Deposit back V Reference

Minime2.5

Isn't a tenant at a major disadvantage if the landlord decides to withhold the deposit unfairly but the tenant cant really challenge them since if they are moving to other rented accommodation the new landlord will expect a reference from the previous LL. I'm not in this situation at present but I'm just wondering what people do in this situation? Accept the deposit as a loss?

Caranica

Easier to forge a reference than take a financial hit? Landlord references are pretty worthless in the scheme of things.

gauchesnell

Minime2.5 wrote: »

Isn't a tenant at a major disadvantage if the landlord decides to withhold the deposit unfairly but the tenant cant really challenge them since if they are moving to other rented accommodation the new landlord will expect a reference from the previous LL. I'm not in this situation at present but I'm just wondering what people do in this situation? Accept the deposit as a loss?

if the deposit is withheld unfairly challenge it - lots of supports available. As mentioned by another poster a reference from a LL is just a piece of paper - not everyone has one anyway. If you dont have a reference from the last previous LL make sure you have other docs ready to go. A reference is normally just one or two sentences anyway. Also it isnt a choice - the LL has to return the deposit but doesnt have to provide a reference.

meijin

Minime2.5 wrote: »

Isn't a tenant at a major disadvantage if the landlord decides to withhold the deposit unfairly but the tenant cant really challenge them since if they are moving to other rented accommodation the new landlord will expect a reference from the previous LL. I'm not in this situation at present but I'm just wondering what people do in this situation? Accept the deposit as a loss?

get references first, and when safe in the new place, then ask for the deposit back or start RTB dispute

endofrainbow

References are more about what they don't say than what they do. In some cases, landlords will give references just to get rid !

Winegum1

Minime2.5 wrote: »

Isn't a tenant at a major disadvantage if the landlord decides to withhold the deposit unfairly but the tenant cant really challenge them since if they are moving to other rented accommodation the new landlord will expect a reference from the previous LL. I'm not in this situation at present but I'm just wondering what people do in this situation? Accept the deposit as a loss?

A person could just get a friend to pretend they were their last landlord. Get new landlord to ring friend/landlord for reference.
Needs must these days

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116313781#Comment_116313781

What are the supports available?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116318651#Comment_116318651

As a landlord I would naturally verify this reference by contacting the previous landlord. If I had doubts that they were a valid landlord I would do my checks and I’d be very sure to tell the person I wasn’t born yesterday. It would be a very stupid thing to do unless you have it extremely well thought out.

I keep my tenants’ deposit safely in a Revolut vault and it will be returned. My tenants happen to be excellent, but if they were careless they would have to do create an undue amount of wear and tear quite beyond what would be be expected by the duration of their tenancy or cause wilful destruction before I would consider withholding any.

MakersMark

Sine the first post is a hypothetical one, ssk any landlord who tries to repair a trashed dwelling with one month's security deposit who has the advantage....

c.p.w.g.w

The majority of my mates use fake references for rent and work...it's amazing that none of them have been caught, but obviously people don't do any sort of checks on references

c.p.w.g.w

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116313376#Comment_116313376

Assuming the are not checked. I always check references, it’s easy to know know when a mate is on the end of the phone.