There should be References for landlords not just tenant

butterfly33

I find this quite unfair that references are only for the tenants and not done for landlords as well.
This is something unheard of but I find it would make perfect sense to have references for landlords as well from previous tenants, all kept in a database that prospective tenants can check before renting a house.

If a landlord has a history of negligence with house repairs or non-refunds for deposits, I think this should be made clear and accessible to prospective tenants.

Quite simply it is unfair that only tenants are in a way at the mercy of their landlords. If a house requires repairs etc, the landlord can quite simply blame it on the tenants without giving then a reference nor their deposit back after they leave.

I think references should be a two-way thing. This would also force the landlords to keep up with their reputation lest them not being able to rent out their houses...

What are your views on this?

edellc

its like going for a job though isnt it, only the potential employee has to provide references and not the employer

djimi

Theres nothing to stop a potential tenant asking for a reference from the landlord. They most likely wont get it, but they are then free to refuse to deal with that landlord if they so choose, in the same way that the landlord is free to refuse to deal with a tenant who does not provide a reference.

I guess its just not in our culture for landlords to have to provide references from previous tenants. Maybe if all tenants got together and starting asking for a reference from the landlord then it might become common place, just as tenant references are now, but I really dont see that happening!

The best we can perhaps hope for is some kind of database where tenants can log their experiences with a landlord and a property, but that in itself would present so many potential issues I dont see how it could be considered a runner.

Marcusm

I would generally see the state of the property as the reference!

MistyCheese

butterfly33 wrote: »

If a house requires repairs etc, the landlord can quite simply blame it on the tenants

Ugh, been there. Some landlords act like you've repeatedly ran over their son when something in the place has broken down. It's hardly the fact that you've bought the cheapest of the cheap and expect it to last for ten years or more, now is it Mr. Landlord?*

Most landlords I've had say "Right, I'll get onto that" when a fault has been reported and then I never hear from them again. Until I remind them that (fault) is still (faulty). "Oh yes, I'll see to that." Nothing. Now if I ever can fix something myself I will, but I can't replace a cooker or a shower.

One previous landlord left me without a back door! The bad weather of 2009 caused the wood to split and I offered to have someone replace the door and take the money out of the rent. No, he says, he'll do it. The door split in January and was unfixed when I left the flat in May. I contacted PTRB and Threshold for advice. Never heard back from PTRB and Threshold just advised me that I have no right to withhold rent. Apparantly I also had no right to an intact back door.

*Not all landlords behave like this.

djimi

Depending on the severity of the breakage you might have actually had cause to break the lease and leave; without a back door the house is not fit for purpose and with a defect of that severity if the landlord has not resolved the issue very quickly then you have grounds to, and would be justified in, leaving.

The_Conductor

OP- a good port of call is the PRTB adjudication database.
If a landlord has shirked his or her duties towards their tenant(s) in the past- its quite likely that they will end up on the database, if they're not already there.

Its a far from perfect solution- but it is a good way of waving a red flag at potential problematic landlord/tenant situations- before ending up in a nasty situation.

References by their nature are subjective- and very often not worth the paper they're written on- actual legally binding adjudications, are harder to argue with.

Terry Ryaner

Here you go.

http://daftrent.com/