I seem to be getting many requests from potential tenants ready to offer holding deposit based on only online viewing. Many are even offering to sign a tenancy agreement after online viewing.
I’ve always insisted on at least one face to face viewing before accepting any money until now (so that I get to know the potential tenant a bit, filter out the ones with bad attitudes, avoid ones who will ask for a million changes after they move in etc) but the sheer volume of such online only viewing requests in the last few months is making me wonder if this is a very normal way of renting these days?
Would appreciate if other landlords can advise if they routinely accept holding deposit after online viewing.
Never . I want to meet them and ask further questions . Also if they arrive worse for drink, no chance .You cannot find out much if they view online
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@Priya4
No way.
If they can’t be bothered to meet first to see the place in person don’t even consider them.
You don’t want someone who’s not serious enough to visit, meet you and see how big it is and know what the area is like. They may claim to be non smokers and non drinkers online even if they are heavy smokers and smell of drink at 9am in person. You also don’t want the hassle if they see it and don’t like and decide to move out after 2 months. Would you enter into any other long term financial commitment (takes 6-12m plus to evict if things turn bad) without meeting first?
You are trusting them with one of your biggest assets. You are trusting them to clean and take care of it, report issues promptly but not call you unnecessarily at weekends. You are trusting them to be reasonable with the neighbours. You need to look them in the eye and be happy with their attitude.
You always chose to meet before for a reason. What’s changed?
Maybe don’t bother offering online viewing. Post a video of the place instead and insist on meeting them before accepting any £.
Last an ever increasing number of tenants will have been receiving s21s ahead of may 1st due to LLs either selling up or deciding not to keep more problematic tenants while s21 is still an option. So more tenants of worse quality looking. All the more reason (plus longer eviction periods due to RRA) to be more stringent not less.
Good luck
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