Which type of enquiry should I carry out?

This is a personal choice and depends on your attitude to risk assessment.

Using the SAL Tenant Referencing service will let you know if your prospective tenants have had any credit problems in the past. The Full Tenant Reference includes references and income confirmation and the result will be predictive of what is likely to happen in the future.

Do I have to have consent from the people being checked?

For the Full Tenant Reference you may invite the applicants to complete their applications online. If you choose this option then we will obtain the consent directly from the tenant or guarantor.

The applicant will be asked to provide their consent during the application process and will also have to print and sign a declaration and return it to us. Please note that this site and our services are governed by the 1998 Data Protection Act.

Can I issue my tenants with application forms?

SAL Tenant Referencing is an online service, designed to be as simple and as fast as possible.

For SAL Tenant Referencing you need to enter name, date of birth and addresses for each applicant and you will be asked to confirm you have obtained consent from the individual concerned.

For Full Tenant References you start the application process and provide us with an email address for each tenant/guarantor. We then send the tenants a link to complete their application online. You can keep a check on the application status on the online tracker throughout the whole process.

If the tenants do not have access to an email address then you can complete the application on their behalf.

Can I use SAL Tenant Referencing for prospective tenants who are self-employed?

Self-employed applicants are fairly common. To pass a Full Tenant Reference without the support of a guarantor they will need to provide us with their accountant’s details for a reference/income confirmation or if they do not use an accountant they will need to provide their self-assessment tax calculation and recent bank statements.

Can I reference an overseas prospective tenant?

Yes. Non-UK applicants need to be able to provide proof of identity and if outside EU proof of right to reside/work in the UK. To pass without the support of a guarantor they will need to have a permanent employment contract and a UK bank account that passes our validation test.

What if they are an overseas student?

Overseas students wouldn’t be able to pass a check without the support of a UK guarantor. If this is not possible we would advise the landlord to check ID and proof of residency documents themselves and they would then have to decide whether they are happy to accept the risk.

When will you recommend a guarantor agreement is in place?

We will recommend a guarantor when:

• the applicant has insufficient income
• the applicant has credit history problems
• the applicant is unemployed or we are not happy with the status of their employer
• the applicant is self-employed and unable to provide acceptable proof of income
• we receive a negative reference from the current landlord
• the applicant is a student, unemployed or on Housing Benefit
• the applicant’s history of residence or identity cannot be verified
• the application is considered generally weak for any other reason

When will you recommend that the tenancy does not proceed?

We will decline an application when:

• the applicant has severe credit history problems
• the information on the application is found to be fraudulent

When will you decline a guarantor?

We will decline a guarantor when:

• negative credit history is located
• the guarantor has insufficient income
• the guarantor is employed on a temporary contract or casual employment
• the guarantor is self-employed and has no proof of address
• the guarantor's residency at their address cannot be verified
• the information on the application is found to be fraudulent

What support do I have?

SAL Tenant Referencing has a dedicated client support team on hand to answer any questions you may have about tenant references in general or about a particular order.

T: 01227 668733
E: support@scottishlandlordstenantreferencing.com