Prospective landlords asking for too much information

beauf

I had the similar thought around tracing people sharing the same bus or train.
Its not recorded. So unless they give out the information identifying the train or bus. People have no way of knowing if they were on it or not.

Graham

I'd have no problems sending a screenshot of that over to a landlord who's just offered me a tenancy either.

I'd expect it, or at least something along those lines.

Graham

beauf wrote: »

ID is also excessive. Since a PPS or indeed a phone number is uniquely identifiable can't ask for that either.

So some people won't give it, and I wonder how far they'll get before realizing the LL has no means (or intention) to contact them.

Sure we have tens of thousands of posts here where potential tenants discuss refusing to give their name/phone number when arranging to view a property.

Oh wait....

:rolleyes:

Mic 1972

Graham wrote: »

I'd have no problems sending a screenshot of that over to a landlord who's just offered me a tenancy either.
I'd expect it, or at least something along those lines.

you expect to be offered a tenancy before providing evidence of your payment records? on what planet?

beauf

Graham wrote: »

Sure we have tens of thousands of posts here where potential tenants discuss refusing to give their name/phone number when arranging to view a property.

Oh wait....

:rolleyes:

Boards does not reflect reality.

Boards only has what it allows to be posted.
There's a whole range of topics that are basically a no go area on many forums including accommodation.

Partly why you get threads like this.

The Student

beauf wrote: »

Boards does not reflect reality.

Boards only has what it allows to be posted.
There's a whole range of topics that are basically a no go area on many forums including accommodation.

Partly why you get threads like this.

I would completely agree with you on this. Here we have a thread with over 170 posts on a topic that bears no resemblance to the real world.

On one hand we have the landlords who are trying to protect their asset and use financial information to aid in the decision process (exactly the way a bank or any financial institution would in making decisions, eg you have to provide this information to be considered for a mortgage even if you don't get one because you are not credit worthy)

On the other hand we have the tenants who don't want to give over the detail and expect landlords to go on a hunch as to who to choose, then if that person is not successful because the landlord did not think there finances were sufficient then the prospective tenant cries discrimination.

I am just reading the posts on this topic and am actually just laughing to myself. To see the gap between this and the real world is actually funny.

NuMarvel

Mic 1972 wrote: »

you expect to be offered a tenancy before providing evidence of your payment records? on what planet?

As I said earlier, this is how it's worked for me to date, and I'm pretty sure I was on planet Earth each of those times.

I don't think I'm unique either.

NuMarvel

The Student wrote: »

I would completely agree with you on this. Here we have a thread with over 170 posts on a topic that bears no resemblance to the real world.

On one hand we have the landlords who are trying to protect their asset and use financial information to aid in the decision process (exactly the way a bank or any financial institution would in making decisions, eg you have to provide this information to be considered for a mortgage even if you don't get one because you are not credit worthy)

On the other hand we have the tenants who don't want to give over the detail and expect landlords to go on a hunch as to who to choose, then if that person is not successful because the landlord did not think there finances were sufficient then the prospective tenant cries discrimination.

I am just reading the posts on this topic and am actually just laughing to myself. To see the gap between this and the real world is actually funny.

In the real world, there are data protection laws. It's funny how time and time and time again, the response of those who disagree with the law is to just dismiss it, instead of explaining how their requests actually would be compliant.

The Student

NuMarvel wrote: »

In the real world, there are data protection laws. It's funny how time and time and time again, the response of those who disagree with the law is to just dismiss it, instead of explaining how their requests actually would be compliant.

Where exactly did I dismiss it. If you re-read my post you will see how I likened the situation to a person looking for a mortgage, a prerequisite for getting a mortgage is ones ability to pay, exactly the same with renting a property.

A landlord like any other business is entitled to request information to assess anybody who wishes to be considered for renting a property, once the landlord securely holds that information and destroys it when no longer required for the purpose for which it was intended ie aiding in the decision making process on prospective tenants than the landlord has done no wrong.

How many people have a bank account solely used for paying rent, I would suggest very few, so there is no reason why a person can not supply a redacted version of their bank account showing previous rent payments thereby proving ability to pay. There is no reason to request a person's PPS number until registering with the RTB.

Some people just don't want to provide the relevant detail to allow for the landlord make an informed judgement, rather the landlord should just go on a hunch and only then should they ask for the details.

Couple this with the fact that its almost impossible to evict a non paying tenant and yet we have posters quoting what the law is without seeing how it works in the real world.

What posters fail to understand in this whole situation is that the law is not actually balanced. On one side you have the landlords trying to protect themselves and looking for reasonable information to make a commercial decision while on the other hand you have tenants who are been given more and more excuses to penalise landlords.

And people wonder why the rental market is the way it is!

Mic 1972

NuMarvel wrote: »

As I said earlier, this is how it's worked for me to date, and I'm pretty sure I was on planet Earth each of those times.

I don't think I'm unique either.

From my personal experience.
I have been renting a flat for the last 15 years, i went through a number of different tenants over the years.
People who stand better chances with me are usually personal referrals, friends of my friends and so on. Followed by people who stand out from the rest due to high steady income and good payment records
It's all about trust. Can you market yourself a s a trustworthy tenant if you are unwilling to share specific relevant personal info?
The again if this has worked for you until now then where is the issue? I was under the impression that you were being asked personal information by LL that you didn't want to disclose

Graham

Mic 1972 wrote: »

you expect to be offered a tenancy before providing evidence of your payment records? on what planet?

