Landlord Specifying Minimum Wage?

[Spinal]

A query for those more legally inclined...

The lady that does the cleaning at my house is looking to rent a house, but the landlord-to-be has specified that she needs to be earning a minimum of £40,000 before he is willing to rent to her.

I've never heard of this sort of thing before - and while I don't think that it would be a good foot to start off on with a new landlord, I was wondering if this sort of requirement is legal?

M.

EDIT: While on topic - apparently some are refusing to rent on the basis that she has a baby... ever heard of this one?

 

[DSM10000]

Most agencies will ask for some proof of earnings and then use a calculation to assess if you would be able to afford the rental after taking into account other expenses that you will encounter.

This is to protect both the landlord and tenant. See here for an example:Affordability Calculator

Based on this the rental would be £1333 per calendar month.

Seems prudent to check such things so hardly illegal.

 

[Spinal]

Thanks - makes sense if you were lending money; I just had never heard of it from a private landlord! (shows how little I know of the rental world!)

 

[DSM10000]

We rent out a couple of places and choose not to use an agent, We have always used this sort of calculation as one of the criteria in assessing suitability of tenants.

As for refusing to rent to someone with a baby, it is the landlord's choice, so long as they are not discriminating on race, colour, gender or religeon then they are within their rights to let to whoever they see fit. If the property is leasehold then they may have covenants in place preventing them doing so.

 

[davidjpowell]

I've never been asked for proof of earnings, and it would not be amusing if one were to try.

Most letting agents will do some sort of credit check. £40k sounds like a lot of money as a minimum requirement. I suppose it depends on what the rent is, but sounds extreme.

I notice DSM mentions letting agents. I reserve a special derision for these under qualified money grabbing scum. Few are qualified, even fewer have a clue other than grabbing fee's from tenants, and on occasions landlords.

Far better dealing direct with Landlords.

 

[DSM10000]

I've never been asked for proof of earnings, and it would not be amusing if one were to try.

Most letting agents will do some sort of credit check. £40k sounds like a lot of money as a minimum requirement. I suppose it depends on what the rent is, but sounds extreme.

I notice DSM mentions letting agents. I reserve a special derision for these under qualified money grabbing scum. Few are qualified, even fewer have a clue other than grabbing fee's from tenants, and on occasions landlords.

Far better dealing direct with Landlords.

A credit check alone though will not give you the peace of mind that a prospective tenant can afford the rental. I think you will find it fairly commonplace to ask for a salary or other proof of income. You would expect to do if applying for a loan or credit card so why not in this case?

 

[davidjpowell]

A credit check alone though will not give you the peace of mind that a prospective tenant can afford the rental. I think you will find it fairly commonplace to ask for a salary or other proof of income. You would expect to do if applying for a loan or credit card so why not in this case?

I don't recall ever being asked previously. I'm self-employed so maybe employed is different. The landlords I have dealt with direct have asked for the very minimum of info and I suspect made a decision on the basis of their judgement and the references.

I don't think its for a landlord to decide in any case. As long as the tenant can show through the credit checks that they have been prudent in managing their financial affairs should that be enough?

If there are things amiss in the credit check, then maybe fair enough...

All depends on the value of the rent also.

 

[DSM10000]

I still believe it is a prudent check for the sake of both parties, possibly more common in the south as rents tend to be higher value?

 

[davidjpowell]

I still believe it is a prudent check for the sake of both parties, possibly more common in the south as rents tend to be higher value?

maybe.

 

[developer]

I've never heard of this sort of thing before - and while I don't think that it would be a good foot to start off on with a new landlord, I was wondering if this sort of requirement is legal?

M.

EDIT: While on topic - apparently some are refusing to rent on the basis that she has a baby... ever heard of this one?

Legal requirement - no.

Babies - some landlords don't mind, some do - I wouldn't rent to people with babies where there may be a noise issue, for example, where a house is split into flats. In typical family houses I don't have a problem.

 

[DSM10000]

Legal requirement - no.

I took Spinal's question to be one asking if the practice of asking for a salary check prior to renting was legal rather than being a legal requirement?

 

[Spinal]

Thanks - yups, did mean whether it was legal (i.e. allowed to do so).

As I said, it's not my situation, so don't know the ins and outs regarding her credit history... I just found it odd. Having never rented a house in my life it's a different world

M.

 

[markjay]

Your cleaning lady earns £40k ???

 

[developer]

Your cleaning lady earns £40k ???

I suspect it's a filter - it sounds like he doesn't want to rent to her.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Your cleaning lady earns £40k ???

I know a former self-employed cleaner that could/would earn over a grand a week cleaning newly built houses before the new owners moved in.

 

[Spinal]

She doesn't that's one of the issues she has with finding a house

The other is that she has a baby-thing...

M.

 

[gaz_l]

I know a former self-employed cleaner that could/would earn over a grand a week cleaning newly built houses before the new owners moved in.

I'm clearly in the wrong job..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[PXW]

Definitely legal to do a salary check. Had the same thing myself when taking a rental flat near my work recently. Was originally quite offended - told the agent I could afford to buy the bloody thing if I wanted to, and if they felt that way about it how about I retain my privacy of information and just stick the entire tenancy rental into an escrow account up front and have done with it. But at the end of the day it's how they do business and it's not a problem if it's not a problem, if you see what I mean.

As far as legality is concerned, there was a consent form to seek employers references including salary. I just spoke to HR and told them to refer to salary only, not bonus, cash benefits etc....so I have the small satisfaction of knowing I earn considerably more than the agents think.....

 

[markjay]

Our employees regularly make requests for employer references (including salary details) when renting. Seems to be the norm.

 

[moonloops]

Reverse logic states that a cleaner would make a mess of any house they live in..

p.s. you can't discriminate on race but you can on Surnames