Monkeys, cats and bunnies. Wow.
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Just seen your incredulous advice on how to get to know a potential tenant after I had posted. It’s mind boggling! I honestly would not have thought of a video call or meeting for a coffee.
Strangely enough we did all that. And more. As has been explained to you, people act and lie through their teeth. These tenants know what to say and how to act and it all goes out of the window once they have the keys.
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I would even go as far to suggest that you too act very differently to your colours you have shown on this forum, when are applying for a lovely, clean, comfortable, warm, newly renovated property with an obliging, helpful landlord who wants to keep their property in tip-top condition and their tenant happy.
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I am not sure to be honest, I am not an expert, but I would say a week or 2 of communication to work out if the tenant is zero hassle (within reason, I mean if your tenant is on UC, there could be a delay of up to 10 weeks the last time I checked) if you are OK with that, knowing you will get all back payments paid to you directly should be consolation , but work out if there is any residual moneys left to pay as the rate for a single person over 35 in a 1 bed/studio is £1,180 in the central London area (it does vary from place to place, checking with the DWP, or your local council) I know anything over that would have to be met by the tenant. So obviously keeping the rent as close to the LHA rate for that area means more security for you, instruct ask the tenant to get the LHA payment paid to you directly, again, more security, if the potential tenant says “no I will give you the full amount when I get it” (this does happen), then be aware, this isnt an indicator of a person’s trustworthiness, but if someone wants to take charge of YOUR rent money, I would reconsider this particular tenant.
Are you familiar the LHA process? I don’t wish to assume you are, as some LL’s wish to bypass this altogether, although due to changes in the housing bill, this will become more difficult to circumvent as I understand it.
Like I said I am not a landlord or an expert, it’s only through my own personal interest I have taken the time to work the figures out. Sorry I went on a bit of a tangent, I tend to do that, but as with all buisness, “communication is key”, that will mean you may have to do some chasing, even become friends with them if that helps, no one likes “corporate” and prefers the personal touch, then once they are in your property, do regular checks until you are satisfied they are trust worthy.
Like I said I am neither a landlord or a “property expert” and to be quite honest I wouldn’t want to.
My personal way of establishing myself in a new place, goes above and beyond, I ensure that is first thing that happens, the Rent is the first thing taken care of before “going out” and keeping the landlord up to date on a daily basis of the LHA claim, not everyone does this, not everybody cares enough, but “communication is key” (this should be my mantra, my ex girlfriend couldn’t get her head around that concept) once the initial 10 week (subject to local adjustments) waiting period is done, everything will run like clock work.
You will get your rent backdated from the claim/tenancy agreement time stated, however that doesn’t mean your tenant will look after your place, hence why the communication is important, to build bridges to a point, you can usually tell if someone is on the line, but it is not a guarantee, so people lie and deceive whether they are employed or have pets, I believe they call it a judgement call.
at this point they would have a 6 month tenancy agreement in place (the minimum that can be granted legally) and the pet with them. Eviction is too difficult if there’s resistance. A ll needs evidence in advance. I have over 50 applicants as standard, how can I whittle them down? I can’t get to know them all. I would start by dismissing dog owners, those who can’t afford it, those with poor credit.
If someone is on UC it would be wise of them to save up the rent money to pay the landlord during the 10 week wait, not expect the landlord to wait. This shows either good sense or resourcefulness in the tenant.
The market dictates rental value, why be stifled by what LHA pays? LHA rates often don’t make it a viable business.
Being friends with a tenant?! Not a good idea. It’s a business relationship. I like to be on good friendly terms but friendship is out of the question.
Direct LHA payment is typically not possible unless tenants falls behind.
I think you have to realise that some landlords here have been doing it for nigh on 40 or 50 years. There’s absolutely nothing thats not been considered or come across. I’ve seen plenty myself over the past decade.
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Along with a few other tenants on here you sound the exception to the norm.
When it appears to go sour is when they leave. All the promises which I expect they did possibly mean at the start, go out of the window once they are in a different headspace and they then start thinking why should they spend their money clearing up their own mess and damages and become very resentful at the thought and they turn.
I agree anyone can do this whether they have pets/jobs or otherwise.
The point I’m making is that all the more people/animals etc. in the equation the more room there is for damages/excessive wear and tear to be caused once a tenant stops being a good tenant.
As far as I’m concerned it’s never the pet that isn’t well behaved/trained it’s the owner.
Again, a tenant who maybe did look after their pet so it didn’t cause damage can start not bothering to do so, once they know they are leaving.
They are busy with other things, and whilst beforehand they would have busted a gut to get back, so what if Fido gets left for a couple more hours than he’s used to and causes a bit of damage meanwhile. Not their problems, they are going soon!
