Updating post from Reddit.
Hi all, looking for thoughts from fellow LL.
We have a flat about to be vacant. We've had a handful of viewings over the last couple of weeks and one offer today from an apparent married couple. He is employed, she is a graduate and seeking employment. He can on his salary afford the rent.
They are offering full amount but with the following "advisories"
In principal no issue with dog as we love dogs but it's a doberman, in a flat... Is there something I should consider with pet owners? Perhaps increasing rent to accommodate? Happy to hear any insights or thoughts.
Onto the debt, Apparently Credit Card taken out by an ex partner and apparently due to be paid off in the coming weeks.
They have offered a guarantor.
I did reply back to EA asking for some sort of evidence of fraud by their ex, or some sort of evidence confirming it will be paid off but they said they have nothing at all. Which to me just says the story is a story and simply put it's their debt and potentially caused by them and my conscious is clear to not really care about the story. and simply view the CCJ as a red flag.
What should I be asking the EA to ensure I am as informed in advance before making a decision either way?
IMO it’s not worth the risk. Just reject the application and move on. The EA acts in their interests not yours
Personally I would be looking for another tenant.
Absolutely no chance. Doberman as well as sketchy credit past. Give them a wide berth.
Heard those kinds of lies in the past myself. You've asked for evidence and been given none, so it's a no brainer that you don't want this guy.
I get that some people have CCJs and are unaware etc, but you're better off playing it safe and finding somebody else.
Doberman in a flat is also not ideal, either.
Personal opinion, search for another tenant. I've had a very similar experience with a married couple. Him, with an income that covered the rent, and her without any income, him with a CCJ claiming it was from a speeding fine.
2 months after signing the tenancy they started being late with rent payments. Fast forward 11 months down the line, after a Section 21, one Section 8, I was lucky enough for them to leave the property without me having to go through the courts... Needless to say property was filled with rubbish, it took me 1 month to clean and repair the damages.... But thank goodness I count myself lucky, it could have been much much worse.
Definitely learned my lesson.
Bear in mind the CCJ is there for a reason, a CCJ only shows on the credit check if the person did not settle it in the first 30 days or in extraordinary circumstances it could land there if the person was issued with it as part of a default judgement. In which case he could have applied for it to be set aside.
That old story.
The debt wasn't theirs. And yet it was in their name.
It will be paid off. It hasn't been paid off when it could have been.
Potential: they may say they didn't know about it until recently. They would have known if there had been a problem and probably buried their head in the sand in the hope that it would go away, especially if they moved to a new address in the past.
There is always an excuse and a reason why the CCJ exists. Mostly, it wasn't their fault, or they didn't know about it.
It probably took a year or two of avoiding payments before it went to court. How old is the CCJ. It will be within 6 years.
They would have had an opportunity before it went to court to do something about it. They had an opportunity to go to court and clear their name. They may or may not have gone to court.
The court decided that the debt was theirs.
A CCJ is a very good indicator that someone has tried to avoid paying someone money.The past is a reasonable indication for the future. A reason not to take on a high-risk tenant.
Yeah, my gut was ringing alarm bells. I've just declined them. Aside from the CCJ story I can't imagine a Doberman in a flat being a good environment so can imagine new floors after a year.
I had a CCJ because I was stupid (my own credit card bill), but I've always paid rent on time. Thankfully my landlady took a chance on me, my previous 2 landlords gave good references as well, which helped. Guarantor wasn't a thing then.
I was upfront what it was about though and never lied.
If you're paying towards a debt, there should clearly be some evidence of payments towards the debt? A payment plan or something.
Credit card CCJ really doesn't mean somebody won't pay their rent at all, let's be real.
Doberman in a flat though, I would be wondering if such a big dog is best placed in a flat if anything.
Had a prospective tenant with a CCJ who cooked up a story that his brother took out a mobile phone contract in their name. Gave them the benefit of the doubt and got the estate agent to ask them to clear the amount (less than £300). Few weeks roll by and CCJ still in place. After some back and forth and empty promises nothing changed. With 2 weeks to go before move in day, tenant says they don’t like the invasive questions being asked and pulled out. Took another 6 weeks to find a tenant and a valuable lesson learnt the hard way.
for me the only real tool a landlord has is the CCJ system, and is the reason why every landlord has a duty to ensure they go after every non paying tenant to achieve the CCJ. for me its a major red flag regardless of reason. it says they went all the way, as far as possible to not pay, and the CCJ is your warning of their attitude towards money. i would never take that tenant on, because we all know the cost if he decides to get a second CCJ at your property.. £8-£10k maybe £20k if he trashed the place on his last day.
Home Owner Guarantor with good credit? I'd proceed. However a large dog in a non ground floor flat without a garden? I'd have moral objections that wouldn't let me go ahead.
This would be an automatic rejection for me, not even a consideration.
Just say no, trust me I learned the hard way. These people get themselves into this risk they will try to suck you into that risk too. Plenty of decent tenants out there. Anyone with a ccj would of had plenty of opportunities to clear debt pre ccj so shows what kind of tenant they will be... One that would happily not pay rent as ccj do not phase them.
No no and no not ever
Dog in flat. Nope. Probably breaks yours leasehold rules and if they leave it inside barking every day, have fun with the neighbours.
Debt problems that are about to be paid off? Cool story brah.
You generally pay an EA to filter people like this out, not put them forward.
These answers just reiterate that landlords are not nice people. Try being human for once in your lives. These people have declared everything, haven’t lied and you’re treating them like vermin. Clearly shows you’ve been handed your properties and never had to rent yourselves.
I think you missed the part where evidence was asked for. Which I politely requested and was declined. If they did have fraud committed against them then there would be some evidence of that like a letter to or from a bank or police. Evidence of it being paid off which I asked for and evidence of timeline to satisfy their debt. You talk of nice but dismiss that maybe I’ve worked hard for something and don’t want to put myself at risk because someone could have potentially lied. The fact is I have no evidence of truth or otherwise and that in itself is enough for me to decline. Additionally having a Doberman in a flat is fine for them, but probably not the dog and certainly not the neighbours. Nice or not doesn’t play a part. Facts do. So when I ask for information it’s so I can help but to do so I need to be informed.
This is a community for Landlords. You can be anti-landlord in other places like /r/HousingUK/