Tenant referencing is our way of finding out information about a potential tenant, so as a Leeds letting agent, we can make an informed decision on whether to allow the tenant to rent the property.
Landlords and letting agents need to have trust that tenants will pay their rent on time, treat the property with care, and respect the neighbours
Referencing confirms the tenant’s past behaviour in other rented properties and whether they can afford to pay the rent, so there is confidence that the right tenant has been picked.
There are different forms of reference that can be used to provide a better understanding of a prospective tenant and whether they are suitable to rent the property.
This involves getting in touch with the tenant’s previous landlord to find out how they behaved as a tenant. They can tell you if the tenant paid rent on time,how they looked after the property and any other information that might influence the decision.
Landlords and letting agents must ask the prospective tenant’s permission to carry out a credit check. This reference will confirm the tenant’s credit history and any County Court Judgements or bankruptcy will be shown.
A landlord or letting agent cannot refuse a tenancy if it is based on unlawful discrimination. The following reasons to refuse a tenancy are considered unlawful discrimination:
- A tenant’s age
- Their gender or sexuality
- Their marital status
- Being pregnant or a woman with children
- Their religion or beliefs
- Their race/ethnicity
- Having a disability/health issue
If the potential tenant fails any referencing checks the tenant can be refused the tenancy, but they cannot refuse if it is based on any of the characteristics in the list above.
We aren’t just Leeds letting agents, we are matchmakers, that’s why it is so important for us to prioritise getting the perfect tenants for the properties we manage.
