Tenant Referencing in London: How to Pass from Abroad
Last updated: November 2026 | Written by Corrina Pinsent, Home Search Consultant at London Relocation
The short answer
Tenant referencing is the check a letting agent or referencing company runs before you sign a tenancy. It covers your identity and right to rent, income and affordability, employment, previous landlord and UK credit history. Without a UK history you can still pass with an employer letter or contract, proof of income or savings, or a guarantor. Since 1 May 2026, landlords in England cannot ask for more than one month’s rent before you move in on a new tenancy.
Moving to London from abroad usually means arriving without the two things UK referencing leans on most: a UK credit file and UK payslips. It’s the most common worry we hear from relocating clients, and one our home search team solves every week.
A thin UK file doesn’t mean you’ll fail. You just need to show the same things in a different way. This guide covers what agents look for, what to prepare and what changed on 1 May 2026, because much of the advice online is now out of date.
What is tenant referencing?
Tenant referencing is the background check a landlord uses before offering you a tenancy. So what is referencing when renting in London? It comes down to three questions: are you who you say you are, are you allowed to rent in the UK, and can you afford the rent?
Landlords rarely do this themselves. The letting agent usually passes your application to a specialist referencing company, which checks your documents, contacts your employer and previous landlord, and runs a UK credit search. You’ll get a link to an online form once your offer is accepted.
Referencing for renting is free for you: under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and agents in England cannot charge tenants for it. Our guide to the Tenant Fees Act explains what you can and can’t be charged.
What referencing checks, and what to show if you are new to the UK
A standard tenant reference check covers five areas. Here’s what agents look for in each, and what to show instead if you’ve just arrived in the UK.
The affordability rule catches most people out. A £3,000-a-month flat usually needs a gross income of around £90,000 a year. If the salary on your UK contract clears that, a missing credit history matters far less. A US credit score doesn’t carry over to the UK agencies, so almost everyone moving from abroad starts with no UK file, and agents expect it.
How tenant referencing works, step by step
How does referencing work in practice? For most London lets, the order is the same. Here’s each step and what you pay at that point.
- Offer accepted. You agree the rent and terms. The rent must match the advertised price: landlords can no longer invite or accept bids above it.
- Holding deposit. You may pay a holding deposit to take the property off the market. It’s capped at one week’s rent.
- Referencing. You complete the online form, and the referencing company contacts your employer, your landlord and the credit agencies. No rent is due yet.
- Right to Rent check. The agent checks your immigration status, usually online with your share code.
- Sign the tenancy agreement. Only once the agreement is signed can you be asked for any rent.
- First month’s rent and deposit. Between signing and moving in, you pay up to one month’s rent and the tenancy deposit. The holding deposit is usually put towards one of these.
- Move in. You collect the keys, and the landlord protects your deposit in a government-approved scheme.
The Right to Rent check is separate from referencing: by law, every adult who will live in the property must prove they can rent in England. Our Right to Rent guide explains which documents count and how the share code works.
How long does referencing take?
For most applicants, tenant referencing takes a few working days. In our experience, clients with a UK employment contract are usually referenced within [XX] working days. Clients whose income is paid from abroad typically take [XX] working days, because more of the checks rely on a person replying rather than a database.
The credit search is almost instant. Delays usually come from waiting for an employer or landlord to reply, often across time zones.
To speed things up:
- Complete the referencing form the day you receive it
- Tell your HR team and current landlord to expect an email
- Have your documents scanned as PDFs before you make an offer
- Explain anything unusual upfront, such as a recent job change or income in a foreign currency
Documents to prepare before you arrive
What references do you need for renting in London? Most of them can be gathered before you fly, which means you can make an offer the moment you find the right flat. In a market where good homes often let within days, that matters.
Your referencing checklist
- Passport for every adult who will live in the property
- Visa or eVisa, and a Right to Rent share code from your UKVI account
- UK employment contract or offer letter showing your salary and start date
- A letter from your employer confirming your role, salary and any relocation package
- Recent payslips and bank statements, even if they’re from abroad
- Proof of savings or investments, if you’ll rely on them for affordability
- Tax returns or an accountant’s letter, if you’re self-employed
- Pension or investment income statements, if you’re retired
- A reference from your current landlord, or a mortgage statement if you own your home
- Your addresses for the last three years
- Contact details for a UK guarantor, if you have one
For the wider process, from setting a budget to signing, see our guide to securing a rental property in London or the Ultimate Guide to Renting in London.