I am a dog owner and have said on this forum many times that I feel I very sorry for pet owners. But all the while Government legislation make it impossible to claim repairs from someone, of course landlords will take the less risk adverse option.
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Indeed Darius you’ve summed yourself up quite nicely. Your an absolute liability in a rented property. To quote your statement “I don’t give a monkeys’” really?? Who wants a tenant with that attitude ? Certainly no one on here. You seriously need help Darius!!
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Darius you don’t have a clue what your talking about other than utter garbage !!!
Yes well unfortunatly promises will go sour often than not and more often as you say its the owner(s) not the animal itself, case in point, I won’t come home from the pub in a vile mood, slap the wife beat the kids and put windows through (I am not married, no children and do not drink alcohol) and this happens a frightening amount, I have witnessed this behaviour but that’s people I am afraid to say, but back to the point you nailed when you said “it’s not the pet it’s the owner”
Dogs without muzzles for example when out, for people’s safety may not be relevant to yourself but is the decent thing to do, this is where getting to know your tenant(s) personally could be more beneficial to your own peace of mind, if you decide to go down the pets in lets route, there are simple steps to take that could make your life much easier and worry less, for example, I assume you will recarpet at the end of a tenancy prior to the new tenancy begining? Lay laminate flooring instead of carpet, 9 times out of 10 it’s cheaper and only needs a good mopping to keep it clean, it’s cleaner, easier to use and lay. Rent your place unfurnished, no furniture no damage, if you want to be friendly ask them if they require any furnishings, coming from a personal POV, having come from rental accommodation all my life, the only thing I usually need to aquire are white goods, add an amendment to the contract, that any white goods supplied must be cared for/maintained or replace at there own expense, it’s common sense I know, but not everyone has that these days, to me that seems reasonable, but again this is down to how you qualify potential tenants, not the animal(s) themselves, a drunk person may come back from the pub and punch holes in walls or throw tables out of windows, this happens, but that is not the pet, as I said earlier a pet cannot do severe damage to a property, dog scratches on a door, ask them to replace it under your supervision, this ensures the job gets done and to your personal standards. Cats cannot destroy a house by going under the house and drilling out the foundations can it/they, no as long as the pet is well cared for and well medicated what’s the problem? Meet them/video call them before hand, in a coffee shop, something informal, if you “invest” and take simple steps to strip back the furnishings and try to get an idea of what the potential tenant(s) are like, you owe it to yourself to think about these things, having said that, people will lie, that’s human nature, but what would you like to search for your ideal tenant/family or keep your place empty or sell it?
Pets cannot do structural damage unless they can hire and drive JCB’s to a property but mainly damage to soft furnishings, you didn’t supply it, no dramas.
No Geoff I don’t, as I have said several times I am not a landlord or an expert of any kind, but I am a tenant trying to find a new home, and this blanket ban on pets is bloody unjustified most of the time, it’s the rotton few who ruin it for others
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So, should I worry about my landlords other properties and tenants or just concern myself with paying my rent on time and in full, every month on the nose, no mess no quibbles, no arguments, do you expect your tenants to worry about other tenants deficits?
So before you start saying I need help because I only care what goes on within my 4 walls, what kind of help are you suggesting
i’ll say it again, if you can be bothered to even consider an opinion from someone who is in the game, and who does what the overwhelming majority of landlords do, with good reason…
“I have over 50 applicants as standard, how can I whittle them down? I can’t get to know them all. I would start by dismissing dog owners, those who can’t afford it, those with poor credit.”
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Dogs destroy kitchen cupboards, doors and door frames, bath panels, banisters. Urine stays soaks into floorboards and can be really hard to remove smell. This effects the next tenant. Urine soaks into wooden flooring. Cats can damage too, but a lot less significant and low risk. Who pays for this damage when bond doesnt cover it and tenant typically doesnt give a damn when they are moving out? What if they do not fix during the tenancy? Repairing at end of takes time to do and can mean empty periods which equals loss of rent. Landlord cannot recover loss, why take a big risk to begin with to appease a stranger?
When a tenant who has spent any length of having a dog moves out i can tell you know the whole place usually just reeks like when a smoker has lived in one, and can be impossible to shift. It soaks into walls.
What about tenants with allergies who are affected by previous tenants pets??
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Its a no, but its a definite yes if you want to give out ill informed advice to the experienced telling them how to run their business! 
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Why the bloody-hell should I go to all that time, trouble, expense and perpetual long term hassle when I can simply offer the property to an applicant with the sense NOT to home a pet in a rented property.
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Well if the cap fits …wear it.!!!
Now your implying your not campaigning for other pet owners as long as your ok with a modified property to your comfortable specification with laminate flooring etc.
you mentioned get to know the applicant well prior to offering a property, well , after reading all your crap Mr Darius I’ve learned sufficient about you to say with confidence that I don’t rate your chances in running for Landlord of the year.
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