So very sorry! I didn’t go as far as sending references in this case, so I’m sure you must feel even worse. I wish you all the best to find another perfect place, even though it’s hard not to think about the one you missed
In my day it was a handshake that sealed the deal;
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Don’t take it personally the - rental market is mad now.
Landlords often get far to many viewings - it not uncommon to get 50 or 60 for a nice property - and often lots of tenants that would all be fine.
Sometimes it is clear who is a better match for the property and would make a good tenant - sometimes its just a lucky dip.
There are just not enough properties to go round
If a tenant fails referencing I’ll tell them if they ask - or if they misread read the ad and for example are a couple or have a child and the flat is licensed for single occupancy.
But I for one am not willing to get in to a discussion about why I chose one good tenant over another equally good one. Half the time I don’t even know myself!
I’m usually polite and will wish them the best for their future search - but don’t want to get into any potential arguments about why one tenant should be preferred over another.
Its often hard enough to decide when so many nice people who need a place get turned away - often its just that we cont provide a home for everyone!
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I recently had 38 calls from 3.50-6pm when I switched phone off and dozens of voicemails.
It’s very difficult picking tenants a lottery at times
But all I can say is take as much information as possible, I personally think that shows a lot about your character ie many don’t turn up on time , but I’ve picked some who have turned up bang on time and had a good walk around the area .as I’ve had many turn up with nothing and can’t even fill out a questionnaire.
I wouldn’t take it personal, The Landlord, just went with another option.
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As a landlord I have been in the position of having to choose one out of many equally good tenants. Sometimes it’s just a hunch. Often I feel bad about it. Sometimes I give feedback. The ones which make a very good impression are those who can offer more. I.e. they offer to redecorate or to pay more rent than I am asking. Or repair something I was going to do myself. It’s often not personal and it’s not always pleasant for landlords either.
exhausting just reading this thread. 
The issue here is not the landlord per se - The Government rules and regulations, shelter’s interference, Section 21 or Section 8 evicts that often dont result in an eviction, the Government and Media demonizing landlords, never ending damage, filth, abuse having to be tolerated with no recourse, Section 24 and interest rates have doubled many mortgages so now many landlords are making a loss, insufficient deposits to cover average cleaning and repairs - here’s the issue if you want to go to the Media to complain. Give landlords a reason not to keep selling up.
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I have a property and as a landlord, it is a difficult choice. It just boils down to keeping the property empty, not a choice with mortgage intetest looming, all the expense of recent refurbishment and insurance. At a standstill, as all tenants who comes to see are promising to complete a personal details for reference form or also complete it. But not willing to move forward. No holding deposit or missing information like sharecode. Then they get very rude, as they cannot move in. They believe they have done everything, even though you explain what is missing. Fundamental details missing and yet communication with them does not change anything at all. You feel as a LL you are banging your head and after non communicatoon of rudeness from the prospective tenant I send them a message to say we cannot move forward without the requested information. Tenants, if they want a place, they need to provide full details requested, instead of arguing.
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You know, if that’s the case,a good idea would be to request a share code prior to viewing.
If T get very rude, it’s a good thing. It shows what you’d have to deal with if they don’t agree, say, with rent increase and refusing them should be a no-brainer. We don’t need such T.
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Exactly, what I do. I do not take a holding deposit but ask for a sharecode before they come to do the viewing and show interest. They said they have it, but cannot give it to me. They said all documents and sharecode will be given the day they move in with the full rent. They do not understand the deposit at all, when I explain about 5 weeks deposit. Again this is a no,no. Yes, I have people from Romania and Poland (who behave like this, all the time) but (I only have people with visa) they all use an excuse of going back to Romania on emergency and stop paying rent immediately without any notice. This particular tenant came to see on Thursday, talked at length and will not leave my house but no sharecode given. Today, they said they moved into a house where they got the key first and rent later. On Saturday, they had not found anything. I have had a prospective tenant last year from Openrent, who came to view and said she had applied for visa but not heard from the gov’t. I said I cannot let her stay until she gets the actual visa. However 10 days later she contacted me and said she still had no visa but the letting agent had given her house. There are a lot of letting agents and landlords, not to mention employers who are breaking the law, in my opinion. If you find tenants from Eastern Europe and pay rent o termination or until they leave, you are fortunate. But they are not all the same. A lot of them leave behind toys, mattresses, beds, chest of drawers and a lot of their belongings, which have to be removed as well.
