What does the 'Credit and Reference Check' cover?

Any reputable and professional residential letting agent will complete a 'Credit and Referencing Check' on each tenant and their guarantors (if applicable) before formalising a tenancy agreement.  This check should include:

1. Search of any history on bankruptcy, County Court Judgments (CCJ), and Court Decrees.
2. Search on previous names and addresses which may not have been disclosed.
3. Credit history linked to the place of residency of the tenant and guarantors for the last three years.
4. Letter from Bank confirming existence and details of an UK bank account.
5. Check of Financial Sanctions (including any of the Government’s Asset Freezing list).
6. Written reference from current landlord or managing agent.
7. Letter from the employer (headed paper) confirming the following:

a.      Terms of employment (full time, part-time, permanent, temporary)

b.      Whether there is any grounds for employment to be terminated within the next year (probation period, performance, disciplinary action)

c.      Annual salary (detailed breakdown of basic salary and other paid elements).  The annual basic salary must be greater than 30 times the rent of the property the tenant is applying for.  If guarantors are required, they must have a basic annual salary equivalent to 36 times the rent of the property the tenant is applying for.  For clarification only, we show below an example:

·        Monthly rent: £600  (this is just an example, your monthly rent may be different)

·        Tenant’s minimum basic salary:  £18,000 per annum  (£600 x 30).   This minimum annual salary may be the sum of all annual salaries if there is more than one tenant.

·        Guarantor’s minimum basic salary:  £21,600 per annum (£600 x 36).  This minimum annual salary of the guarantor may be the sum of all annual salaries of the guarantors if there is more than one tenant.

If you need more information about how a referencing check can be carried out, how likely it is for you to pass or fail one and the implications, please post below.