PM and LL references

[weg]

Just curious so thought i would ask.

Has anyone had any references from either of these (assume the private LL is genuine) that they later thought were misrepresentations of the tenant they took on - felt the tenant was praised just to get them out of a property?

In desperation I imagine it would be something some would be tempted in doing.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

How would you know that a private landlord is actually their landlord and not just a friend helping them?

 

[DaveM]

No, but I bought a property where the selling agent (who was also the managing agent), when expressly asked about the tenants rental history, swore that they were good payers on time and no issues, and at settlement also reiterated they are grea tenants happy to stay on. Upon settlement turns out the tenant had been in arrears almost every fortnight for the past 8 years and a termination notice was in effect for the day after settlement.

Rule: dont believe anyone.

 

[Scott No Mates]

It pays to ask the selling agent for a copy of the tenant's ledger if they are the managing agent Dave. Just another part of the DD process - proof of rent, proof of payment, proof of arrears.....

 

[weg]

How would you know that a private landlord is actually their landlord and not just a friend helping them?

A bit like written reciepts you don't place too much emphasis on them, but you alway ring because the non genuines are a dead give away (if you ask the right Q based on info about the tenants version of rental history, payment method, bond amount, date tenancy started, tribunal laws, etc. and they get them wrong you catch them).

Other times you know they're genuine straight off because the private LL gives them a bad wrap, or they get all the Q right, or it matches up on FB.

My Q however was more to do with anyone having a good reference that turned out to be a dud.

 

[DaveM]

It pays to ask the selling agent for a copy of the tenant's ledger if they are the managing agent Dave. Just another part of the DD process - proof of rent, proof of payment, proof of arrears.....

Yep was requested, not allowed to be released for privacy reasons.

I normally buy and have vacant possession, this was the first buy and keep tenant on purchase ever.... doesnt bother me so much in that I will be terminating and renovating come Spring anyway.

 

[weg]

I always ask for an electronic statements of the previous few weeks rent regardless of checking with a LL or PM, but if you're buying the property it's a bit different.

Written reciepts always crack me up .

 

[jenni_nextplace]

Sure some may not be the best but get the agent to complete a checklist question sheet for you as they tend to answer correctly. A copy of their ledger will let you know if they have ever been in arrears. You will find though most agents are honest because they know what its like and they are bound by the act. You will find that a LL may not be the same.

 

[weg]

Just rang a private LL. Knew beforehand what the result of that would be, but rang anyway.

The LL (or was it the tenant ) didn't know her own house number or the day of the week the rent was paid - had 3 goes - even though rent was paid 'on the dot'.

I didn't bother asking any more Q although the LL was quick to add the tenant was 'sooo good' and 'OCD like with cleaning; even washes the skirting boards' .

 

[Jamie M]

Just rang a private LL. Knew beforehand what the result of that would be, but rang anyway.

The LL (or was it the tenant ) didn't know her own house number or the day of the week the rent was paid - had 3 goes - even though rent was paid 'on the dot'.

I didn't bother asking any more Q although the LL was quick to add the tenant was 'sooo good' and 'OCD like with cleaning; even washes the skirting boards' .

Yep, that's how you catch them out - ask landlord specific questions that a genuine landlord or PM would quickly provide a response to. Start with asking them about the type of lease the tenants are currently on.

"OCD like with cleaning" - lol, I've heard that one a few times!

Cheers

Jamie

 

[mattysavager]

When it comes to rental references - I have only ever had one person pretend to be a PM (the tenant put "Nick 04xxxxxxxx") as their agent from Harcourts - I rang Harcourts and they had never heard of this person, so I rang the mobile number and had some fun with Nick, asking him about Form 11s, and all kinds of other things that he hadn't studied up on.

When it's a private LL (which people fake all the time), I always check that the person is the owner of the property according to RP Data. If they answer the phone with the right name, then I'm satisfied that I'm talking to the right person.

That's not to say that it couldn't still be a friend of the tenant - but it's better than nothing. Like all references, without a ledger to prove that rent was paid on time, they should be taken with a grain of salt.

Matt

 

[esh]

references

Always also good to call previous LL or agent (if available) . Once we called up the current agent and they had glowing references, and they would def sign them up as tenants again. We called the previous agents, " they were the worst tenants ever, they were so dirty etc etc". We think that maybe the current agents just wanted these tenants out, but always good to do as much ref checks as you can. If private LL, check through Apm or Rp Data.

Some questions we always ask is, if they paid on time, if they conducted any inspections whilst tenants were there and what was the condition of the property when they did inspect and if they would rent to them again.

 

[INVSTOR]

Yep, that's how you catch them out - ask landlord specific questions that a genuine landlord or PM would quickly provide a response to. Start with asking them about the type of lease the tenants are currently on.

"OCD like with cleaning" - lol, I've heard that one a few times!

Cheers

Jamie

Mmm, yer! My PM for my PPOR chose tenants like that. "they are so clean its embarrissing visiting". They had to breach them on the first inspection for being ultra grotty. I'm not sure how they did their checks but everything went downhill from there.

As a private landlord I've given one written and two verbal references for previous tenants to other private landlords. 1st - private landlord didn't verbally confirm what I'd written, (I was a bit surprised) but they were excellent tenants for 4 years. 2nd - I warned that tenant wasnt as clean as I liked and her child did a bit of damage but the prospective landlord had just had her place trashed and abandoned so she was happy with that. 3rd - Tenant always paid on time but NEVER cleaned. I told prospective landlord that. She cared most that they paid on time. I really wanted him out, so it was a relief that her priorities were different to mine - maybe it was a dump? I like to own/rent neat properties.
I've had people try to pull wool over my eyes but they are usually pretty unintelligent and easy to trip up.

 

[Sez]

How would you know that a private landlord is actually their landlord and not just a friend helping them?

I try to check property ownership details when I have a private landlord reference to see if the names match up.

Unfortunately I have had good references given for bad tenants in the past. There was one local agent that did it to me (Frankston) before I called her and asked for a rental reference for a tenant that I had accepted on her reference and then been in VCAT with within 3 months. The reference that I got was appalling. I asked how a tenant reference could change so much in such a short time..........needless to say she tried to wrap up that conversation quickly!!!

 

[weg]

I always ask for more than one agent or LL and ask the last agent/LL where the person/s came from.

I remember checking out a particular couple one time who looked good initially - well presented, good jobs, good agent reference.

Agent gave them a good report but said she could not devulge info relating to the previous tenancy as that was confidential. Just lazy and would not pull out the file?? Hadn't done checks?

Regardless there were alarm bells because the tenants claimed they had lived with their separate parents and had not rented before (both aged around 30 and married for a few years) and they were leaving at the end of their one year lease for no good reason.

This couple produced a marriage certificate for one address (shared the same suburb on that) which was different to the addresses on each of their drivers licences, which was different again to the two different parents addresses where they were living AFTER they married, which was different again to the address where they were coming from??

There were 6 addresses between them spanning 5 years.

Consequently they were rejected, even with a good agent report.