I expect somebody would be offered a tenancy subject to references, financial checks etc.

beauf

NuMarvel wrote: »

In the real world, there are data protection laws. It's funny how time and time and time again, the response of those who disagree with the law is to just dismiss it, instead of explaining how their requests actually would be compliant.

We are not discussing the law, but the guidance document, which suggests you can only request information from "prospective" tenants. But doesn't explain how you identify a "prospect".

NuMarvel wrote: »

As I said earlier, this is how it's worked for me to date, and I'm pretty sure I was on planet Earth each of those times.

I don't think I'm unique either.

Being a "prospective" tenant doesn't give you any insight into how to identify a "prospective tenant". You could have been picked at random.

beauf

Graham wrote: »

I expect somebody would be offered a tenancy subject to references, financial checks etc.

No all. If someone doesn't care about the law and will illegally evict them anyway, why would they bother.

Graham

The Student wrote: »

On one hand we have the landlords who are trying to protect their asset and use financial information to aid in the decision process (exactly the way a bank or any financial institution would in making decisions

Nothing like a bank.

Unless the bank were saying I have 1 loan here, 100 of you can apply for the loan with full financial history and references and I'll pick one 'winning' applicant for the loan.

Mic 1972

Graham wrote: »

I expect somebody would be offered a tenancy subject to references, financial checks etc.

Personally, I wouldn't move forward with an offer unless I felt confident enough after running all relevant checks before hand

The Student

Graham wrote: »

Nothing like a bank.

Unless the bank were saying I have 1 loan here, 100 of you can apply for the loan with full financial history and references and I'll pick one 'winning' applicant for the loan.

But it is like a bank, the bank does not have unlimited money to loan out it has a finite amount and will only loan it to the most suitable applicants.

Does every applicant who applies for a mortgage get one? How does the bank decide who does and does not get one?

beauf

I don't think these analogies are helping.

The reason you are resorting to analogies is because of lack of real life experience of the process.
Most people will have rented. But same is not true of managing properties.

Cyclists vs Drivers discussions struggle for the same reason.

Graham

Mic 1972 wrote: »

Personally, I wouldn't move forward with an offer unless I felt confident enough after running all relevant checks before hand

It's an offer, nothing to stop you withdrawing it if the checks don't pan out.

NuMarvel

beauf wrote: »

Being a "prospective" tenant doesn't give you any insight into how to identify a "prospective tenant". You could have been picked at random.

Being a prospective tenant gives me insight, and experience, of what landlords do when they're picking tenants. And regardless of how they decided on who to make an offer, the fact remains that I was never asked for the type of information we're talking about until I was offered the place. The offer came first, the references and checks second.

beauf

More accurately it only gave you experience of the handful of LLs you had contact with.

This thread wouldn't exist if they all did the same thing. The DC wouldn't have mentioned it. Therefore there are LL's who do it differently.

A broken clock is right twice a day. Just because it all worked out doesn't mean, there are no problems with a certain approach.

NuMarvel

beauf wrote: »

This thread wouldn't exist if they all did the same thing. The DC wouldn't have mentioned it.

That's exactly my point, thank you.

Ubbquittious

The Student wrote: »

But it is like a bank, the bank does not have unlimited money to loan out it has a finite amount and will only loan it to the most suitable applicants.

Does every applicant who applies for a mortgage get one? How does the bank decide who does and does not get one?

Doesn't it? Fractional reserve requirements are pretty much nonexistent these days

The Student

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Doesn't it? Fractional reserve requirements are pretty much nonexistent these days

Does every mortgage applicant get approved? If not why not?

Strumms

Problem I have is if I agree a lease with a landlord, say 1400 per month for a property, once the landlord has access to first hand info like a payslip he can go about using that information to establish how much more he can get away with charging...

I earn take home 2500 say per month, the girlfriend the same, the landlord such is landlord mindset is thinking...”hmmm circa 5 grand per month into their hand between them, no fûck it, they can afford 1800 per month, I WANT 1800!”. Nothing to do with the location of the property, the size, condition and comforts, he is trying to maximize his asset by virtue of scanning and examining your personal finances to find your ‘ability to pay’ as opposed to the true value. This may not manifest itself in the initial rent or it may, but after the lease is up it’s going to be used against you when the rent goes up.

A letter from an employer, should suffice, your work ID to view etc... them having a big brotheresque ‘IN’ into your finances and financial documents.... ‘NO’ ****ïng way, walk away if that shït starts.

beauf

How will they do that with the rules around rent controls?

beauf

NuMarvel wrote: »

That's exactly my point, thank you.

That makes no sense.

Strumms

beauf wrote: »

How will they do that with the rules around rent controls?

They ‘can’ say that ok, here is notice to leave if you don’t comply..

As long as they wouldn’t be leaving a paper trail as to what they are up to they would be in the clear.

beauf

The rent will have been in the ad, and from the previous tenant. There will also be paper trail from your account, and from what ever else you create, like emails and/or texts.

Manion

I've not read the 14 pages of arguing before this but just wanted to add that as a landlord working with a reputable letting agency I had to provide a lot of the same information to the agency.

- PPS No.
- Proof of ownership
- Photo I.D. such as a driving licence or passport
- Evidence of residency
- Proof of address

I did not have to provide payslips or bank statements because the estate agent gets paid upfront. Similar information was collected by the agent from the tenants but all that was passed onto me was the employer and previous landlord references. It you're concerned about sharing personal information, seek out a reputable agent to rent from.

Claw Hammer

Graham wrote: »

It's an offer, nothing to stop you withdrawing it if the checks don't pan out.

By that time all the other interested individuals will have gone elsewhere.