What Does Tenant Referencing Check? A Landlord's Guide

Last updated: 30 September 2026.

Tenant referencing brings together information that helps a landlord or agent review a proposed tenancy. The exact checks vary by service and applicant, but a clear process explains what has been verified and what remains outstanding.

Identity and legal checks

Identity evidence helps connect the application to the person completing it. For an England tenancy, a Right to Rent check is a separate legal step using the applicable Home Office route. The date and result should be kept for the letting record.

Income and affordability

Employment details, payslips, bank statements or authorised Open Banking data can help assess whether the proposed rent is affordable. A declared salary is not the same as verified income, so the report should make that distinction clear.

References and history

An employer or previous landlord may confirm details supplied by the applicant. If a referee does not respond, that should be recorded as an unanswered request rather than turned into an invented negative result.

Using the result

A tenant reference supports a decision; it does not make the decision for the landlord. Review the full context, any guarantor support and the evidence available. Our tenant referencing guide explains how the checks fit together.