How Long Does It Take for Tenant Referencing in North London?

Gathering references for tenants is an important process for protecting yourself against future issues such as missed rent or damaged property. Thorough tenant referencing can help to identify risks so you can choose lower risk tenants to live in your rented property.

If your property is in an area of North London where there is high demand for private rental properties, such as Cricklewood or Queens Park, there is a good chance that you will have plenty of prospective tenants to choose from. This gives you a great opportunity to find a tenant who will be reliable and trustworthy.

The process of gathering tenant references is usually very quick and can save you from facing future problems, so it is definitely worthwhile.

What Does Tenant Referencing Involve?

There are many different types of reference checks you can complete and the more comprehensive your checks, the more knowledge you will have about the risk level of a tenant. These are the most common types of tenant reference checks:

• Reference from previous landlord(s)
• Credit score and credit history including bankruptcy, CCJ (County Court Judgements) or IVA (Individual Voluntary Agreements)
• Employer reference
• Proof of income and affordability checks
• Electoral roll details including previous addresses

How Long Does Tenant Referencing Normally Take?

In most cases, tenant referencing will take between 48 hours and 5 days. However, this will depend on how quickly you receive responses from employers and previous landlords.

The length of time it takes to complete the referencing may also depend on how quickly the tenant provides their proof of income. The results of credit scores from companies like Experian are returned instantly.

Documents Required For Tenant Referencing

To gather all the information you need for tenant referencing, you will require the following documents:

• Proof of ID (passport or driving licence)
• Proof of address (utility bills or bank statement dated in the last 3 months)
• Employer reference letter (on company branded letter or email signature)
• Letter from previous landlords (with contact details so you can call to confirm)
• Bank statements (usually from the last 3 months)
• Credit check report

Landlords are also required by law to complete right to rent checks, which confirm that tenants have the right to rent property in the UK. For these checks, you will require proof of ID and documents confirming immigration status for tenants not born in the UK.

Want to know more? Once referencing is complete, make sure you’re familiar with your ongoing obligations to tenants and that your property meets everything on our landlord compliance checklist.

Why Should You Reference Tenants?

Tenant referencing enables landlords to check tenants’ financial backgrounds, affordability to pay the rent, and reliability. If a tenant has a history of missing rent payments or other finance, this will be flagged. Previous landlord references will also show whether they have been good tenants in the past or if there have been issues with their previous tenancies.

These checks will help to assess whether potential tenants will keep up with their monthly rent payments and potentially avoid stressful situations where you are chasing tenants for rent. If you need to start eviction proceedings for missed rent payments or anti-social behaviour, this can be costly and a great deal of hassle. Referencing can save you from these unwanted situations.

Can You Speed Up The Tenant Referencing Process?

Yes, you can usually help to speed up the process by requesting all the information as early as possible. If you have telephone numbers for employers and previous landlords, you can call them to ask them to provide references as quickly as possible.

Landlords can also use a tenant referencing company or letting agency, who will complete the work on their behalf, which can help to gather the required information faster.

The Issues With Delayed Tenant Referencing

If there are delays in tenant referencing, this can have several negative consequences for both landlords and tenants. These include:

• Changing the move in dates

If tenancy referencing is not completed quickly, the agreed move in date may need to be moved. For the landlord, this means that they will not receive rent during the void period while their rental property is vacant. For tenants, a change of move in date could mean that they have to find alternative accommodation.

• Tenancy term adjustments

If the move in date is changed, the tenancy agreement will need to be updated to show the correct start date of the tenancy.

What Tenant Referencing Services Can I Use?

Landlords can perform their own referencing checks for their rental properties, or they can delegate the referencing process to a tenant referencing company or letting agent. If you are considering doing the checks yourself, you can use companies such as Experian or Equifax for credit checks.

Want to find out more? If you’d prefer to hand tenant-finding and vetting to a professional, explore how much estate agents charge for rental management and what each level of service typically includes.

Tenant referencing companies will usually charge around £50 for a full reference check. If you are considering using a letting agent to find tenants, referencing will usually be included in their fees.

To find the most suitable and reliable tenants for your rental property, comprehensive tenant referencing is essential. Portland can provide a tenant referencing and finding service, as well as full property management in Willesden Green, Neasden and Kilburn. Take a look here to find out more about rental management costs, compliance checklists, or landlord licensing rules.

Contact us today to find out more about our letting services in North London.