That’s not my experience at all. Our Eastern European TT were among the best. Never had problems with them, and they used to be majority of our clients before Brexit. If we have them as applicants in the future, we’ll favour them over the rest, provided all documents are in order.
Before Brexit, it was not a problem. Now, they do not have a valid sharecode. Someone who came to view on 3rd July, gave me a share code and found that it was expiring on that day and stated it has been applied but it is complicated. Apparently, their employers apply for a visa, as they expired but the employer does not apply for them soon enough. Problem is the government have one rule for employers and another for the landlords. This is one of the towns in Nottinghamshire. Romanians come for abput 2 years, make sufficient money, save and return. Someone more permanent told me there are no jobs over there so they cannot understand why they are going back. They do not like to be in UK. One Romanian working with an estate agent eas a trusted staff, collected cash rent every month. After 5 years being in the country, he collected the rent, took some money from me for promising to paint a room, but ran away with everyone’s money to Romania. He was supposed to go for a few days but never returned. My tenant told me, that he had gone. My tenant was paying to me directly in my bank, as per my tenancy agreement.
Wow I really didn’t expect this to end up in politics and Brexit but hey here we are.
The original reason I wrote this thread was to ask if it made sense on Openrent to remove the ‘other’ option and always give tenants a reason for being declined after a viewing. Doesn’t seem to be a popular option, so cool end of story.
I don’t see the point in going on about that one tenant who ran away, or the other one who trashed my home etc. After the previous replies this is becoming quite off-topic.
LLs and tenants are just people and there are bad apples either way so anyone side can come up with their horror stories.
For instance, as a EU migrant I’ve got my valid shortcode for renting and working. Never planned to use it to scam someone and run away with the money (guess I’m not that smart), but heck who has money to run away with these days anyway!
I agree not all tenants are the same. However, the LL’s have to be cautious and treat everyone the same to begin with and their referencing and refusing most tenants, as they have one property seems reasonable stance to take. As someone said they do not wish to get into all the reasons.
I hope you have found something suitable.
Valentina, there’s one T too many bad apples simply because they can do it with impunity. Option “Other” is a safe bet for LL. You just seem to come from a more open country where saying the “wrong” thing is not punished. With LL, discrimination card is played all the time, and complaints are made and investigated (burden of proof is on LL). No wonder it is what it is.
Now about foreigners. People form Eastern and Central Europe made our best TT, and we always prefered them to entitled locals. I myself am from Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, just last night we had to reject a couple who would be fine previously, because their visa expires in 9 months, and there’s no guarantee that it will be renewed. Do I need to believe them because they say so? Unfortunately, I can’t. I still feel sore. I’d love to see this couple as our TT.
Why have you been rejected? One reason may be that you have limited time to stay here, and then you’ll create problems for LL if you don’t leave or leave without paying last rent and leaving all furniture behind. Nobody will be looking for you outside of the UK. I’m sure you’re not like this, but others may be, and, being a foreigner, it’s so much easier to do a runner.
I don’t have limited time here I have been given indefinite leave to stay so please let’s not just think EU nationals all need a visa or have one that’s about to expire, some were here before this shitshow happened and have earned their right to stay by working/paying taxes like everyone else.
The reason is that I don’t know why I’ve been rejected and honestly I rather not think about it anymore. Found a new place and rather focus my energies in the move now.
Good luck everyone and wish you a good day!
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As already said, giving a reason can only work against you and is not advisable.
I have had tenants who state that they have indefinite time to stay and they have been here many years already. However, they cannot provide a share code, or previous landlord details. Most of them have employers but very scatty information elsewhere. They cannot understand why they cannot have a place. They keep sending me text messages. I feel I am missing something that they have sent but I spend a lot of time and find they have not even sent me a completed personal details that will help to do their referencing. In the past, the people did complete all details but Brexit has been difficult as they do not apply for visa on time.
you mean you give them your phone number?
Phone number is provided when advertising and also when viewing. Sometimes, it is in the window, as openrent is not for all.