Tenant referencing options for UK landlords
“Tenant referencing” isn't one product — it's a choice between five broadly different ways of checking a prospective tenant, from a free phone call to an agent-arranged subscription. This guide compares the options by what they actually involve and who each one suits, so you can pick the right one rather than the first one you find.
In short, your five options are: DIY checks, a standalone credit check, a free application form plus pay-per-check service (RentFig works this way), a free landlord portal bundled with a listing, or an agent-arranged subscription. The table below compares them by what they involve and who each one suits.
The 5 tenant referencing options
Every way UK landlords reference a tenant falls into one of these five categories. None is universally “best” — the right one depends on how often you reference tenants, whether you self-manage, and how much formal, documented evidence you need.
| Option | What it involves | Best for | Setup needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY — phone the employer and previous landlord yourself | Manual verification only; no formal credit or fraud check | A one-off let to someone you already know and trust | None |
| Standalone credit check | Online credit history and identity check, nothing further | A quick pass/fail filter before deciding whether to reference fully | Usually an account |
| Free application form + pay-per-check (e.g. RentFig) | Free form to collect the applicant's details, then pay only for the check you run | Landlords who reference occasionally and don't want an ongoing commitment | No account or subscription |
| Free landlord portals bundled with a listing | Basic checks alongside advertising a property; a full reference usually costs extra | Landlords already advertising through that portal | An account, often tied to the listing |
| Agent-arranged / insurance-backed subscription | A comprehensive, often insurable, decision — usually sold via a letting agent | Portfolio or fully managed lets that want bundled rent-guarantee insurance | Agent or subscription account |
For indicative costs across these options, see our tenant referencing price comparison, updated against providers' own pricing pages.
DIY referencing: when it's enough, and when it isn't
Ringing an employer and a previous landlord yourself costs nothing, and for a let to someone you already know well it can feel proportionate. But DIY referencing has no formal credit history, no anti-fraud verification, and nothing documented if a dispute arises later — it relies entirely on what people choose to tell you over the phone. It also doesn't remove any legal duty: in England you must still carry out a Right to Rent check, whichever option you choose for the rest of the reference.
Pay-per-check services: a credit check or a full reference, no subscription
A pay-per-check service lets you run a single, formal reference without signing up for an account or a monthly plan. Typically you collect the applicant's details on a free application form, then choose a credit-only check as a quick filter or a full reference covering income, employer and previous-landlord verification, Right to Rent and anti-fraud checks. RentFig works this way: a free application form, then £9 for a credit check or £19 for a full reference, with no account and no subscription — and because we aren't VAT-registered, that's the final price.
Start with the free tenant referencing tool and only pay if you decide to run a check.
Free landlord portals bundled with a listing
Some portals offer referencing alongside advertising a property, with a free tier that covers the basics. In practice a genuinely full reference — credit, income, employer and previous-landlord checks — almost always costs extra on top of the free tier, so it's worth checking exactly what “free” includes before you rely on it. Our price comparison names specific providers and current figures.
Agent-arranged and insurance-backed subscription platforms
The most comprehensive option is usually arranged through a letting agent or sold as a subscription, and often bundles the reference with rent-guarantee insurance and an insurable decision on the tenant. These are rarely self-serve or priced online — most quote on application rather than publishing a rate card. They tend to suit portfolio landlords or fully managed lets more than someone letting a single property. See how RentFig compares with several named providers.
How to choose between these options
- Reference tenants only occasionally? A pay-per-check service avoids paying for a subscription you'll barely use.
- Managing a portfolio, or want rent-guarantee insurance? An agent-arranged or subscription platform is built for that.
- Already advertising on a portal? Check what its free tier actually checks before assuming it's a full reference.
- Renting informally to someone you know? DIY is common, but it doesn't replace your Right to Rent duty or give you anything documented if things go wrong.
- Need a quick answer? Run a credit-only check first as a filter, then a full reference only on the applicant you actually want.
FAQ
What are my tenant referencing options as a UK landlord?
There are five broad routes: doing the checks yourself by phone (DIY), a standalone online credit check, a free application form followed by a pay-per-check service, a free portal bundled with a property listing, and an agent-arranged or subscription platform that usually includes rent-guarantee insurance. They differ mainly in cost, whether you need an account or subscription, and how thorough and well-documented the check actually is.
Which tenant referencing option is cheapest?
A free application form paired with a pay-per-check service is usually the cheapest way to get a genuine credit and background check, because you pay only for the checks you run and there's no subscription. See our full price comparison for current figures across DIY, credit checks, free portals and agent-backed services.
Can I reference a tenant myself without paying for a service?
You can gather references yourself — phoning an employer or a previous landlord costs nothing — but DIY referencing has no formal credit check, no anti-fraud verification, and nothing documented to rely on later. Whichever option you choose, you are still legally required to carry out a Right to Rent check in England.
Do I need a subscription to reference a tenant?
No. Some agent-arranged and insurance-backed platforms are sold as a subscription, but pay-per-check services let you run a single reference with no ongoing commitment — useful if you only reference a handful of tenants a year.
What's the best tenant referencing option for a landlord with one property?
For a landlord with one or two properties, a free application form plus a pay-per-check credit or full reference is usually the best fit: no account, no subscription, and you pay only when you actually check someone. Agent-arranged subscription platforms tend to suit portfolio landlords or fully managed lets that want bundled rent-guarantee insurance.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information for UK landlords, not legal or financial advice. Prices and provider offerings change — confirm current terms with each provider and check the latest GOV.UK guidance on the Tenant Fees Act before acting.