It would genuinely take a lot for me to consider accepting another DSS tenant because of what I’ve experienced, but I know what would work in their favour if they were ever to try and convince me. Sadly, DSS tenants are in a position where they have to convince landlords. To stand the best chance, here are a few tips:

1] Rental History

Rental history for a DSS tenant is vital. If you have positive rental history as a DSS tenant, it will show you’re still able to pay rent and respect the property and neighbourhood you live in.

Present your landlord with references and contact details of your previous landlord.

2] Get a Guarantor

Arrange a Guarantor that has stability – a well paid job and a home of their own.

3] Rental insurance

Offer to pay for rental insurance, so your landlord is reassured he/she will never lose out on rent. This option could involve a premium of a few hundred pounds, but it could be the safety net which will convince a landlord.

4] Get the council to pay directly to landlords

By default, tenants receive their housing benefit directly from the council, which they are then expected to pass onto their landlords. Of course, that wasn’t always the case- landlords used to receive the rent directly from the council. When that was the case, landlords were a lot more willing to take on DSS tenants. Some local councils will still pay direct to landlords under special circumstances.

See if you can get this arranged with your council, so your landlord receives the rent directly. It will be an extremely compelling arrangement for your prospective landlord.

5] Look in newspapers and websites like Gumtree

More and more letting agents are refusing to let DSS tenants in through the front door, so options are limited.

You’re best bet is to approach landlords directly, and the best way to do that is by looking in your local newspapers and websites like Gumtree, where private landlords market their properties.

6] Offer to put down a bigger security deposit

Typically, landlords will require one month’s rent to cover the security deposit.

The most a landlord can charge for any security deposit is the total of two month’s rent for an unfurnished property, or three month’s rent for a furnished property.

If you have the spare cash, offer to pay 2/3 months worth of a deposit.

Does anyone else have any other tips for the DSS community caught in the struggle?

I was engrossed by an article I was reading on the BBC website the other day, The Secret Agent, which surfaced a few of the ill practices estate agents embraced in their day-to-day profession. The worrying part was that not all these tactics were deployed by the odd rotten apple, some were actually tactics passed down and encouraged by management.

The article was about two undercover reporters working at various estate agents, investigating what really happens behind the scenes of some estate agents. Some of the tactics are pretty hardcore and heart-stoppingly ruthless; I’m not saying ALL agents harness these tactics, but I am saying these are reported issues and DO happen, and they’re issues we, as homebuyers and vendors, should be aware of.

Here are a few of the danger areas summarized:

Overvaluing properties

Properties are often overvalued by agents so their commission is boasted and overall profits are maximized. It’s also common practice for agents to convince surveyors that properties are worth more than they actually are.

Under-performing agents are heckled

Under-performing estate agents are heckled and those who have done the most deals are applauded and given champagne and cash rewards.

With rewardment schemes like that, no wonder psychological cords are pulled, forcing the underachievers to perhaps deploy dirty tactics to escape from the bottom of the barrel.

Going to war mentality

The article mentions that Jon Hunt, the owner of Foxtons, encourages his agents to adopt the mantra: “Our clients expect us to go to war for them!” – so it’s hardly surprising the lengths his staff will go to keep the deals coming in.

Inside financial knowledge

A lot of estate agents have in-house mortgage brokers, or brokers that work closely with agents. If that’s the case, it’s not unheard of for both parties to openly discuss potential buyers’ budgets so they can squeeze as much money out of them as possible.

Some buyers have no idea that the agents showing them around properties already know exactly what they can afford.

Faking documents

Faking documents has been one of the more extreme cases reported. Agents fake a signature on an absent landlord’s paperwork. Secret footage has been recorded of staff cutting, pasting and gluing signatures onto contracts. It was referred to as “chop chop”.

The invention of fake offers

This is where an agent will hide offers, so vendors are led to believe their properties were overpriced. Then after a while, when the owner is utterly desperate to sell, the agents make up false offers well below the original valuation so the owner reduces the price.

