Hi, all.
The rules say no first or third person which is fine. Does it also apply to second person? We want to use “you” quite a few times.
Will it be ok to put in a small questionnaire in the ad? We want applicants to reply by answering the questions asked.
It will look something like that:
- Do you hold UK passport or, if foreigner, can prove your right to rent?
- Are you in full-time long term employment (over two years at your last job)?
- Is your income £X p/a or more?
- Do you agree to provide bank statements for the last six months? These are an essential part of the checks and can be printed through on-line banking.
- Do you have clean credit history (no County Court Judgements) for the last 6 years? Credit checks are performed.
Let me know if I breached some OpenRent rule.
1 Like
Set those up as your automated screening questions. No need to put those in ad.
2 Likes
Be careful with the wording or it may appear that you only want working tenants, which would be a breach of equalities legislation. I’d ask a more general question about the source of their monthly income.
1 Like
Is there an automated reply option? And is there an option for them to send screened documents as attachments on OpenRent? How does it work?
As I understand it, you can write in the 1st person but the advert will be limited to appearing on OpenRent, not on Rightmove.
Some quite compelling adverts are in the 1st person, for instance when landlords rhapsodise about properties they used to live in themselves.
Is the first person not recommended because tenants may be discouraged when an advert is full of “I” this and “I” that? Because it may read like it’s all about what the landlord wants, not the tenant.
So, if I write: Looking for a ‘long- term let’ to a working professional [s] earning in excess of £zzzzz who comes without furniture or pets & is a non-smoker, omitting “I am”, it will be accepted?
Well, that’s the text I ended up with. Will it be accepted on RightMove?
Warm, quiet and easy to heat studio in highly desirable xxxxxx area, close to shops, supermarkets and with great transport links. Available now. Street parking on first come first served basis. Comes unfurnished with white goods. Council tax and bills are not included in the rent.
Property is suitable for a working professional or couple earning in excess of £xxxxxx p/a without pets & a non-smoker/vaper; independent tenant, not reliant on another to pay [or guarantee] pcm rent. PhD students are welcome to inquire.
Those candidates that can provide: photographic ID, their pcm earnings, UK employment and 6 latest bank statements, will be considered for a private veiwing at the property. Non-UK citizens must have the ‘right to remain in the UK’ and be prepared to pay rent in advance for the whole fixed term of Tenancy Agreement (6 or 12 months), plus 5 weeks deposit in order to secure the property.
After veiwing, should the property be found suitable, the next stage is establishing ‘solvency & affordability’ of the applicant[s]. This is achieved by examination of pcm salary slips and historical bank statements with everyday outgoings to establish patterns of spending against earned income. References from employer and current landlord will be required. Credit checks are performed.
As I said, you could be in breach of the legislation. Check first.
He wouldn’t be in breach of discrimination legislation. This is from Shelter’s website:
“Income and employment status are not protected characteristics, so it would not usually be direct discrimination if a landlord or agent refused to let a property to a person just because they relied on welfare benefits to pay their rent.”
2 Likes
Just in case, I’ll remove “independent tenant, not reliant on another to pay [or guarantee] pcm rent.” Hopefully, that will sort it.
@AB2023, Tim is not talking about refusing to let to a non-working tenant, which would not necessarily be unlawful. He is talking about advertising ONLY for working tenants. This is the sort of blanket ban on benefits-only tenants that was deemed unlawful last year by virtue of being indirect discrimination.
Unfortunately in this world we have to find ways to continue the pantomime of pretending one thing and actually doing another!
4 Likes
Where am I talking about advertising ONLY for working professionals? “would be suitable for” doesn’t amount to what you suggest. Or is it some other wording acrobatics that I missed in order not to be accused of discrimination?
Whatever it is, it’s open to interpretation, not a certainty, which can potentially make me sued but with uncertain outcome for the claimant I don’t think it is likely to happen. Unless OpenRent blocks my ad, just in case. I will update if it happens.
Will be glad to hear anti-discrimination pros input.
I wouldnt count on that iiwy. Read about the judgement from the case. I think they talk about such avoidance tactics. A judge in a court case will see through attempts to disguise “discrimination”.
I use the following statement ( just adjust the figure to suit your rent at around 30 times monthly gross)
“tenants must be able to demonstrate an income of £39000 to meet rent affordability checks”
If you have a pensioner whose pension is great they won’t meet your criteria but could be great tenant. If you get someone who is achieving a significant part of this income figure from benefits you don’t have to proceed with them
I’m not sure you need to be quite so blatant on what you want in the ad - use the automated tenant response to ask as many questions as you like
Good luck, Liz
1 Like
How long before we will be unable to discriminate against our choice in partners based on employment status?!
2 Likes
Do you think it’s offputting?
TBH, yes, I think it could put people off a little bit ! It’s important to have an ongoing good relationship with your tenant so creating the right impression works both ways. While I agree with your wish list 100% I think there are better ways of narrowing down your potential tenants.
3 Likes
Depends on what kind of people you’d like to attract I suppose…
If it was me reading the ad, I’d like to see all the conditions in one place as succinctly as possible. If on the other hand someone likes to only have people who would be offended or put off by such a list - well, it’s up to them.
Different signals attract different audiences and keeping in mind the 100 enquiries rule I’d think about my signals twice.
2 Likes
Thank you. It’s very useful to get a fresh pair of eyes (and mind). I think I was influenced by too many bad experiences on this forum. I will definitely change the ad. 
1 Like