Goodlord Reviews

“legally useless referencing advice

Pros

The platform itself is fairly easy to use and the initial data gathering part is quick. Open Banking income verification and identity checks were processed fast so the core information gets pulled together efficiently.

Cons

Although my letting agent is the paying customer using the platform I'm the landlord who ultimately has to depend on the referencing reports when making legally binding decisions. The referencing system feels far too inflexible and seems to operate without even basic human judgment. In my case the prospective tenants had only a minor standing order issue that led to 3 late payments over 3 years despite having strong income and a positive landlord reference confirming they would happily rent to them again. Even so it returned a "Conditional Pass." The most ridiculous part was that the report actually stated both primary tenants "can only pass on the strict condition of not being liable for rent." Suggesting that a primary tenant should somehow not be responsible for rent is legally absurd and completely disconnected from how the lettings market works in reality. Rather than giving practical and usable guidance such as clearly recommending that the landlord ask for a fully referenced guarantor the system produces vague and unhelpful warnings while also making it clear in the report that it accepts no liability whatsoever for its own recommendations.

“Secure Management Powerhouse

Pros

Has been a very secure and comprehensive platform for keeping lettings information organised. It lets us upload all the relevant documents, manage applicants, tenants and landlords without trouble and stay on top of multiple properties at the same time. The standout feature for us is the referencing tool which is completed online and provides a clear traffic light system to show how suitable a candidate is. Overall it's a very useful and user friendly piece of software for lettings.

Cons

Getting familiar with the interface does take a bit of time and the multiple security steps during login can feel a little inconvenient.