# How would landlords feel about being asked for references?



## moneygrower (15 Feb 2007)

Wondering if I asked a potential landlord for a reference from a previous tenent how they would react?


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## ClubMan (15 Feb 2007)

Well the worst that can happen is that they simply say no so why not just ask?


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## igora (15 Feb 2007)

I am a landlord and would have no problem whatsoever providing a reference if asked. 

That said I feel my rental properties are of such a high standard that they should in themselves partly endorse me as a landlord.


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## moneygrower (15 Feb 2007)

Well I'm so good looking that should endorse me as a tenent but it's nice to get second opinions.


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## NHG (15 Feb 2007)

I have given tennants who were leaving the area a reference, an employeer gives and employee a reference so, where is the problem?


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## Remix (15 Feb 2007)

I think the OP was asking from the other direction.

e.g. I as a tenant pay my landlord for a service. To a certain extent, he is my employee. I pay him and request that he
undertake tasks during the tenancy e.g arrange to repair central heating, fix leaky roof, return my deposit fairly etc. 

Should later tenants be allowed, for example, to request a reference from me on how well my landlord performed during the tenancy?


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## NHG (16 Feb 2007)

Sorry read it incorrectly,  I would have no problem as I always have a list of people waiting to rent my properties, and as my tennants at present are with me 8 yrs, 5 yrs, 3 yrs and two different lots that both waited about 2 years on a list to get houses are now with me over a year. 

I renovate my properties to a very high standard as if i was going to live in them myself.  It is in my interest to keep them in top shape and not to have many problems, this way I can always ask for top dollar for them - no point in having them otherwise.


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## liteweight (18 Feb 2007)

Most landlords who have had good tenants have no problem giving a reference. Tenants however, probably forget about the landlord as soon as they move on, so asking them for references is probably futile in at least some cases.


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## fatmanknows (18 Feb 2007)

NHG said:


> Sorry read it incorrectly, I would have no problem as I always have a list of people waiting to rent my properties, and as my tennants at present are with me 8 yrs, 5 yrs, 3 yrs and two different lots that both waited about 2 years on a list to get houses are now with me over a year.
> 
> I renovate my properties to a very high standard as if i was going to live in them myself. It is in my interest to keep them in top shape and not to have many problems, this way I can always ask for top dollar for them - no point in having them otherwise.


 
You obviously bought your properties some time ago and hence not too geared now. Your enthusiaism might wane a little I'd say if you were contributing to a rental deficit on your properties as many, many, many so called investors out there are .


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## NHG (19 Feb 2007)

Yes, I have stopped buying properties at the current prices - I don't consider them an investement if the rent does'nt cover the Mortgage and Life Ass.

I have no problem with one house subsidising the mortgage of another as long as the overall picture is balancing out.

I consider my rental properties as my pension. Therefore investing money into refurbishing them to a high standard to me is an investment for my future.

I would'nt expect anyone else to rent from me a property that I would'nt live in myself.


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## Newby (19 Feb 2007)

ClubMan said:


> Well the worst that can happen is that they simply say no so why not just ask?


True but I suppose they could scratch you off the list of people that they want to let to? Maybe discovering early on that a landlord could be that petty is a good thing.


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## ClubMan (19 Feb 2007)

The original poster seems to be a landlord looking for references from other landlords. That was the context in which my answer was couched anyway.


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## sinbadfury (19 Feb 2007)

On the area of references, do tenants object to beig asked for references to vet them as suitable and trustworthy tenents. By references I mean last previously paid utility, passport copy and employer references and payslips.

I plan to basically 'interview' potential tenents and give the tenency to the couple I see as the most reliable and honourable as, NHG stated, I will plan to have my apartment furnished and in a state that it was when I lived in it. 

I dont want tenents who are going to disrespect the property and undo all that work.


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## ClubMan (19 Feb 2007)

sinbadfury said:


> On the area of references, do tenants object to beig asked for references to vet them as suitable and trustworthy tenents. By references I mean last previously paid utility, passport copy and employer references and payslips.


I'm sure that some would and others would not. Basically it's a good test that they meet your specific criteria. If they object then you probably don't want them as tenants. I guess that it's your prerogative to ask for such details as long as you respect privacy (possibly include data protection rules if you store the information somewhere?).


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## sinbadfury (19 Feb 2007)

Yes I understand the whole privacy issue, having had my identity stolen from a rental property a couple of years back I am all too familiar of how easy it is to infringe on peoples private data.

I would more than likely cover the documents recieved in the contract, keep them with contracts, destroy/return them at the end of the agreement etc.