This is usually done when agents are trying to get bargains for their friends and families.

Backhanders

A case was reported where agents were asking for cash backhanders from property developers in return for cheating owners out of tens of thousands of pounds. So basically, an agent would convince vendors to sell their properties for a well undervalued price, so the developers could snap up a bargain. In some cases, properties were undervalued by as much as £40,000.

Even after the £backhander, the developer is still £30,000 in positive equity.

Fake Documentation

By far the most extremist practice- agents have openly offered homebuyers a fake British passport, P60 forms and forged utility bills. These documents help homebuyers get mortgages that they’re not illegible for ordinarily obtaining.

What’s your experience?

Have you ever dealt with estate agents that lied, or crossed a certain line to push through a deal or maximize profit? Hit me with your story…

I’m sure a lot of landlords have shown prospective tenants around their property and thought, “Hmm I’m not sure I want these punks living here”

Unless I’m completely comfortable with my prospective tenants, I don’t bother wasting time on trying to convince myself they’ll result in being good tenants. Based on my own experience I can confirm that my gut instinct makes more sense than the sales pitch any tenant has to offer. I’ve given people the benefit of doubt before and it’s always turned out sour.

Here’s an example of an uncertain landlord. This comment was left on my blog last week:

i am about to let my one bed flat to a seemingly nice young couple. they have paid the deposit (minus £80 as that was all they had on them at the time)and will pay the first months rent upfront when they move in next week as agreed by both parties. i did an NLA reference check and was advised to get a guarantor however it was suggested the guarantor earn £30,000 a year. the tenants advised me that although they could get a guarantor they didn’t earn that amount of money. they seem a very genuine couple however i am a bit unsure about renting the property to them. when i emailed them yesterday about how much they needed to bring when moving in the girl said she had the first months rent but was going to pay the £80 balance from the deposit the following week. i was a little put out as she hasn’t moved in yet and i thought she would have had the courtesy to ask me first if that was okay. they are going to purchase some of the current tenants furniture which is why they are a bit short and said they could pay the £80 balance when they move in as agreed and then pay the tenant the following week which he is in agreement with. however i am just unsure as to whether or not to proceed. the tenant check informed me that the girl was on a 3 months trial where she works although she has assured me it will be permanent. (she works for tesco) the guy is also on a contract although it is on-going. she did mention that they got into some financial problems before but managed to clear this. i don’t doubt their intentions and i know they do desperately want the flat as they really like it. part of me feels i should go with my gut instinct and give them the benefit of the doubt but another part of me says to try and get someone else. what would you advise?

What would you do in that situation? Would you give the tenant the benefit of doubt, or go with your gut instinct?

I wouldn’t think twice about rejecting them. My reasons being:

• They’re already £80 short, before even the tenancy has started. That’s not a great start.
• The landlord already admitted she felt “unsure” – I would go with that instinct; the landlord will genuinely feel better knowing she has tenants that she’s completely sure about.
• As the landlord said, the couple didn’t even have the courtesy to ask whether being £80 short was okay or not. That’s not only rude, but it’s also worrying.
• The tenants have a history of financial problems

In this particular example, I think there are way too many signs of danger. Granted, the couple could genuinely turn out to be good tenants, but it’s a risk I wouldn’t be willing to take because I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking the risk.

Common mistake landlords make

A lot of landlords make the fatal mistake of accepting the first tenant that comes along because they want to fill the vacant property as quickly as possible. While that seems to make the most financial sense, it can actually have the opposite affect.

Problematic tenants can be expensive in so many ways, so it’s best to avoid them completely. I’d personally rather keep my property vacant a little longer if it means I’ll get tenants that I’ll feel completely comfortable with. I can swallow paying a month’s mortgage out of my own pocket because that WILL be cheaper than harbouring problem-tenants.

