# Referencing potential tenants **URL:** \ **Category:** Landlord Discussion\ **Created:** [1 July 2025 00:12 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341 "2025-07-01T00:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Patnut](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Patnut)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 00:12 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/1 "2025-07-01T00:12:44Z")
HiI have a couple interested in my property please correct me it iim wrong would I only request a guarantor if they fall referencing? ---
**Author:** ![Christopher32](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/christopher32/32/17380_2.png) [@Christopher32](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Christopher32)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 06:06 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/2 "2025-07-01T06:06:33Z")
Yes that is correct. Although some landlords choose not to have grantors in which case they would just move onto the next potential tenant ---
**Author:** ![Karl11](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/karl11/32/35316_2.png) [@Karl11](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Karl11)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 06:46 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/3 "2025-07-01T06:46:05Z")
Its up to you. It’s personal preference. You are self managing.. you get to make your own decisions. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Z](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/a_z/32/450_2.png) [@A\_Z](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/A_Z)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 08:35 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/4 "2025-07-01T08:35:27Z")
With RRB coming in make sure they all have a guarantor ---
**Author:** ![Hugh2](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/hugh2/32/26149_2.png) [@Hugh2](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Hugh2)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 13:18 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/5 "2025-07-01T13:18:13Z")
Unfortunately, i would have to reject a prospective tenant that failed reference, guarantor or not. This is sad, but practical. ---
**Author:** ![tatemono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/tatemono/32/19789_2.png) [@tatemono](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/tatemono)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 15:21 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/6 "2025-07-01T15:21:42Z")
What aspect of referencing did they fail? ---
**Author:** ![Patnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Patnut](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Patnut)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 16:55 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/7 "2025-07-01T16:55:10Z")
I haven’t done any references yet just planning ahead at the moment. Is open rent referencing as good as any? I do have NRLA membership too ---
**Author:** ![tatemono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/tatemono/32/19789_2.png) [@tatemono](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/tatemono)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2025 20:33 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/8 "2025-07-01T20:33:10Z")
planning ahead with references means not referencing until you are sure they will pass. Prior to actually paying for referencing, for example, I always: - get 6 months of bank statements (including any savings accounts) and go over them in detail looking in particular for any large loan payments, regular income payments, how close they come to zero each month, spending on things that might flag issues (lots of gambling, pet insurance when they say they have no pets), whether they’re saving regularly - contact their employer and ask for verification of their employment status, contract length, salary - if available contact a previous landlord (not current) and ask for proof of let (e.g. copy of AST front page) and whether any outstanding issues - meet them in person at the property to get a vibe from them and to see what kind of questions they ask about the property / things they say about it (e.g. one applicant said “this room’ll be great for when my partner’s teenage kids come over when he’s back from off-shore” which raised a flag as they hadn’t mentioned a partner living with them at all prior to this) Unless they get through all this without any flags being raised, I don’t take it to referencing. IOW, by the time I pay for referencing, they’re going to pass unless they’ve lied about a CCJ or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![tatemono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/tatemono/32/19789_2.png) [@tatemono](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/tatemono)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 09:00 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/9 "2025-07-02T09:00:42Z")
I should have added that if they’re on benefits (which all my tenants are in some form), I ask for written confirmation of the benefit they’ve been granted. ---
**Author:** ![Katy](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/katy/32/450_2.png) [@Katy](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Katy)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 15:41 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/10 "2025-07-02T15:41:34Z")
I’ve just had a very bad experience with a tenant who I’m in the process of evicting. I wish I had done what you’re recommending @tatemono. Do all tenants comply with your own referencing requirements outlined here or do some refuse? ---
**Author:** ![tatemono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/tatemono/32/19789_2.png) [@tatemono](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/tatemono)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 15:51 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/11 "2025-07-02T15:51:18Z")
I’ve never had one refuse in 28 years of letting. But if they did, they’d be out of the running immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Katy](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/katy/32/450_2.png) [@Katy](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Katy)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 17:08 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/12 "2025-07-02T17:08:44Z")
Thanks for that, very grateful. ---
**Author:** ![David122](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/david122/32/1449_2.png) [@David122](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/David122)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 17:23 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/13 "2025-07-02T17:23:41Z")
N R L A have a useful tenant application form. I always get tenants to complete it before referencing them. It serves a number of useful purposes, one of which is to ask about CCJs, IVAs etc. ---
**Author:** ![Nicholas13](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/nicholas13/32/26909_2.png) [@Nicholas13](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Nicholas13)\ **Post date:** [2 July 2025 19:01 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/14 "2025-07-02T19:01:02Z")
I wouldn’t proceed if they fail referencing. As I want to take insurance for rent and legal for first twelve months. I have gone with my gut in the past, but with the new regulations you need to insure also. But do use your gut to judge people. Don’t put someone into a property if you have any doubts, even if they pass referencing and have a guarantor. ---
**Author:** ![Chris50](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/chris50/32/18719_2.png) [@Chris50](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Chris50)\ **Post date:** [3 July 2025 07:15 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/15 "2025-07-03T07:15:13Z")
I have asked for a guarantor when it fails and I like them. One instance was when the person had defaulted on not paying her phone contract and had a CCJ. Later on the guarantor was needed because she stopped paying rent during COVID, and when the guarantor was approached started paying again. ---
**Author:** ![Patnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Patnut](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Patnut)\ **Post date:** [3 July 2025 15:26 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/16 "2025-07-03T15:26:36Z")
I’ve had someone offer me 6/12m rent upfront. Single parent references but no guarantor hence the upfront payment. Has anyone does this? and if so how did you collect the rent though open rent? ---
**Author:** ![Chris50](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/chris50/32/18719_2.png) [@Chris50](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Chris50)\ **Post date:** [3 July 2025 16:31 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/17 "2025-07-03T16:31:55Z")
Don’t do this, How will you collect future rents ---
**Author:** ![Patnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Patnut](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Patnut)\ **Post date:** [3 July 2025 16:43 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/18 "2025-07-03T16:43:32Z")
I would assume via bank transfer however I am quite reluctant as after the 6/12 month they could stop paying all together. ---
**Author:** ![tatemono](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/tatemono/32/19789_2.png) [@tatemono](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/tatemono)\ **Post date:** [3 July 2025 20:07 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/19 "2025-07-03T20:07:50Z")
> [@Patnut](#): > > as after the 6/12 month they could stop paying all together. precisely… which is why I have never ever accepted an offer to pay more than 1 month’s rent up front. Any more than that is shortly to be made illegal anyway. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/system/32/11_2.png) [@system](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/system)\ **Post date:** [1 October 2025 20:08 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/referencing-potential-tenants/84341/20 "2025-10-01T20:08:10Z")
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