Fake reference tenant insists on paying agent and not us?
I have a tenant that is refusing to pay their rent directly to my bank account. He is paying through our letting agent who we do not have a managing agreement with. The tenant insists on not dealing with us and the letting agent just pay the rent on the tenant’s behalf.
My question is could this end up at the end of the contract 1) where the agent demanding back the rental payments claiming they were made in mistake; 2) the tenant disappearing at the end of the lease.
The tenant so far refused to meet me and I erroneously signed a lease on what looks like a fake job reference. Has anyone come across in a similar situation, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Alex
Comments
Have Your Say
Every day, landlords who want to influence policy and share real-world experience add their voice here. Your perspective helps keep the debate balanced.
Not a member yet? Join In Seconds
Login with
Previous Article
How do I sell up a portfolio?
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 754
2:30 PM, 21st June 2019, About 7 years ago
Your property, your rules. What right has the tenant to dictate how you manage the property?
You’re already aware that he has lied to you about his employment and that the agent did not do the referencing properly. Are they complicit in something? Beware.
Member Since May 2017 - Comments: 765
4:12 PM, 21st June 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by BB at 21/06/2019 – 11:57
If your bank details are on the contract surely the tenant is in breach of the contract if he doesn’t pay into your account? In fact you could tell the tenant he hasn’t paid the rent as its not arrived in your account.
Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 73
4:14 PM, 21st June 2019, About 7 years ago
It sounds as if not only the tenant is fishy but so is the agency. No agency would accept receiving and then forwarding on rent without being paid for it. It seems you are saying the agency themselves provided a reference – get rid of them all
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1575 - Articles: 16
10:12 PM, 21st June 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by BB at 21/06/2019 – 12:05
If Agents reference is ‘grossly defective’ they are professionally negligent and 2 stated cases have shown all Landlords losses awarded against them.
Hale v Blue Sky Properties 2016, and
Shevlin v Sequence 2016.
Don’t bother taking a discretionary ground for Possession to court, best you get will be a suspended Possession order.
Advice courtesy of ; Possession Friend.uk