well that we claim it here. 150 miles north rent/cost of living is far cheaper so we won’t need to. Dh wage will cover every thing when we are not paying over 2k a month In rent.

We’ve started the process for another house now.

They were agast that the other agency wanted guarantor and 6 months rent. Thy just added up the figures and said we needed to have 23k a yer coming in to rent the place. Dh earns more than that so they said that’s fine then.

Hopefully this landlord won’t take so long if he decides on us. This agency asks the landlord before they do all the checks and references.

In that case, I hope everything works out for you finding somewhere.
Hopefully you’ll find a better place to rent with a a much better agent..
Good Luck

God this was awful, OP - so glad to hear you found a sane agent (and another house) now!

Thank you.

We aren’t having much luck. This new one, the landlords phone has been going to voicemail for three days and he’s not responding to the agents emails, they can’t get hold of them for love nor money.

I am heading north myself on sat for a couple of viewings (first day these houses are available to view) and will apply there and then.

Why is this so hard?!

I have six months rent sat in my savings account, I just want to pay someone to live in their house!

run away very fast from a landlord that doesn't answer the phone or emails!

it is so hard because of tenant protections (this is good) and a broken court system (this is bad) which means the need for hefty insurances and checks. Once a tenant is in they can stop paying rent and sit there for months as enforcement takes so long. not saying this is you but that's why there is so much pain.

Oh I know there are some tenants who are awful.

We just can’t seem to get off the starting blocks and it’s so frustrating.

I’m willing to offer the moon on a stick - huge deposits, as much rent as they like up front, a guarantor (even though none of that is actually needed for us to rent a place), our reference and renting history are impeccable, just to secure a place.

It’s been quite easy in London. We’ve rented three houses in 9 years and have never had any trouble.