So I’ve messaged over 50 landlords and I either get automated replies or ignored. I tried different messages as well. If I really like a place, so if best to just click ‘rent now’ so I’m actually seen? As a landlord, what do you think?
Definitely not. If you had a place to rent would you accept an application to rent it from a random stranger who couldn’t be ars*d even to introduce themselves and could be a bot? If they accept your application and holding deposit it’s taken off the market.
(Would you apply for a job without providing any info about yourself and expect it to be taken seriously?)
And what have you against automated replies? Many LLs use them to say they will consider your message to be polite and let you know its been received and to ask for further info. It’s part of the process LLs use to help find out about potential tenants in a standard fair way. Many LLs have other jobs, most ads will generate multiple messages you shouldn’t expect immediate replies.
This may seem harsh but you make yourself sound like a tenant from hell with awful comms skills and no consideration of others. Think about what to say which will make you an attractive potential tenant.
And try checking your messages are grammatical correct. First impressions count.
Good luck
1 Like
Doing that will not help. Only irritate the landlord. Many tenants are chasing fewer properties. How long have you been actively messaging landlords?
1 Like
Around three months now
I take it you’re replying to any screening questions that may be asked as part of an auto response reply you may have received.
It could be that the Landlord is getting lots of interest and so they are always going to choose the best applicant , more so now the Renters Right Act has been made law and will take effect next year. LLs are going to be particularly careful who they rent to and you may be experiencing what is going to get much worse in future. Keep trying and good luck in your search.
2 Likes
I’ve been sending out an introduction message with my basic info, salary, that I don’t smoke or own any pets and would like a viewing and I’m flexible
How many estate agents are you going into looking smartly dressed ready to get on their books?
1 Like
That button should be labelled “self destruct”
4 Likes
How about saying if only for you or if you’d have others (partner or children) there too - quite important don’t you think?
How about saying (if you can) that you’re very keen willing to pay the full asking price and a 5week deposit, you have a guarantor, how soon you can move and explain why you are moving from your current place, that you have a history of paying on time - try making some sort of effort to sell yourself (but don’t write an essay)
Suggest some specific times & dates in the coming week that would suit, being ‘flexible’ is meaningless
Check your affordability- if rent is >30% of gross income many will reject you
Good luck
2 Likes
Many landlords have a questionnaire so fill that in carefully. On your application just keep it brief , polite and 3 strengths and you would like to view if you meet their criteria.
The trouble is tenants can just go through right move say and just click would like to view 50 properties in one go and doing viewings takes time so look at it from a LL perspective to assist you getting the best shot.
1 Like
Hi
Many tenants dont actually read the advert so many landlords recieve messages that dont fit with who they are looking for, or its the same message they recieve, so make it stand out.
Ask if the room is available and state you are employed and your are interested in a viewing.
Also many landlords have a lot of applicants and have rented the room already.
It depends to why your looking to move, references, guarentor ect
Dont take it personal. You can also contact the site its advertised on and let them know your having difficulties and they could help.
1 Like
Yes, best to show that your serious and click rent now
1 Like
yes click it and irritate the one you want a place from when you have not even seen the place
1 Like
My strong advice: If you get an automated response from a LL via OR that contains a set of screening questions, make sure you respond and offer some detail where possible. Many LLs use screening questions on OR and almost all of them will not take the conversation forward unless you have answered all of the questions to a satisfactory standard.
1 Like
I already do that. I genuinely get no replies
There are over 15 applicants per property according to Zoopla and it will be higher in some places.
“The number of people applying for a single rental property is significantly high due to a shortage of available homes. Recent data indicates that there are often 15 to 25 people competing for every available rental property in the UK, a figure more than double the pre-pandemic average. In some competitive areas, this number can be even higher, with reports of up to 54 applicants for a single home”
So 50 applications over 3 months isn’t a lot. Less than 4 per week.. Nevertheless no viewings or responses suggests something you are writing is putting LLs off.
With portals like Openrent it is so easy to apply, you don’t even need to get through to an agent on the phone, that the numbers applying per property will be even higher. So you have to get in touch straight away soon after adverts appear.
I would try more traditional routes (agents and those ads on r. move where an agents tell number allows you to speak to someone to get a viewing. You have to ‘genuinely’ make the effort to contact people not pretend everything these days is done online. If you were looking for a job would you only do 4 applications per week? And would you wait 3 months before trying a different approach?
If you can tell us a bit more about what sort of thing you are looking for (a room in an hmo? A flat? Long term or for the academic year? Etc) and where, some LLs here might be able to say what they would be looking for. For example for student houses or HMOs I’d think some LLs may prefer if a group who already know each other apply for the whole property rather than having to find and fill each room separately.
You also don’t say if you have past successful experience of getting viewings and of renting or if this is all new to you. Either way I’d suggest getting a friend or colleague to look over your intros/applications in case there is some obvious either missing or that could be putting LLs off. If you are in a competitive area with >50 applicants per place it will need to be perfect
Good luck