Have you taken a chance with a tenant? How did it work out?

Just remember, taking risks can have its consequences…

Pretty elaborate imagery, right? I’m told the photos are of a regular family home that was let by a letting agency in Surrey. They were taken just after the police had cleared the plants and lamps.

Unfortunately, I’m not an expert in the field of growing weed, so I can’t really comment on whether the farmers have an efficient little setup, but it all looks rather operational. Is anyone experienced or knowledged enough to know whether it looks like a professional setup?

I’m curious about what that dark liquid-shit is in the bathroom, perhaps it’s some kind of fertilizer. One thing I do know, though; weed is grown under high powered UVB ultraviolet lamps in a moist environment, so all that moisture must have soaked into the floors and plaster. My guess is that the property is in worse condition than the pictures portray.

As mentioned, cannibas farming in private rental accommodationg is becoming extremely popular, so landlords need to be extremely rigorous when choosing their tenants. Here are a few useful links:

• Make Regular Inspections Of Your BTL
• The Best And Worst Tenants Guide
• Avoiding Professional Bad Tenants

Finally, here’s a shout out to all my cronic-loving homies. Respect.

If the tenant changes the lock, landlords are not entitled to a key unless it says so in the contract. However, the tenant should not unreasonably withhold access, and if he or she does, the landlord can apply to the county court for an injunction.

If the tenant does change the locks they should preserve the fixtures and fittings. Any damages caused by the tenant maybe recoverable from the security deposit.

I actually once had a tenant that changed the front door locks. This was the outcome of her handy D.I.Y work:

Crazy shit, right? The door was completely trashed. To her displeasure, I ended up using her security deposit to replace the door. You can read more about that dramatic saga here: I’ve Fallen Out With My Ex-Tenant Over Her Security Deposit.

Also, just a reminder…
It is the tenant’s right not to be disturbed or harassed while living in the property. Landlords are not entitled to enter the tenant’s living area without written permission as they have the right to use the property as their home.

More details here: Landlord’s Right Of Entry

When I was previously looking for tenants, the first thing I did was place an advert on Gumtree (How to market your BTL effectively on Gumtree). One of the processes of marketing my property on Gumtree involved checking out the local competition to see what I was up against. I searched for all the rental property available in the same area as my vacant property. While looking through the results, I noticed that a prospective tenant had published a “wanted” advert. A young couple were looking for a property to rent in the location where I had a vacant property. I got in touch with them and they took a viewing, and shortly after became my tenants.

If you think about it, it was a backward approach to how tenants and landlords typically collide, but it was still extremely affective. In the advert the tenants sold themselves to me; it’s usually the landlord doing all the selling.

Here’s a more recent example of how someone else is doing it:

You can actually see the live advert here for now (it may disappear in time).

She sells herself well, and obviously the picture is a great selling point as you can see who you’re dealing with. She’s getting interest, just look at the pageviews. If I had a vacant property in the area, I would definitely give her a call.

Anyways, it’s just something for prospective tenants and landlords to think about. Traditional methods aren’t always the best or only options.

A quick thank you to the folks over at Royals Of Rent for linking me to the advert via Twitter.

1] “That will be fixed by the time you move in”

If you notice something broken or off-key during the viewing, ensure it’s attended to before you sign any contracts, pay any deposits or agree to anything.

Once you’ve moved in, the landlord will be more reluctant to get things fixed because he already has you as a tenant.

2] “Don’t worry, everything is in working order”

Don’t take your tight-fisted landlord’s word for it. Test everything for yourself; take the noise coming out of your landlord’s greasy lips with a pinch of salt. Test things like the heating, hot water and white goods for yourself.

3] “I’ll put your deposit in a tenancy deposit scheme”

I’m still surprised at how many tenants complain about their deposits being unfairly held by their landlords. Make sure your landlord secures your deposit into a Tenancy deposit scheme, don’t just take his/her word for it. Ask your landlord which scheme they’re going to use and when they’re going to deposit it. The fact you’re even asking about the scheme will inform the landlord you’re clued up on the issue. the Once your deposit is secured, you should be notified by the deposit scheme.

