None to experienced at this landlord thing, what would you do?

Sheep Shagger

Not to exeperineced at being a LL but after 3 years of great tenants (we parted on very good terms) have to rent the place out again.

Showed a few people, selected a party of 2 older guys, all seemed good.

This happened on Saturday, since then half the deposit has been paid to my bank account and I'm told the balance will be in there tomorrow. have chased for references but they are not forthcoming Previous landlord is hard to get hold of etc, asked for a name and number and nothing).

I have sent a copy of the lease by email to be signed, nothing back yet (I have not signed it yet). They want me to sign a RA form, which is fine but havn't done that yet, said I wouldn't until the lease is signed and deposit etc paid in full.

The guys are not from Ireland so I put a bit of it down to maybe language issues but am starting to think I should just pull the plug as its not a great start, obviously I want to check the references before they move in on the weekend. Would just refund the half deposit thats been paid to my account. Presumably I can do this as no contracts have been signed and they have yet to get the keys?

Help

07734

If you have a bad feeling at this stage, I'd say to back out. It's only going to get worse.

I had this one time with a tenant, i ended up always having to chase the rent, it was anywhere from a few days to a few weeks late, it was a real pain in the neck. Luckily he left (broke lease, used deposit as last month's rent, but I was happy to see the back of him).

sunnysoutheast

07734 wrote: »

If you have a bad feeling at this stage, I'd say to back out. It's only going to get worse.

I had this one time with a tenant, i ended up always having to chase the rent, it was anywhere from a few days to a few weeks late, it was a real pain in the neck. Luckily he left (broke lease, used deposit as last month's rent, but I was happy to see the back of him).

Agree entirely. Abort. If it starts bad it won't get better.

Personally I'd think twice about taking rent allowance, but that's just me.

SSE

BostonB

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Agree entirely. Abort. If it starts bad it won't get better.

Personally I'd think twice about taking rent allowance, but that's just me.

SSE

Same here. It will only get worse.

Paying a deposit and giving a reference is simple. Bad sign if they can't do that properly.

Borderfox

Yeah if you feel like that now. I had to do it to a guy on the day he was meant to sign the contract. Said he would give me the deposit next month and I pulled the plug there and then.

Sheep Shagger

Made a bit of a mess of it this morning, said I wasn't comfortable proceeding as didn't have the references...turns out he emailed them I just didn't spot them:(

They all check out (employer and last landlord).

The guy is working all day at the moment, still waiting on balance of deposit. Due to hand over keys on the weekend (we've agreed to collect first months rent in advance at the handover) really wanted full deposit before the then, have asked again what the delay is.

Get the impression his last landlord did everything by cash - no bank account involved which may explain something... Am legit so am not interested in doing that.

Graces7

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Made a bit of a mess of it this morning, said I wasn't comfortable proceeding as didn't have the references...turns out he emailed them I just didn't spot them:(

They all check out (employer and last landlord).

The guy is working all day at the moment, still waiting on balance of deposit. Due to hand over keys on the weekend (we've agreed to collect first months rent in advance at the handover) really wanted full deposit before the then, have asked again what the delay is.

Get the impression his last landlord did everything by cash - no bank account involved which may explain something... Am legit so am not interested in doing that.

Please, get the full deposit before letting them in. Else you will never see it. Once in, harder to get them out.

the_syco

Return the deposit, and give them a weeks notice to get out. A weeks notice will probably get them out quicker than a days notice.

TheTurk1972

If you are having difficulties before they even move in you are mad to go any further.

You know you can get good agents to look after getting tenants and collecting the rent and managing the property for just 8% of the rent. This is tax deductible too so its really only 4%.

This means you don't have to do anything really yourself.
You should look into it. You should get recommendations from people here on who is good to use.

Don't pay more than 8% though. They will ask for 10% or more, but they will always do the deal for 8%.

cgarrad

If the very first payment is late the 6-7 will be non existent.

Only important job of being a landlord is picking the right tennants.

To scare you:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056703850

Sheep Shagger

cgarrad wrote: »

If the very first payment is late the 6-7 will be non existent.

Only important job of being a landlord is picking the right tennants.

To scare you:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056703850

Not sure if I won't to look at that link

References from last landlord said he had no issues collecting rent for the two years he was there.

He's asked me to fill out the RA form but said I can't put the full amount of the rent as the maximum amount is €300 per month.... Only issue I have with that is I'm signing to say the info is correct when if I agree to do it, it wouldn't be... Is this normal (to quote a lower rental figure?

TheTurk1972

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Not sure if I won't to look at that link

References from last landlord said he had no issues collecting rent for the two years he was there.

He's asked me to fill out the RA form but said I can't put the full amount of the rent as the maximum amount is €300 per month.... Only issue I have with that is I'm signing to say the info is correct when if I agree to do it, it wouldn't be... Is this normal (to quote a lower rental figure?