No UK credit history? Your options
No UK credit history is the most common reason international renters worry about referencing, and it’s rarely the reason they fail. If you need references for renting for the first time in the UK, these are the main routes agents accept.
In 2026, about [X] in 10 of our international clients used a guarantor service or a company let to get through referencing.
A guarantor can be a friend or relative living in the UK, or a paid guarantor service if you don’t know anyone here. Landlords set their own criteria, so check which options are accepted before you apply.
Arriving before your UK job starts, or not planning to work in London? Our guide to renting in London without a job covers that situation in more detail.
What changed on 1 May 2026
The rules since 1 May 2026 (England)
- Rent in advance: landlords and letting agents cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. Between signing and the start date, they can ask for the first month’s rent (or up to 28 days’ rent if rent is due more often than monthly) and no more.
- Rental bidding: properties must be advertised at a fixed rent, and landlords cannot ask for, encourage or accept offers above it.
- Deposits: a holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent, and a tenancy deposit at five weeks’ rent (six weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more).
- Referencing fees: tenants still cannot be charged for referencing or credit checks.
For international renters, the rent in advance rule is the big change. Until May 2026, the standard way round a missing UK credit history was to pay six or even twelve months upfront. On new tenancies in England that route has closed, even if you offer, yet many guides still recommend it.
What replaces it is better preparation: a clear employer letter, proof of income or savings, a guarantor or a company let. Having your documents ready before you apply matters more than it used to.
Rent already paid in advance on a tenancy that started before 1 May 2026 isn’t affected. There are a few narrow exceptions, so if you’re asked for more than one month’s rent before moving in, ask which rule allows it. These rules apply in England; Scotland and Wales have their own. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
What happens if you fail referencing?
Will I pass tenant referencing? Most well-prepared applicants do. When someone doesn’t, it’s usually because their income doesn’t meet the affordability rule on paper, a reference never comes back or the credit search finds no UK history.
Failing is rarely the end. Referencing companies often return a conditional result, such as a pass with a guarantor, and you can usually respond by:
- adding a guarantor, or using a guarantor service
- providing more evidence, such as savings, a written salary confirmation or foreign income statements
- asking your employer about a company let
- choosing a property with a rent that fits the affordability rule
If you were honest in your application and the landlord decides not to go ahead, your holding deposit should normally be returned. It can be kept if you gave false or misleading information, failed the Right to Rent check or pulled out yourself.
When a client’s referencing stalls, we speak to the agent and referencing company directly, find out which check is the problem and put together the evidence that answers it. Because we prepare documents before the offer goes in, most issues are caught early.
How London Relocation helps international renters
Referencing is where many moves from abroad slow down, so it’s built into every home search we run. Our Remote Home Search and Accompanied Home Search both include preparing your referencing with you: we tell you what the landlord’s referencing company will ask for, check your documents before the offer goes in and deal with the agent if anything needs explaining.
Frequently asked questions about tenant referencing (FAQ)
How does tenant referencing work, and how long does it take?
After your offer is accepted, a referencing company checks your identity, right to rent, income, employment, previous landlord and UK credit history. It usually takes a few working days.
Can I rent in London without a UK credit history?
Yes. Agents accept an employer letter or contract, proof of savings or foreign income, a guarantor or a company let instead.
Can I still pay several months’ rent upfront?
Not on most new tenancies in England. Since 1 May 2026, landlords cannot take any rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, or more than one month’s rent between signing and moving in. If you’re asked for more, you can report it to your local council.
Will I pass tenant referencing, and what happens if I fail?
Most well-prepared applicants pass. If you don’t, you can usually still go ahead with a guarantor, more evidence of income or savings, or a company let.
Do I have to pay for referencing?
No. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and letting agents in England cannot charge tenants for referencing or credit checks.
What are landlords’ new responsibilities in 2026?
Landlords must advertise a fixed rent, cannot take rent before you sign or more than a month upfront, and can no longer use section 21 “no-fault” evictions. They also cannot unreasonably refuse a pet and must give you written information about your tenancy. See the GOV.UK overview for tenants.
Sources
This guide draws on official guidance from GOV.UK. Rules can change, so always check GOV.UK for the latest information.