Applicants partner doesn't want to be on TA

[vegemiteman]

Hi all - any advice would be helpful

I have a house for rent and have received an application from a woman with a few kids whose references and credit check out fine.

However the woman lives with her partner who refuses to be listed on the TA.

Is this a red flag?

It could be as the applicant receives some rent top up from Winz a "partner' listed on a TA is a problem?

Would you more experienced landlords allow the partners name to not be on the TA or is this a potential problem? In which way?

Look forward to replies

[Learning]

Yes it's a red flag. If an adult tenant will not sign any of my agreements then they don't move in.

A few family's will use one member to sign a TA. Hang out on the LL's good will with sob stories and empty promises for as long as they can get away with it. Only that member gets the poor record so it's the next family members turn to sign the next TA so the cycle can start again.

Also if you didn't do sufficient checks and get necessary signatures and something does go wrong and your insurance company may not cover you.

[drelly]

It's more likely that she's claiming a benefit that would be reduced if WINZ found out that she was living with someone.

[PukekoManukau]

Could be due to the WINZ benefit as Drelly noted above or the partner has an atrocious record or behavioural issues.

Has the partner supplied ID for credit checks and reference checks?

[vegemiteman]

Thanks for your helpful replies drelly and Learning.

[vegemiteman]

Hi PukekoManukau - thanks for your reply

just noted your reply - I never thought of the possibility of these issues.

I will ask for ID for credit checks and reference checks and do more investigation

[Anthonyacat]

I wouldn't bother doing more checks. Just say no. Both the agreement or no agreement. Don't take the risk.

In fact, don't take any risks during the tenant choosing process. It's by far the most important process in the whole tenancy.

[Glenn]

Been there done that. I set myself all sorts of little rules like this then, for what at the time seems reasonable, procede to break my own rule. Pretty soon I regret doing it.
I once had a young lady tenant ask to have the boy taken off the TA. This was because of domestic violence and demands of winz and what ever. I was pressured by others as well as the tenant so gave in and took him off. Then the rent stopped. I got an termination order but found the girl had moved out and the man in. This presented a terrible problem for me. A complete mess with respect to how much rent she owed and how to get the flat back. No do not try to be reasonable on issues like this. The tenants will not love you. The legal wheels outside of the tenancy laws will grind you to dust.
Us landlords forget all the time that tenancy agreements are used by all sorts of authorities. They are not just about a deal between landlords and tenants. They are used for immigration, child custody, tax, benefits, jobs, power accounts and list goes on.

[ivanp]

From my very limited experience, majority of tenants in South Auckland live like that, i.e. only mother is on tenancy agreement, and she gets a benefit from WINZ.

[vegemiteman]

Thanks for your input also - Glenn, Anthonyacat and ivanp

Good advice - have decided not to take the risk and have advised them accordingly. Application now withdrawn.

[Anthonyacat]

From my very limited experience, majority of tenants in South Auckland live like that, i.e. only mother is on tenancy agreement, and she gets a benefit from WINZ.

Yes, Ivan - absolutely very common. Doesn't make it a good move for the landlord when things go wrong!

[drelly]

If it's benefit fraud, expect a phone call from their investigation team one day! I've had a few of them!

[artemis]

Folk who think benefit (or tax) fraud is possible should report them to WINZ or IRD, can be done anonymously.