What is guarantor referencing?

Guarantor referencing checks that the person promising to pay the rent if your tenant can't is who they say they are, has a sound credit history and, with a full reference, earns enough to cover the rent. It's the same check a tenant gets, but the guarantor answers guarantor questions (home ownership and income) instead of tenancy questions.

How do I check a guarantor?

Order a check online and choose Guarantor as the applicant type. The guarantor is emailed a secure link and enters their sensitive details directly with our referencing partner. If you're ordering for the tenant, you can tick "Also reference a guarantor" to send both at once; that's two checks at two prices.

How much does guarantor referencing cost?

A guarantor credit check is £9 (£7 for members). A full guarantor reference is £19 (£17 for members). No account is needed, you pay per check by card and there's no subscription.

Should I run a credit check or a full reference on a guarantor?

If the guarantee is there because the tenant's own income falls short, the £19 full reference verifies the guarantor's income and affordability with an employer reference. The £9 credit check confirms identity and credit history only: CCJs, defaults, bankruptcies, IVAs and address links, but not income.

How much should a guarantor earn?

A common benchmark is a gross annual income of about 36 times the monthly rent for a guarantor, against about 30 times for a tenant. At £1,000 a month that's around £36,000 a year. It's a benchmark, not a rule, and you set your own criteria.

Will the check affect the guarantor's credit score?

No. The credit search is a soft (quotation) search. It isn't visible to lenders and doesn't affect their credit score.

Can I charge the tenant or guarantor for the reference?

No. In England the Tenant Fees Act 2019 makes the landlord pay for referencing, and you can't charge the tenant or the guarantor for it. Wales and Scotland have similar bans.

How long does guarantor referencing take?

A credit check can be back the same day once the guarantor has completed their form. A full reference usually takes up to 7 working days, because it waits on referees such as their employer replying. Our referencing runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. The result is Pass or Fail with the detail behind it.

Guarantor questions, not tenancy questions

Guarantor referencing for landlords

Check the person standing behind your tenant before you rely on them. Choose Guarantor when you order and they answer questions about their home and income.

Credit check £9, or £19 for a full reference that verifies their income. No account, no subscription.

Reference a guarantor How it works

Members pay £7 and £17. Free account, no card

Example RentFig tenant reference report for a fictional applicant, showing an overall Pass — Our real report format · fictional applicant

How to check a guarantor

Step 1
Order and choose Guarantor
Pay by card, no account needed. Ordering for the tenant too? Tick “Also reference a guarantor”: that's two checks at two prices.
Step 2
The guarantor completes their form
They're emailed a secure link and answer guarantor questions (home ownership and income), not tenancy ones, directly with our referencing partner.
Step 3
You get the result
Pass or Fail with the detail behind it. A credit check can be back the same day once they've finished; a full reference usually takes up to 7 working days.

In England the landlord pays for referencing: under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 you can't charge the tenant or the guarantor for it.

Credit check or full reference for a guarantor?

Guarantor credit check (£9)

Confirms identity electronically, runs an AML check and returns credit history from a licensed credit reference agency: CCJs, defaults, bankruptcies, IVAs and address links. Soft search, so it doesn't affect their score. It doesn't verify income.

Full guarantor reference (£19)

Everything in the credit check, plus income and affordability with an employer reference and anti-fraud checks. Choose this when the guarantee is there because the tenant's own income falls short.

What a good guarantor looks like

Earns about 36x the monthly rent

A common benchmark is gross annual income of about 36 times the monthly rent, against 30 times for a tenant: around £36,000 at £1,000 a month. Work it out with the rent affordability calculator.

Signs a proper guarantee

The reference doesn't make them liable; the guarantee does. It must be in writing and signed by the guarantor; signing it as a properly witnessed deed is much safer, and it should cover the tenancy continuing as a periodic tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Start from our guarantor agreement template.

Often backs a student

Students often need one. In England rent in advance is capped at one month under the Renters' Rights Act, so several months upfront is no longer an alternative to a guarantor. See referencing students and guarantors.

Reference a guarantor

Ordering without an account? The form opens set to Guarantor. Members pay £7 and £17, and choose Guarantor when ordering from their account.

Credit check

£9per check

£7 for RentFig members

The guarantor's identity and credit history. Soft search, no effect on their score.

Includes:

Credit history & adverse-credit search
Soft search — no impact on their credit score
Identity verification
AML (anti-money-laundering) check

Full guarantor reference

Most chosen

£19per reference

£17 for RentFig members

Adds verified income and affordability, an employer reference and anti-fraud checks.

Everything in the credit check, plus:

Income & affordability verification
Employer reference
Home-ownership questions
Anti-fraud verification

Members save £2 on every check

Free RentFig account, no card. Every report is filed against the right tenancy.

Create free account

Referencing 2–6 people for one property? HMO rooms, sharers, couples and guarantors — one form, one payment, 6% off full references.

Guarantor referencing: questions

What is guarantor referencing?: Guarantor referencing checks that the person promising to pay the rent if your tenant can't is who they say they are, has a sound credit history and, with a full reference, earns enough to cover the rent. It's the same check a tenant gets, but the guarantor answers guarantor questions (home ownership and income) instead of tenancy questions.
How do I check a guarantor?: Order a check online and choose Guarantor as the applicant type. The guarantor is emailed a secure link and enters their sensitive details directly with our referencing partner. If you're ordering for the tenant, you can tick "Also reference a guarantor" to send both at once; that's two checks at two prices.
How much does guarantor referencing cost?: A guarantor credit check is £9 (£7 for members). A full guarantor reference is £19 (£17 for members). No account is needed, you pay per check by card and there's no subscription.
Should I run a credit check or a full reference on a guarantor?: If the guarantee is there because the tenant's own income falls short, the £19 full reference verifies the guarantor's income and affordability with an employer reference. The £9 credit check confirms identity and credit history only: CCJs, defaults, bankruptcies, IVAs and address links, but not income.
How much should a guarantor earn?: A common benchmark is a gross annual income of about 36 times the monthly rent for a guarantor, against about 30 times for a tenant. At £1,000 a month that's around £36,000 a year. It's a benchmark, not a rule, and you set your own criteria.
Will the check affect the guarantor's credit score?: No. The credit search is a soft (quotation) search. It isn't visible to lenders and doesn't affect their credit score.
Can I charge the tenant or guarantor for the reference?: No. In England the Tenant Fees Act 2019 makes the landlord pay for referencing, and you can't charge the tenant or the guarantor for it. Wales and Scotland have similar bans.
How long does guarantor referencing take?: A credit check can be back the same day once the guarantor has completed their form. A full reference usually takes up to 7 working days, because it waits on referees such as their employer replying. Our referencing runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. The result is Pass or Fail with the detail behind it.
Is the reference enough, or do I need a guarantor agreement?: You need both. The reference tells you whether the guarantor is good for it; the guarantee is what makes them liable. It must be in writing and signed by the guarantor; signing it as a properly witnessed deed is much safer, and it should cover the tenancy continuing as a periodic tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

If a guarantor fails, see what to do when referencing fails. For the tenant themselves: tenant credit check or all our referencing checks.

Please note: this page is general information for UK landlords, not legal advice. Income multiples are common market benchmarks, not legal requirements; set your own criteria and apply them consistently.