Can I pick tenants?

pc7

Ashbx wrote: »

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

Last letting my bil did he had prospective tenants offering him 2 months deposit, it depends on the house standard, area, demand. While you may think the landlord is difficult or limiting themselves I think in the current market it is something they can do to protect themselves and the asset.

Walter2016

Walter H Price wrote: »

There really should be seprate specific studen accomodation , but that a whole other argument.

They can't build them fast enough - planning granted for student accommodation to hosue over 7,000 students all for completion within 12-18 months.

As for the OP -

a. The property being looked after - previous landlord reference required and you MUST check it out.

b. You want to be sure you will be paid and bills will be paid. Proof of employment or other means of where the funds come from and six months utility bills from previous tenancy.

c. Gut feeling. Remember its your property, so liking your tenants and them liking you can be very important.

pc7

Also check Facebook, we had prospective tenants look amazing on paper, while checking references, checked their open facebook pages and they were hard core party central going by photos. Yes, fakebook and all that mightn't be how they really where, but we ruled them out. That house is in a very settled road, with neighbours we know (who are on the older side) and we didn't want to cause hassle. So checked and gave it to those next on the list.

Zillah

pilly wrote: »

Totally agree. In Canada it's standard for accommodation to be unfurnished and pay 1st and last months rent in advance plus deposit and none of it is returned if the tenant breaks the lease. Things are very much in the tenants favour in Ireland.

Really? Because I rented twice in Vancouver and A) furnished every time, first month in advance with a simple deposit, and C) it is illegal for the landlord to keep any of the deposit without the tenant's permission. The landlord has to take them to court to keep a penny of it without mutual agreement.

I also had several friend renting apartments and they all came furnished too.

Zillah

Walter2016 wrote: »

six months utility bills from previous tenancy

What on earth is the point of that?

Graham

Zillah wrote: »

What on earth is the point of that?

I guess it's an indicator that they've been there at least 6 months and they've paid the bills.

tuisginideach

You can accept replies only by email (set up a new email account specifically for the rental) - ask for a phone number and for some details of the no. of people who will be tenants / their employment etc. You can weed out easily by phoning only your choice of replies.

housetypeb

"Sharing with professional/s" is a helpful hint to prospective tenants too.

pilly

Zillah wrote: »

Really? Because I rented twice in Vancouver and A) furnished every time, first month in advance with a simple deposit, and C) it is illegal for the landlord to keep any of the deposit without the tenant's permission. The landlord has to take them to court to keep a penny of it without mutual agreement.

I also had several friend renting apartments and they all came furnished too.

Toronto completely different so.

TheDoc

Ashbx wrote: »

2 or 3 months rent as a deposit.....that is ridiculous!

I am a professional working as a legal executive for the last number of years and I still wouldn't be able to afford 2/3 months rent deposit as well as that months rent!

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

Have to agree here.

I'm a professional also on a good salary, but I wouldn't want to deal with a landlord looking for that sort of arrangement. As above would ring alarm bells of someone difficult to deal with, and whilst I can happily deal with potentially dodgy landlords acting lose with a one month deposit, I simply wouldn't want to risk providing a landlord that sort of capital.

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting, so I'm sure your in reality you can basically do what you want to fit your requirements.

As like the second post on the thread mentions, openly flaunting you just discriminate and some tips for how to discriminate. So yeah, do what you like really

newacc2015

TheDoc wrote: »

Have to agree here.

I'm a professional also on a good salary, but I wouldn't want to deal with a landlord looking for that sort of arrangement. As above would ring alarm bells of someone difficult to deal with, and whilst I can happily deal with potentially dodgy landlords acting lose with a one month deposit, I simply wouldn't want to risk providing a landlord that sort of capital.

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting, so I'm sure your in reality you can basically do what you want to fit your requirements.

A landlord could lose tens of thousands from damage/loss of rent from a dodgy tenant. There is nothing dodgy about protecting yourself from risk with a higher deposit

For someone on about regulation, you dont seem to know much about it. Or anything about it...
There is plenty of regulation to protect the tenant. In fact most landlords will tell you the tenancy laws only serve to protect tenants from dodgy landlord. If a landlord unfairly withholds your deposit it is very easy to get it back.

Here is another fact 99.7% of tenancies end with no deposit dispute. Out of those few hundred cases over deposits brought to the RTB every year. Only about 40% of deposits were entirely unfairly withheld. So about 99.85% of tenancies end with no deposit disputes.

mahamageehad

Of course you can pick tenants, but again don't be obvious about it in the ad. I viewed an amazing 2 bed apartment in Kilkenny about 2 years ago. Not sure if it's changed but small apartments were like gold dust at the time. We were two female professionals and had two months deposit on cash with us as well as references. The landlord said straight out to us that they were looking for a family and that we likely wouldn't get it. I'd rather have known that in advance to be honest so I didn't waste my time.

