RentFig vs HomeLet for tenant referencing
HomeLet is one of the best-known referencing names in UK lettings, but for most people reading this the comparison ends at a single fact: HomeLet does not sell referencing to individual landlords. Its own site says referencing is for letting agents working in partnership with HomeLet, and sends landlords to its insurance team instead. RentFig sells directly to landlords at a published £9 credit check or £19 full reference, with a free application form and no account.
RentFig vs HomeLet at a glance
Referencing is paid for by the landlord or agent — the Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans charging the tenant. HomeLet details were checked against homelet.co.uk on 1 August 2026; confirm anything load-bearing on their own site.
| Feature | RentFig | HomeLet |
|---|---|---|
| Can a self-managing landlord buy it | Yes — order direct by card, no account | No — HomeLet says referencing is for letting agents in partnership with HomeLet, and points landlords to its insurance team |
| Published price | Yes — £9 credit check, £19 full reference (£7 / £17 for members) | No — quoted on application through your agent |
| What the reference covers | ID, credit history, income and affordability, employer and previous-landlord references, Right to Rent (England), anti-fraud | VISTA, built with Experian: full credit file, PEPs and sanctions screening, identity verification with forgery detection, trusted-source income data, tenancy scorecard |
| Insurable decision | No — a factual reference, not an insurance underwriting decision | Yes — designed to support rent guarantee and rent protection policies |
| Attached products | Property management software (optional, separate) | Rent protection / rent guarantee, landlord and tenant insurance |
| Turnaround | Usually within 48 hours | Publishes 70% of references returned within 24 hours |
| Free application form | Yes — collect details and consent at no cost | Not offered to landlords directly |
| Ongoing property management | Yes — tenancies, rent chasing, compliance, accounting, AI assistant | No — referencing and insurance products |
| Best for | Landlords who manage their own properties and want a published price | Letting agents, and landlords who need an insurance-backed reference via their agent |
HomeLet details from homelet.co.uk, checked 1 August 2026. RentFig figures are our own (disclosure: RentFig is our product).
The access question comes before the price question
It's tempting to compare referencing providers on cost alone, but for HomeLet the first question is whether you can buy it at all. HomeLet's landlord page is unambiguous that its referencing products are available to letting agents who work in partnership with HomeLet, with individual landlords directed to the Landlord Insurance team. If an agent manages your property, HomeLet referencing may well be what they use, and the cost sits inside their fee. If you manage it yourself, HomeLet referencing isn't a product you can order.
You may come across pages elsewhere describing a “HomeLet Direct” landlord referencing form. We checked: that link no longer resolves, and HomeLet's own wording contradicts it. We'd rather tell you that than leave you filling in a dead form.
Do you actually need an insurance-backed reference?
This is the one genuine advantage HomeLet has over a pay-per-check service, so it deserves a straight answer. An insurance-backed reference is produced to a standard an insurer will underwrite against, which is what makes a rent guarantee policypossible. If you intend to buy rent protection, your insurer will usually insist on a reference that meets its criteria — frequently one from a provider it already works with. In that case the reference and the insurance are really one purchase, and buying the reference separately and cheaply doesn't help.
If you are notbuying rent guarantee insurance — and most self-managing landlords aren't — an insurable decision buys you nothing you can use. What you need is an accurate picture of who the applicant is, how they handle credit, whether they can afford the rent, and whether they have the right to rent in England. That is exactly what a £19 full reference covers.
One company, two brands
If you are ringing round for quotes, know this before you spend the time: HomeLet and Let Alliance are the same business. Both are trading names of Barbon Insurance Group Limited, part of PIB Group, and both sell the same Experian-built VISTA product. Two quotes from those two brands is one quote. We cover the differences that do exist on the Let Alliance comparison.
FAQ
Can a private landlord use HomeLet referencing?
Not directly, on HomeLet's own account. Its landlord page states that its referencing products are available to letting agents who work in partnership with HomeLet, and directs individual landlords to the Landlord Insurance team instead. You may find third-party sites referring to a “HomeLet Direct” landlord referencing form, but that link no longer resolves and HomeLet's own wording contradicts it. If you self-manage and want a reference today, you need a provider that sells direct. (Disclosure: RentFig is our product and does.)
How much does HomeLet referencing cost?
HomeLet does not publish a price. Referencing is quoted on application and, in practice, priced into a letting agent's contract, so what it costs depends on that agent's arrangement and volume. Industry guides put agent-backed references at roughly £20–£40 per applicant, but that is a market estimate rather than a HomeLet rate card. By contrast RentFig publishes £9 for a credit check and £19 for a full reference, with no account or subscription.
What is an insurance-backed reference, and do I need one?
It is a reference produced to a standard an insurer will underwrite against, so it can support a rent guarantee policy. If you intend to buy rent protection, the insurer will usually require a reference that meets its own criteria — often one produced by a provider it works with. If you are not buying rent guarantee insurance, an insurable decision buys you nothing extra: what you need is an accurate picture of identity, credit, affordability and Right to Rent, which a standard full reference gives you. Decide whether you want the insurance first; that answers which kind of reference you need.
Are HomeLet and Let Alliance the same company?
Yes. Both are trading names of Barbon Insurance Group Limited, part of PIB Group, and both sell the same Experian-built VISTA referencing product. It is worth knowing because getting a quote from each is not getting two independent quotes on the same job. Let Alliance additionally markets a Same Day Referencing product built with TransUnion, which HomeLet does not sell under that name.
What is VISTA?
VISTA is HomeLet's in-house referencing product, built with Experian. It combines a full credit file, PEPs and sanctions screening, identity verification with forgery and manipulation detection, income data from trusted sources including Open Banking, and a tenancy scorecard. HomeLet presents these as capabilities of one product rather than as tiers you choose between, so there is no published tier structure to compare against RentFig's two options.
If HomeLet is off the table because you self-manage, see HomeLet alternatives or the full market in our cheapest tenant referencing guide.
Disclaimer:This comparison is general information for UK landlords, not legal or financial advice, and nothing here is advice on whether to buy insurance. RentFig is our own product; HomeLet is an independent company and its details are summarised from its public website and may change — always confirm current pricing and what's included directly with each provider.