The top ways that you can show a landlord you'll be a good tenant for their property.
When applying for a new property to rent, there are many hoops that you must jump through. After all the effort you put into applying for a property, it can be disappointing to be told you haven't been accepted. So how can you be sure that when you apply for a property, you will be successful?
When applying for a new property to rent, there are many hoops that you must jump through, from providing ID and bank statements to paying the holding fee and going through the referencing process. After all the effort you put into applying for a property, it can be disappointing to be told you haven't been accepted.
So how can you be sure that when you apply for a property, you will be successful? After all, you've viewed many properties, and this is the one that you want. If your application is unsuccessful, you'll have to start that process again.
The landlord, and the agent, on their behalf, are looking to build a picture of you as a person, your family and whether you will make an excellent, trustworthy tenant. The references can only show an agent and the landlord so much information. The rest of the decision will have to be made on the perception of who you are and how you might live in the property.
Can you be trusted? Do you come across as the kind of person that can look after the property? Do you have a solid financial track record helping to prove that you will pay the rent on time?
So, how can you show that you are a good option for a landlord?
Be prompt: If you are late for appointments or don't show up for viewings, you will come across as irresponsible. It is disrespectful of the other parties' time and can be quite frustrating to them to have to wait around for you without knowing if you will even show up. Of course, unavoidable things can make you late sometimes, but a courteous call to the agents or the landlord will keep them informed.
Be responsible: Do what you say you are going to do. Being responsible and reliable will show that you can be trusted, which is the point of the referencing process. If you can show that you are a responsible adult, you will be well on the way to a successful application for a property.
Be open and honest: We all have a history that can sometimes be imperfect. If anything is uncovered in the reference that you've not previously disclosed, you risk losing your holding deposit. You may come across as trying to hide something, making you seem untrustworthy. Being open and honest about things that the agent or the landlord will likely uncover when they complete the reference will help your process immensely.
Fundamentally, the agent and the landlord are trying to judge who will be a safe option to live in the property. The more you can demonstrate your ability to be responsible and pay the rent, the more likely your application will succeed.
If you have a bad credit rating, you may think it's a lost cause, and there isn't even any point, but this is not the case, but you can overcome issues with your credit score in many ways, such as using a Guarantor or paying some rent upfront.
If you are otherwise a responsible person that had a minor financial mishap, explain what happened and how. This way, you can show that this is an anomaly and not representative of how you manage your finances as a general rule.
The referencing process is not a test; it is simply a way for the agents to gauge your ability to look after and pay for a property so that they can recommend you to the landlord. It is more like a job interview, so be conscientious and responsible, open and honest, and you'll not go far wrong.
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