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Landlord references

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  • 18-05-2019 11:05pm
    #1
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭


    Most landlords, particularly in Dublin seem to want previous landlord references nowadays. I haven’t rented in nearly a year and prior to that was mainly in owner occupied house shares and we haven’t really kept in touch.
    How can I work around this in the Dublin market. One was through an agent so I can possibly work through them depending on how obliging they are.


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    #2
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,116 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    Printed references aren't worth anything. Don't worry about it. A number and a phone call is worth more but anyone can pretend to be someone else. Bank statements are worth so much more.


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    #3
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,523 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Caranica wrote: »
    Printed references aren't worth anything. Don't worry about it. A number and a phone call is worth more but anyone can pretend to be someone else. Bank statements are worth so much more.

    Nothing I have heard in the media from tenants, people looking for rentals, landlords, housing agencies supports this. Every single person interviewed stressed the importance of references, without one or more, you are immediately at a disadvantage against the 50 other people looking at the property. The LL may follow up with a phone call to check it’s validity and that it wasn’t given just to get the tenant out, but the LL will have concerns if you cannot provide a written reference though you have rented in the past.

    I doubt many would give LLs bank statements.


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    #4
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,116 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    I know of people with a property registered with the rtb would give references to all their friends who looked for one. Written or verbal when in truth they'd never rented to them. So easy to fake. If a new landlord wanted to check them out and saw a registered tenancy for that address they believed the references to be genuine.


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    #5
    LotharIngum
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭LotharIngum


    Most are insisting on last three now. Your current landlord and your previous two. The reason is that your current landlord might say anything to get a bad tenant out and so is unreliable as a reference. But your previous landlords will tell all because they no longer have to get you to move out if you've been a bad tenant for them.

    That said you still get landlords who cant check references properly and are clueless who will take just one and never even bother to ring. Others are totally useless at checking references and cant even figure out when they are talking to the tenants mates instead of landlord. So you should be fine with some landlords.

    Otherwise get references from work and show your rent going out of your bank account on your statements without any gaps. That might do as a reference if there are no other suitable candidates who have references going back.

    Dublin is particularly difficult because its easy for a landlord to be choosy and to eliminate people on gut feeling after checking references and just go on to the next person.

    The reason for references is that
    he is going to ask your previous landlords questions like the following.

    Has the tenant ever missed a rent payment?
    Did the tenant ever threaten take you to the RTB?
    Did they ever threaten to withhold the rent?
    Did they pay their last months rent or use it as the deposit?
    Were they a difficult or high maintenance tenant for you in any way?
    Would you rent to them again or not?

    In the low demand areas you might get away with a yes to any of these questions but in Dublin a yes to any of them and its straight to the bin with your application and on to the next. So references are important.

    Maybe if you go back to the agency who you rented from they might rent to you again without another reference as they know you already.


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I was ringing up about a reference from an agency and under new regs, think gdrp, they weren't able to discuss specifics. Apparently from agencies there is specific wording and if it doesn't state rent was always paid on time then it wasnt. I got one saying a guy resided at the residence from this date to the end date, rang them and they barely told me he was consistently late with rent. Unfortunately references from private landlords are a waste of time, I being one that rents out rooms would fall under that although I would be honest


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    #7
    LotharIngum
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭LotharIngum


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I was ringing up about a reference from an agency and under new regs, think gdrp, they weren't able to discuss specifics. Apparently from agencies there is specific wording and if it doesn't state rent was always paid on time then it wasnt. I got one saying a guy resided at the residence from this date to the end date, rang them and they barely told me he was consistently late with rent. Unfortunately references from private landlords are a waste of time, I being one that rents out rooms would fall under that although I would be honest

    Yes, you can certainly infer from a written reference from whats not in it. But always call too if its a good reference to make sure, especially if its now a previous landlord reference rather than a current landlord reference. Because what the landlord says can change for someone he no longer has to worry about them not leaving.

    If a landlord rang me to ask about a previous tenant of mine I would simply say to him at the outset that I cant answer any questions he may have on that particular tenant in case it comes back to haunt me in future.
    If I thought the tenant was a good tenant I would be praising them myself and simply say that if they asked to rent off me again I would have no problem whatsoever handing that person back the keys and go ahead and ask anything you like about them and i'll answer because I have nothing bad to say.
    There are several previous tenants of mine who I would gladly say that about. But there are also several who I would just say - I cant really help you, they were former tenants of mine, but they are not now and I have nothing else to say about them - to the landlord calling me.


    He should infer from that that if I have nothing good to say then its bad.

    Im out of the landlord business for about a year now but if I was still in it and I was calling a reference and they didn't or felt they couldn't answer a question for me then that tenants application goes to the pile on the right and I go straight on to the next tenant application.

    Its important to keep on good terms with all of your previous landlords. Because it doesn't take much to get from a previous landlord a signal that you should not rent to that person. As you can see a previous landlord can get their message across without saying a word.

    And in the very dangerous game that is being a landlord these days, any sensible landlord who is left in the business will very, very stringently check references and take note of what is said or not said by previous landlords.


