A NEW service to help safeguard landlords against troublesome tenants has been launched in Bexley.

The free web service, provided by Tenants History, will allow landlords and letting agencies across south London to rate their tenants on a website.

Landlords and letting agents can register and upload all their new and existing tenants and then rate them when they leave the property, creating a footprint of who that tenant is, where they have lived and a rating from that landlord.

The website was created by Steve Hanbury as an additional branch to his family’s buy-to-let business and has already been named as a finalist in the Innovation and Website categories at the National Landlord and Letting Awards.

He said: "As landlords we are sometimes the last to know when the tenant decides to leave your property. 

"In the past we've had tenants disappear without warning, also not paying their last month's rent and before we've even had a chance to inspect the property.

"Tenants History will help towards combating this. 

"If a tenant is searched on the website, an e-mail will be sent straight away from Tenants History to the relevant landlord stating that their tenant has been searched, therefore the tenant is looking to move.

"This should allow landlords the time to inspect the property and meet with the tenant before they move on or possibly thinking about doing a runner."

The website can also be used by landlords who want to try and keep good tenants, as if they are aware a tenant has been searched and is looking to move they can try and find them suitable alternative accommodation. 

Service user Kayla Perry from London Housing Solutions said: "The most common issue for landlords are problem tenants.  As a large landlord company with a high turnover of tenants, both good and bad, what better way to inform others about our tenants, than to place them on Tenants History.

"The website ensures future landlords are renting their properties to the right clientele."

Lakedale Estates, based in Crook Log, Bexleyheath, has signed up to Tenant History.

Manager Helen McCauley said: "We have a wealth of experience of dealing with good as well as bad tenants, having had to evict a number through the court system in the past and hence our approval of what Steve is doing through Tenant’s History.

"We believe that through careful vetting of applicants we can offer landlords the piece of mind that they deserve when they choose to rent their property. We offer ‘tenant find only’, ‘rent collection’ or ‘full management’ service, all at a very reasonable rate but mostly we pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity and experience.

Tenants History is delighted to announce to be working in association with www.checkaprofessional.com which is part of the checkatrade.com group.

Mr Hanbury said: "It is a great pleasure to be working with Checkaprofessional, part of CheckaTrade.com.

"Tenants History and Checkaprofessional are both rated websites and it makes sense that our businesses have an association. We are members of Checkaprofessional and look forward to receiving our feedback.”

For more information, visit tenantshistory.co.uk