4] “Pay for it, I’ll give you the money back later”

If anything needs replacing or fixing, which is the landlord’s responsibility, ensure the landlord pays directly for the costs. Do NOT give your landlord credit- he will abuse the hell out of it.

5] “It’s a real quiet neighbourhood, there’s no trouble at all around here”

Classic sales pitch. Your landlord doesn’t even live there, what does he know?

6] “I’ll send you your copy of the tenancy agreement in the post”

I blame tenants themselves for being so stupid and irresponsible when they get caught in this trap. However, I’ll throw you guys a bone by warning you about this one (even though I shouldn’t have to).

I still find it difficult to digest that tenants move into a property WITHOUT having their hands on a tenancy agreement. Do not hand over money or move in until you have a copy of your Tenancy Agreement in your hands!!!!

Trust me, I’m a landlord

Landlord Directory is a new portal specifically for landlords. Essentially, it’s a directory of all local services that maybe useful to landlords. A bit like The Yellow pages, only it only holds services directly useful for landlords.

Useful for landlords

Simply, enter a postcode, and a list of useful landlord services will be generated, in distance order, returning a list of local services e.g. letting agents, registered gas engineers etc. Handy, yes? No? Yes.

Useful for businesses

If you offer a useful service for landlords, you may want to submit your business into the directory for FREE. Operative word being “useful”. In return you’ll get free exposure and consequently free custom. The landlord will be provided with your contact details and a direction to your trading offices (if applicable).

What do you think?

Any feedback regarding the website will be appreciated. You never know, your ideas/thoughts may even be taken on board if they’re valid enough.

On a few occasions I’ve seen some of the haters write some funny shit about me and my beautiful cesspit of a blog. Ironically, it’s the parasites with obscure, unfunny humour which gets under my skin and causes me to mentally malfunction.

I was notified by a reader about this recent thread (you need to sign up to view the thread – probably not worth it since I took a screenshot) on the ageants website (it’s an online colony of estate and letting agents):

The estate agent obviously had a problem with my 15 reasons why estate agents are idiots blog post, which I can totally understand. But I don’t really get his punchline:

I’m guessing he doesnt like ‘us’ because he cannot actually afford a property and was told by an estate agent somewhere down the line to “f@@@ off timewaster, take your free newspaper and get out my office!”

I don’t get the joke at all, and I’m extremely open minded, and I have an awesome sense of humour. FACT! I’m not offended by what he said, I just don’t find the joke funny. It reminds me of “old people” humour. I swear when people get older, their sense of humour becomes extremely simple and they end up laughing at stuff that ain’t really funny e.g. if someone drops a spoon on the floor by accident at the dinner table. Old people love that shit. (I don’t dislike old people, I have grandparents, too. I’m just stating facts)

I’m not entirely sure if being told to “fuck off” because I can’t afford a house is funny, whichever way I look at it (even if I was diagnosed with “old man” humour syndrome). Obviously, it’s especially not funny because it’s an estate agent telling me to “fuck off”.

“Funny” would be an estate agent telling someone to “fuck off” and then getting beat the crap out of with a “for sale” sign for being such a rude, dumb, shit-for-brains, right?

Anyways, I should probably change the article to “16 reasons why estate agents are idiots”

16] Estate Agents are unfunny cu*ts.

Since the “15 reasons why estate agents are idiots” article is merely based on stereotypes, I hope some of you genuinely cool and funny agents don’t get too offended by that article, this article and point 16.

And for the record, I don’t dislike Estate Agents because I can’t afford a house, despite what matey thinks/says. But, now, I do, dislike Estate Agents because they’re unfunny cu*ts.

Love you all.
The Landlord.