I’m sticking this here so I don’t have to go back through chat later.

A work friend is applying to rent a home and listed me as a reference. A real estate agent called me and asked all the usual things like how long have I known her, would I rent a house to her blah blah blah. The agent also asked me what my friend’s financial situation was like. I’ve been a reference before and have never been asked this. I know what she earns, she works for me, but I have NFI what her partner would earn. Is this a new thing?

I would say that I can’t tell them that. I don’t really think that is something for them to ask a referee. Just say you don’t know.

I’ve never been a rental referee for anyone, and I’m in a different state. But I’ve been a landlord. We left that stuff to the estate agent to assess anyway, so I don’t know what they ask. But I don’t think that would be something a general referee could be expected to comment on.

buffy said:

I would say that I can’t tell them that. I don’t really think that is something for them to ask a referee. Just say you don’t know.

I said I’m not aware of any problems.

buffy said:

I would say that I can’t tell them that. I don’t really think that is something for them to ask a referee. Just say you don’t know.

I’ve never been a rental referee for anyone, and I’m in a different state. But I’ve been a landlord. We left that stuff to the estate agent to assess anyway, so I don’t know what they ask. But I don’t think that would be something a general referee could be expected to comment on.

I’d agree that it isn’t a question that DA should be expected to answer, I think they are fishing for freebies of info.

I think the question is an inappropriate one to be asking a personal referee, and would be telling the RA that.

I’d find out what the company policy is for this.

Carmen_Sandiego said:

I think the question is an inappropriate one to be asking a personal referee, and would be telling the RA that.

+1

• The agent also asked me what my friend’s financial situation was like. I’ve been a reference before and have never been asked this.

I’ve been renting via real estates agents for years…
Yeah real estate rental property managers/staff are allowed to ask “tenants” how they obtain income and what they earn, they have a general rule of thumb that your income should be about double to 2/3rds higher than the rent.

I’m not sure whether they are legally allowed to ask a referee/reference about a persons financial situation though.
I mean, how would you really know anyway. I think you did well ‘on the fly’ to answer as you did.
Property managers have access to a national/state tenant database registry and if you have rented before it will show any defaults or other issues associated with your tenancy.

I think it’s bloody rude but it is a requirement I believe as part of their responsibility to the landlord and to sign up good tenants who can actually pay the rent on time and without fault.

Divine Angel said:

I know what she earns, she works for me, but I have NFI what her partner would earn.

Be careful, DA, as your knowledge of the applicant’s income is based upon a professional relationship, then the correct response should have been “I am sorry, as an employee of Sugarfoods Global Inc. I cannot reveal that information.”

>I said I’m not aware of any problems.

That’s a perfectly alright response to the question.

Whether acknowledged or not the referee thing has about it the likelihood of, even if not direct questions then non-explicit, enquiries regard security of the applicant (their reliability).

You did good.

If the RE is contacting an employer/business reference it would be appropriate for them to confirm the prospective tenants stated income (or ability to cover the required rent), I think they can even ask for a payslip to be provided with the rental application but as to an employer knowing their employees ‘overall financial situation’…..nah, that’s a no go area

From memory, there is no obligation to the prospective tenant that they provide certain financial information, however, by not doing this it ‘may’ hinder your chance to rent the property, particularly if there are many other applicants for the same property.

Divine Angel said:

buffy said:

I would say that I can’t tell them that. I don’t really think that is something for them to ask a referee. Just say you don’t know.

I said I’m not aware of any problems.

Good answer.

lie

Something to tell your friend is they can also file a breach of the residential tenancies act if the real estate agent doesn’t respond to maintenance issues in a reasonable time frame. I did it when I rented and as I wasn’t a problem tenant and always paid rent on time they have nothing to come back at me with.

Cymek said:

Something to tell your friend is they can also file a breach of the residential tenancies act if the real estate agent doesn’t respond to maintenance issues in a reasonable time frame. I did it when I rented and as I wasn’t a problem tenant and always paid rent on time they have nothing to come back at me with.

except vast armies if goose stepping storm troopers

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Divine Angel said:

I know what she earns, she works for me, but I have NFI what her partner would earn.

Be careful, DA, as your knowledge of the applicant’s income is based upon a professional relationship, then the correct response should have been “I am sorry, as an employee of Sugarfoods Global Inc. I cannot reveal that information.

Agent is unaware that friend is a work colleague.

Divine Angel said:

Carmen_Sandiego said:

Divine Angel said:

I know what she earns, she works for me, but I have NFI what her partner would earn.

Be careful, DA, as your knowledge of the applicant’s income is based upon a professional relationship, then the correct response should have been “I am sorry, as an employee of Sugarfoods Global Inc. I cannot reveal that information.

Agent is unaware that friend is a work colleague.

Glad you kept it that way.

So is it a personal or professional reference they are after? That’s why I mentioned company policies.

(Sorry if you’ve mentioned this – I just scanned through the thread.)

Personal.

Divine Angel said:

Personal.

Ah…

(I was at the end of my lunch break when I saw the question. I had to run back to the crazy confines of the newsstand :P )

FTR she got the house :)