My tenant failed referencing
We asked him to pay 2 months rent in advance plus 1 months deposit.
He replied to say he’s getting government assistance. He can get them to pay the 2 months advance rent plus the 1 month deposit. However, he’s gonna pay 1 of the advance rent amount himself.
He’s now said the government will only pay if he can show them the TA which states only 1 month deposit and 1 month advance rent is required.
I am extremely hesitant to do this as this will be incorrect and i would have no proof that i require 2 months not 1 months. Are there any legal requirements to make sure the advance rent amount on the TA is the same as what i could collect?
I would not change your terms and conditions for a tenant.
I would find another tenant
Everything you want needs to be in the contract . If it is not you don’t have a leg to stand on.
2 Likes
I would find a new tenant. Hassle and risk
3 Likes
he ain’t a tenant, he’s an applicant. Other applicants are available.
However, why are you insisting on two months’ rent in advance? For someone on benefits, that seems to me (obvs with no idea of your reasoning) an unfair barrier to place in someone’s way when they’re looking for affordable housing.
At the end of the day, whether someone can pay 2 months’ or 6 months’ rent up front, it’s never a good indication that they’ll pay on time when regular payments kick in. Because of that, I’ve always wondered why LLs bother on insisting on advance payments.
Unless perhaps it’s the LL who has the cashflow issue… but then they shouldn’t make Ts bear a burden they should be bearing themselves.
Of course, that might not be your motivation at all so…
1 Like
He not on benefits. He has a job pay $44k
He’s known by a family member hence the reason we are trying to do him a favour.
However, i’m only willing to go so far.
You’re right though he’s turning out to be pain.
Business and pleasure don’t go together
2 Likes
Firstly, he’s asking you to collude in misrepresenting the terms of the tenancy to whoever is paying in the “Government”, which could be fraud.
Secondly, if you take 2 months rent in advance, then you cannot accept further rent until the start of month 3 without breaching both the Tenant Fees Act and the Deposit Regulations, so I don’t see much advantage there.
1 Like
Thats my thoughts exactly.
It’s the audacity with how he expects me to do things that benefits him.
To me it goes to show the character of a person.
He will do whatever he can for his own gains and totally disregard to other people’s situations and positions.
Thanks for confirmation feedback
Forgive me if these questions are obvious but not being a ll i am not aware
If he has a job paying £44k as you say why is he getting (or needing ) help from government
And (again i may be wrong it has apparently been known) surely in order fpr him to have a TA stating whatever he would have to be a tenant and therefore wouldve already paid something
Personally from what u have said i would steer well clear I appreciate he is a friend or friend of a friend etc but there are limits
1 Like
favours are for good friends Renting out is a different ball game
3 Likes
Yeah, the more i pondered it last night, it’s not adding up.
His reference check state he earns 44k, so like you say why would the “government” help him.
Only reason is if he lied to them.
At present he’s only 1 week holding deposit.
Keeps asking for certain docs to verify US as Landlord but keeps missing the payment deadlines and then the story changes.
If he’s willing to defraud the Gov then he’ll be willing to defraud me too.
Just need to get rid of him now
1 Like
To stop them disappear within the first 6 months and have to find new tenants again.
1 Like
well if you’re happy to let your property to someone who would shaft you that badly, good luck to you when the first two/three/six/n months runs out.
Internationals are good at finding an AST and use is it as a hotel for a month before they find somewhere else
I take money up front from internationals as if I didn’t I may have no recourse if they abandon early or don’t pay.
I also take bulk payments from students so it matches with their loans otherwise they have no money for rent at the end of term.
I have also started taking first and last months rent from professionals.
I am fed up of people thinking they can use their deposit for rent which leaves next to nothing for damages.
If he failed referencing don’t offer him a tenancy.
I am a tennant. This is a con
How would you know in advance? There’re job changes, international students can’t find jobs here and want to go back to their country…all sorts of possibilities, how do you know based on gut and reference
1 Like
because I’ve been letting property in the same area since 1998. That gives me a lot of experience judging who will be responsible vs who won’t. It’s not perfect, but every single time someone says they’ll pay x months in advance, they have never turned out to be a worthwhile applicant in my experience. I don’t discount them because of their offer to pay more, but without exception something else has surfaced in their application which prevents me from offering them the tenancy.
I do now understand why other LLs might ask for more rent in advance, but if they think it guarantees anything beyond the payment duration, they’re fooling themselves.
In the particular case of this thread, I still fail to see why the LL is insisting on 2 months in advance. That particular duration doesn’t make sense to me and, IIRC, the LL hasn’t explained the reasoning behind it.
I would not rent out to a family friend or someone known to a family. They turn out to be the worst tenants and difficult to get rid off, when something goes wrong.
2 Likes
You mean the applcant failed the reference. This is a strong indication that he will fail to pay rent to you on time in future. Also the contract is a contract. This is to be written according to what your terms and conditions are and not to do it to please the tenants. The applicant wish topay one month but not let the government agency know about it. That is not correct.
1 Like