I called the rentguard referencing company after they sent an email that referencing is complete to ask about the result and they sad they can’t give me the results/report. Is this ok? It’s my personal data and I paid for it. What is the rationale behind this? Thanks!
I’m a landlord and I totally agree. I have thought, for a long time, that it is not right that an applicant does not get to see a report about themselves, especially one that the applicant has paid for.
Outrageous.
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It turns out you can get a report. I pestered them until they emailed it to me and it confirms my financial, rental, employment details putting me at medium risk. Is this common? I thought I had an excellent credit history but I have only lived in the UK for a few years so this might explain it.
Furnicuta,
I am always amazed how many people come up as “medium risk” when, to my mind, their financial details look very good.
I think they must have VERY high standards before you get to “low risk”. I have probably only had one or two in that category since I joined OpenRent (abut 7 years)
That was my suspicion so thank you for the confirmation. I wondered what it looks like from the landlord’s side. I have lived for 10 years in the US prior to accepting a job in the UK, but sadly I can’t transfer my excellent credit score from the US, where I had lots of credit cards paid on time, loans, etc.
Furnicuta,
It can take a long time to get a good credit rating as it is based on your history, which can take years to build.
It’s very peculiar, and unfair, that the referencing agency is prepared to furnish a third party (the landlord) with the report but makes it difficult for the subject of the report (the tenant/s) to obtain it! As a landlord, I just ask my prospective tenants if they would like a copy of their report and I email it to them if they want it. Perhaps this is an area where OR could either exert some pressure on their referencing agency or make the report available to all parties themselves - if they have access to it?
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Jay, we need more LL like you! As a tenant, I am finding that we have more rights than we think, we just need to be more informed and insist as I did with the agency. Weirdly, the first employee I talked with over the phone told me point blank they can’t disclose the information in the report to me, while the second offered to forward the report immediately.
Surely that the person being referenced has immediate entitlement to a copy. Any data being given about you to a third party should be automatically available. They could put any old rubbish. Mot good enough. As a landlord I never new this
I will follow jatinders lead and send them a copy automatically myself in future. Come on Rent guard get real will you.
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Hi all,
Tenants are absolutely entitled to a copy of their own report - we’re always happy to send over a copy upon request.
There currently isn’t a feature on the website that does this automatically - but don’t worry, one of the team will always send across reports the same working day they’re requested (often far sooner!).
George
As a landlord I dont get it either. Actually, if I go through an agent I never see it. The agent charges such a lot and then they say yep its done. No idea what the result is. Ive been burnt so many times. Open rent is so much better. If a tennant asks for the report I will give it over. It is just mildly embarrasing to have the data, even though I need it for a decision, and that is the only reason that stops me offering.
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