Everything you need to check before accepting a tenant — and what happens if you skip it.
Right to Rent is a legal requirement
Failing to check Right to Rent before a tenancy starts carries civil penalties of up to £20,000 per tenant. This check is not optional — it is a legal obligation for every UK landlord.
Check original documents proving the prospective tenant has the right to rent in the UK. For British and Irish citizens, a passport or birth certificate plus proof of NI number. For other nationalities, a share code from the gov.uk online service. Keep copies. Do this before the tenancy starts.
A credit search shows County Court Judgments (CCJs), defaults, bankruptcy and financial history. A CCJ for a previous landlord is a red flag. Use a specialist tenant referencing service — standard credit checks do not show rental history.
Request 3 months payslips and a letter from the employer confirming employment status, salary and contract type. The tenant should earn at least 2.5x the monthly rent. For self-employed tenants, request 2 years of accounts or SA302 tax returns.
Contact the previous landlord directly — not just the reference the tenant provides. Ask whether rent was paid on time, whether there was any damage and whether they would rent to this tenant again. Be wary of references that are too brief or too positive.
Three months of bank statements confirm income is being received regularly and shows spending patterns. Look for regular payments to other landlords (suggests they have been renting before), CCJ payments, and overall financial stability.
We can refer you to a professional tenant referencing service — credit checks, Right to Rent, employment verification and previous landlord reference, typically returned within 24-48 hours.
Enquire about referencingTenancy agreement, guarantor agreement, inventory and more — all 12 documents from £9.
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