I guess I just feel that not every tenant deserves to get a tenancy. Having lived overseas where you had 10 couples viewing an apartment at once, everyone submitting the required documentation and then getting a 'we'll call you'. from the landlord, it created a sense that you were working hard to get something that you would ultimately respect it if you were accepted.

Maybe some people might think that it would be desciminatory to choose one couple over another, but at the end of the day, professional couples are the way to go IMHO.

I have seen a lot of tenants in rentals in past areas I lived before getting on the ladder myself, that I'd wonder if the landlord cared who they let to at all. In my opinion, it would be those kind of tenants that bring areas down, and this affects everybody there, owner occupiers, landlord and good tenants alike.


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## ClubMan (19 Feb 2007)

sinbadfury said:


> Maybe some people might think that it would be desciminatory to choose one couple over another, but at the end of the day, professional couples are the way to go IMHO.


That's your prerogative as a landlord as long as you don't breach the relevant equality legislation if applicable I suppose? You are probably doing yourself and the neighbours of adjoining properties a favour by being selective in who you rent to.


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## nacho_libre (19 Feb 2007)

I'm sure landlords wouldn't feel too happy to dish out references if their is a lot of 
people interested in renting the property in question. 
On the other hand if they were finding it difficult to let out the property and an 
interested party demanded references then I'm sure they would come up with the 
references. 

In my opinion references are completely worthless. I think a landlord who has pride 
in his rental property should take a little time to get to know any prospective 
tennants and make a decision based on his/her own personal opinion of them. If in 
any doubt, demand a sizeable deposit. 

Anybody can produce an impeccable reference. It certainly wouldn't give me any 
piece of mind to let out a property to somebody just based on references.


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## sinbadfury (19 Feb 2007)

ClubMan said:


> That's your prerogative as a landlord as long as you don't breach the relevant equality legislation if applicable I suppose? You are probably doing yourself and the neighbours of adjoining properties a favour by being selective in who you rent to.



Agreed, I keep things by the book and would be fair in how I choose tentants by using a non disciminatory set of criteria, just as long as giving a working couple a tenenacy over a state supported couple was not in breach of equality law!


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## moneygrower (19 Feb 2007)

Just to let you know I was asking as a prospective tenent, not a landlord. Thinking of selling up to rent as we need a bigger place and it's cheaper than buying. I was wondering if I had the same right to a reference as the landlord does.
By the by I remember landlords I've had in the past and two would get glowing recommendations, one okay, and one slightly bonkers!


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## ClubMan (19 Feb 2007)

Ah - OK. You as a prospective tenant want a reference for the landlord from a former tenant. I imagine that most landlords would probably tell you where to go and move onto the next prospective tenant who is less hassle for them. However maybe I'm wrong and I guess it depends on how much in demand their place is.


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## moneygrower (20 Feb 2007)

That's the feeling I had.


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## Newby (20 Feb 2007)

I think it depends on how the tenant asks for the reference. I would admire a tenant that asks for it in a courteous and professional manner, however if someone rode in demanding them I'd tell them to take a hike. I guess I've had some bad experiences being a tenant in the past and so would be sympathetic to a tenant that just wanted to have some comfort.


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## sinbadfury (20 Feb 2007)

All in all, references are useful and I think they should be a lowest common denominator, but nothing will substitute for the 'feeling' you get from the landlord or tenent in question. If you get a bad feeling about them, you are probably right. But also, I think if both sides are reasonable and respectful of each others position, there wont be many problems


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## Dreamerb (20 Feb 2007)

I'd have thought it usually unnecessary to ask a landlord for references, since you have the advantage that the landlord doesn't have with a tenant of seeing how the accommodation is maintained - whether it's in good order generally, clean, reasonably freshly decorated, etc. Then if you decide you want to take the place you see how the landlord deals with your deposit (receipts and happy to take cheque or draft, or insist on a wadge of cash that they stick in their pockets!), whether they have a proper tenancy agreement, provide rent book and contact details without having to be asked, sign you up on the PRTB registration form, and so on. 

Personally, I'd be surprised to be asked for a reference since all of these things should really provide the evidence, but I don't think I'd have an in principle objection so long as the prospective tenant was nice about it. Then again, my tenants' English isn't good so I'm not sure how useful a reference would be - and in any case, I'm planning to keep them for as long as they want to stay.  

And I'm fairly sure some of the nightmare landlords I've had in my time would have had no difficulty in rustling up excellent and thoroughly fictitious references. I'm pretty confident that some serious problem tenants can manage the same.


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