Hi this is the first time I’m using open rent, I was using an gency previously. I have a tenant enquiry and they want to pay a holding deposit before viewing the property in person. I wanted to ask has anyone had this request? The property is being advertised as available from the 31st of July and I have arranged viewings for the 12th of July.
Thanks for any advice with this.
Kind regards Charlotte
Reject it. If you accept your listing is taken down and it’s illegal to market further, including doing any viewings such as any you’ve already arranged for 12th. You should basically accept only once you’ve decided someone is the right tenant to proceed with, subject to referencing.
And crazy to do that before you’ve even met them or done a viewing with them.
Absoluteky terrible comms from potential tenant to do this before you’ve asked them to do so. They either don’t understand how holding deposits work or are being very presumptuous and think you don’t care whom you rent to if they offer the right amount. It’s a big red flag I would not even offer them a viewing probably. Good they are keen terrible they are inconsiderate and presumptuous that they think ok to ask you to take off the market before you’ve even done viewings or met them.
Good luck
This often happens when using Openrent. I would reject a Holding Deposit from a tenant before they have viewed it and they have answered questions to satisfy yourself that they are the right tenant.
Do they have sufficient income? Where are they living now? Why are they wanting to move to your property? Do they have a connection with the area? Etc etc.
Once satisfied you can invite them to place a Holding Deposit and you can then proceed to the next stage which is Referencing.
N.B. accepting a holding deposit freeze’s your listing and no-one else will be able to enquire.
Good luck!
Open Rent offers the tenant the option of paying a holding deposit by request to the LL. You must IGNORE (the request will sit there until you accept or reject) or better still REJECT at this stage.
You need to pre-qualify the tenant by asking lots of questions, vetting the answers. before you offer a viewing.
If its a decent property at the right market price, you should get lots of inquiries.
Here is the tough bit, previously the Agent did all the sifting and filtereing out unsuitable tenants, now its your bag to do all this. It is time consuming. I always pre-qualify the tenants by asking lots of questions about their situation, work, references. no point in wasting my time on viewings if they are unsuitable from the off. I have my criteria, I stick rigidly to them.
Best.
Reject but probably worth explaining why as might be a genuine lack of knowledge by applicant.