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Tenant Referencing

CATCH BAD
TENANTS BEFORE
THEY MOVE IN

AI-powered fraud detection. Open Banking affordability checks. Credit, employer and landlord references. All for £24 per tenant, returned in 48 hours.

140%rise in fraudulent applications since 2022
48 hoursstandard turnaround
92%landlords reference new tenants
Trustpilot
FULL TENANT REFERENCE
Per tenant or guarantor
£24 incl. VAT

Credit check, Right to Rent, employer and landlord references, Open Banking affordability, ID verification, and AI fraud detection. One fee, no add-ons.

Order a reference
FREE WITH OUR GET RENTED PRO PACKAGE
Unlimited references included
  • Included in Get Rented Pro · £1,440 fully managed
  • Or find out how important referencing is in our detailed guide
Read our referencing guide
Accepted for Rent Guarantee Insurance
Experian-supported credit checks
Affordability verified by Open Banking
Right to Rent Home Office checks included
Full Landlord & Employer references
+140%
Rise in fraudulent referencing applications
UK rental sector data, 2022 to 2023
Why this matters now

FAKE PAYSLIPS. FAKE LANDLORDS. AI-GENERATED EVERYTHING.

Rental fraud has more than doubled in two years. The barrier to producing a convincing fake payslip, employment letter, or even a fake landlord reference has collapsed. AI tools mean a determined fraudster can build a fake identity in minutes.

Meanwhile the Renters' Rights Act has made it harder, slower, and more expensive to remove a tenant once they're in. The cost of getting it wrong has gone up. The cost of catching it early has come down.

Our referencing process is built specifically for this environment: AI-driven document analysis, real bank data via Open Banking, and human review of anything that looks off.

How it works

FOUR LAYERS. ONE REPORT. UNDER 48 HOURS.

Every reference combines automated checks, Open Banking data and human judgement. Here's what runs end-to-end on every application.

IDENTITY & RIGHT TO RENT

Certified ID provider verifies the applicant's identity. Home Office system confirms Right to Rent status. No manual checks, no errors.

Home Office connected

OPEN BANKING AFFORDABILITY

Direct read of bank statements via FCA-regulated Open Banking. Real income, real outgoings, real affordability. Far harder to fake than payslips.

FCA-regulated

AI FRAUD DETECTION

Document forensics, cross-reference checks against known fraud patterns, and behavioural signals. Flags anomalies for human review before sign-off.

Trained on UK fraud data

HUMAN REFERENCES & SIGN-OFF

We contact previous landlords and current employers directly. A trained referencer reviews everything and writes a clear pass/fail recommendation.

Human in the loop
Built on trusted data sources Connected to the systems that matter
Experian Credit data
GOV.UK Right to Rent
Open Banking
IDnow GmbH Identity
HMRC Employment
What's included

EVERY CHECK YOU NEED. ONE FIXED FEE.

Most letting agents quote a low headline reference price then layer on charges for guarantor checks, second tenants, or compliance add-ons. Ours doesn't work like that.

 

£24 per tenant covers the full reference: identity, Right to Rent, credit, affordability via Open Banking, employer reference, previous landlord reference, AI fraud detection and document analysis. The same fee applies whether the tenant is straightforward or complex. We don't price by complexity.

Every reference meets the requirements of major rent guarantee insurance providers, so if you want to add cover, you can.

"Great experience using Hello Neighbour. Was my first time renting out the apartment so having an experienced team to guide me through it all from legal requirements, contracts, proper vetting and credit checks was invaluable. Compared to the price of a traditional estate agent, this was great value."

Craig Brown, Trustpilot review
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How we compare

WHAT YOU GET WITH US, WHAT YOU DON'T GET ELSEWHERE

Most high-street agents charge landlords separately. Online services often look cheap until you see what's missing.

What's checked Hello Neighbour Typical agent
Credit check Included Included
Open Banking affordability Included Payslips only
AI fraud detection Included Not standard
Right to Rent check Included Often extra
Landlord and employer references Included Included
Turnaround 48 hours 3 to 7 days
Price per tenant £24 incl. VAT £40-£60 typical range
Common questions

EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING.

If your question isn't answered below, give us a call or email contact@hello-neighbour.com. We usually reply within an hour during working days.

Order a reference
How long does a reference take?

Most references are returned within 48 hours of the tenant submitting their information. Around 70% are completed within 24 hours.

The few that take longer usually involve a previous landlord who's slow to respond or supporting documents that need clarification. We'll keep you updated either way.

What if a reference fails?

You'll receive a clear report explaining exactly what failed and why — for example, an affordability shortfall, an adverse credit event, or a flagged document.

From there, you have options: ask for a guarantor (we can reference them too), accept a higher deposit if the law allows, or decline. We'll talk you through the trade-offs and the legal implications under the Renters' Rights Act.

 

What is Open Banking and why does it matter?

Open Banking is an FCA-regulated framework that lets a tenant securely grant read-only access to their bank statements. We see real income, real outgoings, and real affordability - not what's claimed on a payslip.

This is the single biggest improvement in referencing in the last decade. It catches fake employment, miscounted income and overstretched applicants that traditional checks miss entirely.

Will the tenant know they're being checked?

Yes — referencing requires the tenant's explicit consent. They submit their own information and authorise the credit check, Open Banking access, and Right to Rent check directly.

This is both a legal requirement under GDPR and a practical necessity. It also means tenants who have something to hide tend to drop out at this stage — which is exactly what you want.

Does this meet rent guarantee insurance requirements?

Yes. Our reference scope and documentation are designed to meet the requirements of all major UK rent guarantee insurance providers. If you'd like to add cover after referencing, we can introduce you.

What if I have multiple tenants on one tenancy?

Each tenant is referenced individually at £24 per person. So a couple is £48 in total, three sharers is £72, and so on. Guarantors are referenced at the same price.

We assess affordability across the household, so high-earning sharers can support lower-earning ones if they're jointly named on the tenancy.

Is this free with Get Rented Pro?

Yes. References for the tenant or tenants you place are included in Get Rented Pro (£1,440 incl. VAT)

Not ready to order?

PREFER TO TALK IT THROUGH FIRST?

Every property is different and we'd rather help you pick the right service than push the wrong one. Speak to a real person about your tenancy, your timing, and what makes sense for your situation. No pressure, no upsell.

Lines open · Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm · We answer in under 60 seconds
Call 020 8138 8848 Email us

GET THE RIGHT TENANT FIRST TIME

With the Renters' Rights Act making tenant selection more critical than ever, thorough referencing isn't optional - it's essential. Don't let a bad reference cost you months of lost rent.

FULL TENANT REFERENCE
per check incl. VAT
£24
Order a reference

All prices include VAT · Unlimited references included in Get Rented Pro (£1,440 incl. VAT)

Read our full guide to tenant referencing