legalforlandlords.co.uk referencing

[AleisterCrowley]

I'm currently part way through moving, and the landlord is using legalforlandlords.co.uk for referencing

They've just sent me a link to an online form, with dire warning that it needs to be completed within 20 minutes of starting.

There's a list of things to have to hand, including;

Evidence of your Right to Rent in the UK will be required to be uploaded – Your Letting Agent/Landlord will have mentioned this
Not yet... not sure what needs to be uploaded? I have an expired UK passport (which is OK according to the rules) - does the new landlord need to see this, and send me a pdf copy of an 'approval' form or what? I will email potential landlord tomorrow.

We also need to verify your employment/income and will need to contact your current employer/landlord if you have one. To do this we need full contact details including a telephone number (Landline only for employers) and email address - This needs to be a business email address, we can’t use generic ones such as Yahoo, Gmail etc

Could be difficult as our (major telecoms co) HR department don't give verbal references. They have a company HR address and will do references addressed to me or a third party - I have sent them an email asking for guidance

Any experience of this ? Possible workarounds?

Not sure what happens if they aren't happy with uploaded docs etc. I've already paid the £75 fee.

Regards

AC

[pochisoldi]

We also need to verify your employment/income and will need to contact your current employer/landlord if you have one. To do this we need full contact details including a telephone number (Landline only for employers) and email address - This needs to be a business email address, we can’t use generic ones such as Yahoo, Gmail etc

Could be difficult as our (major telecoms co) HR department don't give verbal references. They have a company HR address and will do references addressed to me or a third party - I have sent them an email asking for guidance

The reality is that GDPR means that nobody can give out any personal information to strangers over the phone without your permission.
There is no need for a workaround on your part. All they want is a verifiable/non-dodgy initial point of contact.

Let them ring your employer, then your employer can tell them to put their request in writing. Your employer will then probably ask if you are OK with them sending out the letter, and only then will your employer will send out their standard reference letter.

PochiSoldi

[AleisterCrowley]

Thanks, was vaguely worried failing on one of the points would 'fail' the referencing and either trigger another £75 or (much) worse jeopardise my new tenancy. Unlikely hopefully, as new landlord seems keen, and i've paid a holding deposit.

[modellingman]

I'm currently part way through moving, and the landlord is using legalforlandlords.co.uk for referencing

They've just sent me a link to an online form, with dire warning that it needs to be completed within 20 minutes of starting.

There's a list of things to have to hand, including;

Evidence of your Right to Rent in the UK will be required to be uploaded – Your Letting Agent/Landlord will have mentioned this
Not yet... not sure what needs to be uploaded? I have an expired UK passport (which is OK according to the rules) - does the new landlord need to see this, and send me a pdf copy of an 'approval' form or what? I will email potential landlord tomorrow.

Any experience of this ? Possible workarounds?

Not sure what happens if they aren't happy with uploaded docs etc. I've already paid the £75 fee.

Regards

AC

The right-to-rent check is part of Mrs May's now infamous hostile environment. Landlords now have to check a prospective tenant's right to residence in the UK with the dire warnings of civil penalties running to four-figures if caught renting to someone without the right of residence. As part of the checking the landlord will at some stage need to see and examine any original documents provided as evidence of residential status to check that they are not obvious forgeries. The landlord also needs to take a copy of the documentation to provide the necessary statutory defence against the imposition of the civil penalty. It appears as if the process involved here is that of copy first, examine later.

I presume the 'approval' form is necessary to allow the third party (legalforlandlords.co.uk) to handle (and perhaps) retain the copy (which amounts to personal data) for the purposes of the statutory defence (and possibly other reasons as well).

If you fail the referencing hurdle you will no doubt find that your fee is non-refundable. You will quite possibly have entered into a contract with the landlord/agent at the point where it was agreed that references would be taken up. Did you sign anything at that point and were you given a copy? If so the paperwork should detail your obligations and I expect these will include payment of a fee which is non-refundable.

What has happened to your deposit on the place you are leaving?

[AleisterCrowley]

I've passed the official Government BPSS plus additional bits, so hopefully a formality??! The other references are a given, been in touch with our Euro HR dept and current agents who have been very helpful
No word from prospective landlord re passport-sniffing ...
Leave current place late Sept so hopefully deposit back within 10 days of then.

Not sure who triggers request for deposit, or when