Foreign tenant enquiry

[Welshcake]

Hi All

New to this forum and just about to become a private landlord.

I have had the usual time wasters and have today been contacted by phone and email by a Polish gentleman who wishes to rent our 4 bed house, along with his brother and two friends.

I don't want to scare him off however the house has been redecorated etc in preparation for letting so I want to be sure I get all the info possible.

I have a tenancy agreement ready (assured shorthold) but I was expecting UK applicants whom I could check references etc.

What should I reasonably ask these enquirers to provide so I can have some piece of mind that the house won't be trashed and they do a runner (my ad specified 2 months rent up front whch includes 1 month as a bond).

Hope you can give this green landlord-to-be some reassuring guidance,

thanks all

Cer

[F-Prop]

Hi There,

Don't let foreign tenants put you off, I've had loads, Polish, Russian, Australian, even a few English

I would get a proper credit reference run though. I use Maras (www.maras.co.uk) They will give you a form which you give to your tenant to complete. It simply asks where they have been living and working in the past and it doesn't matter if it's been on the other side of the world, they will still check it out! It costs about £20 which you can quite rightly charge the tenant for. It usually takes 2-3days to complete although if they are having to make overseas calls then it can sometimes take a little longer.

I would insist that they have a UK bank account, it's not strictly necessary, but will make the payments to you much easier and simpler! Also you know the banks would have run some basic checks on them too.

Good luck,

Trevor.

[Melboy]

I am sure other Landlords have good experience of Letting to Eastern Europeans etc..... personally I don't.

I have let ,in the past, to all sorts of foreigners BUT their Tenancy was underwritten by the Companies they were working for during their stay in the UK and I can say I have had absolutely no problems at all.

There are plenty of Nightmare stories going around regarding the huge influx of Polish and Eastern European workers coming into the UK and renting property and "doing a runner" at some point during the Letting Period.

So, be very careful and take nothing for granted before letting your property out to the unknowns.