While I agree that a landlord has to protect their investment, anyone looking for 3 months rent up front would be out of the question for me. I've never been late with rent and some trust is required on both sides. To be honest I even feel the employers reference is a touch too far, I turned down an apartment that asked me for the last 3 months worth of bank statements!!! That's ridiculous in my opinion!

gctest50

windmilllane wrote: »

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

Sell all the stuff in it on Adverts.ie / donedeal and rent it unfurnished

Think of the bliss : no more phone calls about broken tumble dryers n stuff

Bonus : will probably sort your "which tenant to pick" worries - you won't need 3 months rent / holding their cat hostage etc

Graham

TheDoc wrote: »

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting

How does that opinion align with the articles in todays news:

Tenants, who owe their landlord almost €12,000 in unpaid rent, also trashed the furniture in the house they still live in, the Circuit Civil court was told on Thursday.

That there is precisely why many landlords feel they have no choice but increase deposits. Even then, how far do you think 2 months deposit stretches when faced with a non-paying tenant who could stay in residence rent free for 1 - 2 years then trash the house?

tuisginideach

mahamageehad wrote: »

We were two female professionals and had two months deposit on cash with us as well as references. The landlord said straight out to us that they were looking for a family and that we likely wouldn't get it.

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

ted1

windmilllane wrote: »

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

An employers reference is always a good one to ask for.

pilly

tuisginideach wrote: »

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

So who exactly do you rent to?

Agent Smith

Baby01032012 wrote: »

Once you don't put " rent allowance not accepted" in your add...which people still do. This is leaving you open to prosecution if the welfare recipient is so inclined.

Often wondered, Can you Say "Tenants must be in full time employment"

Musketeer4

pilly wrote: »

You can absolutely pick your tenants, it's up to you who lives in your house. However just be careful in the advertisement. You can't advertise for working professionals.

Why can't you advertise for working professionals?

tuisginideach wrote: »

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

So you don't let to families,
You don't let to single people

So who exactly do you let to? Hermits?

Michael D Not Higgins

Agent Smith wrote: »

Often wondered, Can you Say "Tenants must be in full time employment"

No because that discriminates against rent allowance recipients which is not allowed by the update to the equality legislation.

Musketeer4

Can you say tenants must be professionals of good standing?

Michael D Not Higgins

Musketeer4 wrote: »

Can you say tenants must be professionals of good standing?

Saying "professionals" discriminates on the grounds of housing assistance.

Musketeer4

Does it really though? You could have an architect who is simply in bad luck and ends up having to get RAS. He's still a professional though.

tuisginideach

Musketeer4 wrote: »

So you don't let to families,
You don't let to single people

So who exactly do you let to? Hermits?

There is also a category of potential tenants known as 'couples'.

tuisginideach

pilly wrote: »

So who exactly do you rent to?

There is also a category of potential tenants known as 'couples'.

Musketeer4

Couples usually turn into families.

tuisginideach

Musketeer4 wrote: »

Couples usually turn into families.

Eventually and that's fine - we have had two couples-cum-families with new babies over the years but both have moved on in time to more child-friendly pastures.

Right2Write

All I can add is that I'm bloody glad that we don't have to rent these days. It'd do your head in.

Strong case for this country to heavily encourage institutional investment in accommodation letting. My experiences in the past have generally been reasonable when dealing with people/ businesses that run it as a business. Whereas dealing with Sean Citizen, who invests in a 'buy to let', thinks he can get a killing in tax free cash income etc., pay off an asset for his pension etc is just bad news all round. Of course, there are some good private landlords but on the whole I think there are far more problems there. Should be discouraged IMHO.

big syke

newacc2015 wrote: »

In Germany where nearly all accommodation is unfurnished, tenants get credit checks etc a deposit of 2/3 months is the norm.

Ye you probably shouldn't not compare the Irish rental market to Germany or in fact a lot of other European counties.

Germany for example - Properly regulated, rental break (basically rent control), typically long tenancies (most tenancies are unlimited), vastly cheaper rent (A two bedroom apartment in Berlin, for example, will be circa €400+ per month), Tenants are typically allowed to decorate etc.

Cuddlesworth

big syke wrote: »

Ye you probably shouldn't not compare the Irish rental market to Germany or in fact a lot of other European counties.

Germany for example - Properly regulated, rental break (basically rent control), typically long tenancies (most tenancies are unlimited), vastly cheaper rent (A two bedroom apartment in Berlin, for example, will be circa €400+ per month), Tenants are typically allowed to decorate etc.

Berlin is a unfair standard to go up against, it had a lot of vacant space for a considerable amount of time and there are a number of German citys with higher average rents. Its only recently(in city terms) where Berlin has begun to see competition in the market as people migrated to it.

Also, I would guess that a typical 2 bed apartment is close to 600 at the moment from a quick google and the rate was rising so fast they implemented a 10% restriction on increases. And indications are that rents in most locations are going up 10% year on year.