Sounds to me like you really, really want to let the place to this guy, despite all the warning signs. Look at what he is trying to do. Already messing you around and trying to get you to help him mess the social welfare around too.
Drop him. Its just stupid to go ahead with this guy.

cgarrad

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

He's asked me to fill out the RA form but said I can't put the full amount of the rent as the maximum amount is €300 per month.

Tell him your reporting him to social welfare for fraud if you want rid of him.

Your liable for the states loss on this as you forged the cert... He knows this and can use it against you.

Be very careful...

looksee

Could be previous landlord is giving him good reference to get rid, and he is waiting for/hasn't got return of previous deposit.

Sheep Shagger

Thanks all for the advice.

Have told him the deal is off, he asked me to do the form and lease for €600 (the two of them are both claiming €300 a month) and they would still pay me the full amount....not interested in that.

Really nice guys and they might of been good tenants but something just didn't feel right.

Will return their deposits ASAP...the search via Daft etc stars again...

BostonB

Right decision I think.

Sheep Shagger

Just as a matter of interest as I'll need to readvertise, what do other landlords out there when it comes to accepting RA?

The limit in Dublin is €300 per month so for a two bed place that means the maximum the rent could be is €600 - can't imagine there are many of those.

Don't want to discriminate against people on RA as they are not all bad and deserve to be given access to decent accommodation but the way it looks is that Social Welfare want people to live in cheaper accommodation.

TheTurk1972

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest as I'll need to readvertise, what do other landlords out there when it comes to accepting RA?

The limit in Dublin is €300 per month so for a two bed place that means the maximum the rent could be is €600 - can't imagine there are many of those.

Don't want to discriminate against people on RA as they are not all bad and deserve to be given access to decent accommodation but the way it looks is that Social Welfare want people to live in cheaper accommodation.

Most people I know don't accept rent allowance unless it's a dump that they can't let otherwise.
Try askaboutmoney.com . There are a lo of threads about RA there.

Graces7

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Not sure if I won't to look at that link

References from last landlord said he had no issues collecting rent for the two years he was there.

He's asked me to fill out the RA form but said I can't put the full amount of the rent as the maximum amount is €300 per month.... Only issue I have with that is I'm signing to say the info is correct when if I agree to do it, it wouldn't be... Is this normal (to quote a lower rental figure?

This is illegal as you know. No it is not normal and you are wise to drop them.

Many lls will do this but...

Graces7

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest as I'll need to readvertise, what do other landlords out there when it comes to accepting RA?

The limit in Dublin is €300 per month so for a two bed place that means the maximum the rent could be is €600 - can't imagine there are many of those.

Don't want to discriminate against people on RA as they are not all bad and deserve to be given access to decent accommodation but the way it looks is that Social Welfare want people to live in cheaper accommodation.

Indeed yes and the limit does confine us to poorer houses. Easier in rural areas.

NB here in West Cork the limit is 103 per week; odd that it is higher than Dublin?

Surely you will vet any applicants anyway, but if the rent on your property is above the limit that will rule RA applicants out anyway.

So far we have managed to get lls to reduce rent slightly to accommodate the limits. Rather than have their house lie empty.

Out of interest, have a look at daft ie for your area?

the_syco

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Is this normal (to quote a lower rental figure?

It's fraud, although I don't know who'd get fined; the tenant or you.

the groutch

are you able to still claim RA if you're working?

Sheep Shagger

the groutch wrote: »

are you able to still claim RA if you're working?

Don't think you ar eligible if you are in full time employment (but could be wrong).

Just to clarify, when a tenant completes their RA form if the rent amount quoted is more than they are eligible for then their entire application is rejected?

Graces7

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Don't think you ar eligible if you are in full time employment (but could be wrong).

Just to clarify, when a tenant completes their RA form if the rent amount quoted is more than they are eligible for then their entire application is rejected?

We had this situation and we were told to ask the LL to reduce the rent or RA could not be given.

On both occasions the ll agreed to this. If they hadn't we could not have taken the property. Indeed we had rejected other houses as they were slightly above and the ll would not do that.

cgarrad

Graces7 wrote: »

NB here in West Cork the limit is 103 per week; odd that it is higher than Dublin?

Cork is €260 a month now.

Graces7

cgarrad wrote: »

Cork is €260 a month now.

Cork County? For a single person? We had the new forms and it was 103 a week. Ah but wait. you are meaning the RA amount; I was referring to the total rent they allow. We pay E450 total rent and get I think just over E70 RA a week so that works out fine.

cgarrad

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html#l62fd2

Shared accommodation, couple is different ;-)

Graces7

cgarrad wrote: »

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html#l62fd2

Shared accommodation, couple is different ;-)

Ah so! Thank you... I knew there was a reason but you gave me a nasty moment there!;)

Not a couple now but "we" becomes a habit hard to break... So yes, E450 limit here.