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    #8
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    What if in my case you haven’t lived in rented accommodation for a period of time? I will have close to 12 months of a gap?

    My most recent rental was paid in cash but I can show a contract stating the amount.


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    #9
    LotharIngum
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭LotharIngum


    Gael23 wrote: »
    What if in my case you haven’t lived in rented accommodation for a period of time? I will have close to 12 months of a gap?

    My most recent rental was paid in cash but I can show a contract stating the amount.

    Your previous landlord reference holds more weight than one from a landlord now if you were currently living there.
    Give their number as a reference and also the agency number and if they are called that might be enough.
    but don't sweat that you haven't rented in a year at all.


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    #10
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    LotharIngum wrote: »
    Your previous landlord reference holds more weight than one from a landlord now if you were currently living there.
    Give their number as a reference and also the agency number and if they are called that might be enough.
    but don't sweat that you haven't rented in a year at all.

    Circumstances have led to me living with my parents for nearly a year. I could give the agency no problem and I might possibly be able to get in touch with another previous one to see if I can use him.


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    #11
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Starting viewings soon. Do I need something in writing going to a viewing?


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    #12
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    I rented this year for the first time in ten years.

    No references at all.
    A letter from my employer was sufficient for my landlord


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    #13
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Stheno wrote: »
    I rented this year for the first time in ten years.

    No references at all.
    A letter from my employer was sufficient for my landlord
    Just confirming your employment?


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    #14
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Gael23 wrote: »
    Just confirming your employment?

    No my salary also which is above average. Renting was subject to that as my partner doesn't earn a lot


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    #15
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Stheno wrote: »
    No my salary also which is above average. Renting was subject to that as my partner doesn't earn a lot

    My guess is that you were renting a whole house/apartment. I would be sharing to start if that makes any difference


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    #16
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,285 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Gael23 wrote: »
    My guess is that you were renting a whole house/apartment. I would be sharing to start if that makes any difference

    Letter from your employer- stating what your job is and how long you've been an employee- will be very helpful in a houseshare situation. You won't need it to have your salary on it- but it'll give prospective house-sharees an idea of who you are and what you- and how you might fit into the household- alongside the knowledge that you are in full gainful employment, will not be in the house all day wasting heat, and can pay your bills etc.


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    #17
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    LotharIngum wrote: »
    ...That said you still get landlords who cant check references properly and are clueless who will take just one and never even bother to ring. Others are totally useless at checking references and cant even figure out when they are talking to the tenants mates instead of landlord. So you should be fine with some landlords. ....

    Maybe you'd explain how you'd check references "properly"


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    #18
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Dav010 wrote: »
    Nothing I have heard in the media from tenants, people looking for rentals, landlords, housing agencies supports this.....

    These are the same "people" who demanded changes to fix the housing crisis. They got their changes. Did it fix the crisis?


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    #19
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,523 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    beauf wrote: »
    These are the same "people" who demanded changes to fix the housing crisis. They got their changes. Did it fix the crisis?

    No doubt they are some of the people, they got some changes, they didn’t fix the crisis, no doubt they want more, what has that got to do with the ops post about references, and who stole the jam from your jelly doughnut?


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    #20
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Dav010 wrote: »
    No doubt they are some of the people, they got some changes, they didn’t fix the crisis, no doubt they want more, what has that got to do with the ops post about references, and who stole the jam from your jelly doughnut?

    Consider, then that maybe they don't know what they are talking about when it comes to references either.


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    #21
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    I have an offer letter from the company now p, although it’s 13 pages long. Hopefully an extract of that will be ok


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    #22
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Gael23 wrote: »
    I have an offer letter from the company now p, although it’s 13 pages long. Hopefully an extract of that will be ok

    A job offer letter? Is it a new job?


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    #23
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,113 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Stheno wrote: »
    A job offer letter? Is it a new job?

    Yes, relocating to Dublin


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    #24
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,523 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Mr.S wrote: »
    Just explain your situation when you move to the application stage, it's common enough.

    Offer to show salary slips, bank statements (redacted, of course - only showing income and closing balance to show you have cover the rent) and your job offer letter / confirmation of role from your HR.

    In all my years of renting I have never had someone actually check a landlord reference, they are more interested in proof of income and proof of a steady job. I think most people these days realise it's a crap way to vet someone.

    It is a different market now for obvious reasons, every property, particularly in Dublin will have an enormous amount of applicants and LLs will try to limit risk in any way possible. Ability to pay rent is important, but a track record is equally important. You can never be certain of a reference or that you have made the right decision to let to s particular tenant, but you have to make some effort to minimise risk.

    The last time my apartment in Dublin was advertised I had a huge number of enquires on the first day it went on daft. Obviously you can’t show it to everybody so some kind of minimum criteria is necessary. References and the equivalent of 3 months rent (1st, last months rent plus equivalent of 1 months deposit) is about all you can do. No reference either means no history of renting or no LL will give it, why not try to minimise risk any way you can?


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