Tenant Screening: Avoid Problem Renters

For Hemmingfords clients, the goal is simple: reduce voids, arrears and avoidable disputes without crossing the line into discrimination or overcomplicating the process. In England, that means the checks must be applied fairly, across all applicants, and documented properly.

The best tenant screening process is boring, repeatable and evidence-led.

Core check	What it tells you	What it does not tell you
Right to Rent	The applicant is legally allowed to rent in England	Whether they will pay on time
Affordability	The rent is realistic for their income	Whether they will look after the property
References	Past behaviour and payment history	Whether future circumstances will change
Guarantor check	Back-up if the applicant cannot meet the rent alone	That the guarantor is a substitute for proper vetting

Start with a standard application pack

Every applicant should complete the same pack. That should include identity details, current address history, employment or income information, consent for referencing, and details of any guarantor or co-applicant.

A strong pack does two things. First, it removes guesswork and keeps the process fair. Second, it creates a paper trail if you later need to justify why one applicant was accepted and another was not.

Ask for the same information every time

A useful application pack should ask for:

• Full legal name

• Date of birth

• Current and previous addresses

• Employment status and employer details

• Gross monthly or annual income

• Any benefits or other regular income

• Names of all adult occupiers

• Guarantor details, if applicable

• Consent to credit and landlord referencing

Do not improvise questions from one applicant to the next. If you do, you create inconsistency and make it harder to defend the decision if challenged.

Check affordability properly

Affordability is where many landlords make the wrong call. The mistake is to use a rough rule without checking whether the income is stable, verified and sufficient after other commitments.

The point is not to exclude everyone with a tighter budget. The point is to test whether the tenancy is sustainable.

Use verified income, not assumptions

Request evidence such as:

• Recent payslips

• Bank statements

• Employment contract

• Self-assessment tax calculations

• Accountant’s reference for self-employed applicants

• Proof of benefits or other regular income where relevant

If benefits form part of the household income, they must be treated fairly in the same way as other income. Do not discount them automatically.

Look for payment capacity, not just salary

A high income does not always mean a low-risk tenant. Red flags include:

• Frequent overdrafts

• Repeated late payments on credit commitments

• Unexplained gaps in bank statements

• Income that varies sharply month to month

• Heavy reliance on short-term borrowing

So what matters? An applicant who earns well but runs their account badly can still become an arrears risk. The screening should assess stability, not just headline income.

Verify previous landlord references

Previous landlord references are one of the best practical indicators of how a tenant will behave once they move in. They will not predict everything, but they can reveal payment reliability, communication habits and whether there were property-related issues.

Ask for confirmation of:

• Rent paid on time

• Any arrears or repayment plans

• Notice given at the end of the tenancy

• Condition of the property on exit

• Any complaints, damage or breaches of tenancy terms

If the applicant is renting from a friend or family member, treat that reference cautiously. It may still be useful, but it should not be the only evidence you rely on.

Watch for references that are too vague

Be wary of references that simply say the tenant was “fine” or “no issues”. A proper reference should answer concrete questions. If it does not, ask for a follow-up or use other evidence to fill the gap.

Run a credit check, but do not overread it

A credit check is useful because it can show missed payments, county court judgments and patterns of financial stress. It should not be used as a blunt yes-or-no tool.

A thin credit file does not automatically mean a bad tenant. New arrivals to the UK, younger tenants and people who have not used mainstream credit can still be excellent renters.

Focus on risk patterns

The most relevant signals are:

• Current defaults

• Recent CCJs

• Large unsecured borrowing relative to income

• Repeated missed payments

• Signs of identity mismatch

Treat one historic issue differently from a recent cluster of problems. Context matters.

Apply Right to Rent checks correctly

If the property is in England, Right to Rent checks are non-negotiable. They must be carried out on all adult occupiers, not selectively, and they need to be completed before the tenancy starts.

This is both a legal requirement and a fairness issue. If you only check some applicants more closely than others, you create discrimination risk.

Keep the process consistent

Apply the same check to every adult applicant and retain a clear record of:

• What documents were checked

• When the check was completed

• Who completed it

• Whether any follow-up check is needed

Do not rely on guesswork or appearance. Use the prescribed process, every time.

Consider a guarantor where the profile is borderline

A guarantor is often the right answer when the applicant is otherwise suitable but the income is tight, employment is new, or the credit history is thin. It is a risk management tool, not a shortcut for weak referencing.

A guarantor is useful when:

• The tenant is a student or first-time renter

• The applicant has variable income

• There is limited UK credit history

• Income is just below the normal affordability threshold

Make sure the guarantor is referenced too. A guarantor who cannot realistically cover the rent adds little value.

Red flags that deserve a closer look

Some issues should trigger further questions rather than an automatic rejection. Others are serious enough that they should pause the application until explained.

Red flag	Why it matters	What to do
Inconsistent address history	Possible concealment or instability	Ask for clarification and documentary proof
Unverifiable income	Affordability cannot be trusted	Request alternative evidence
Poor landlord reference	Risk of arrears or property damage	Ask follow-up questions
Recent CCJs or defaults	Financial stress	Review severity and timing
Missing ID or documents	Fraud risk	Do not proceed until resolved

The key is to separate explainable issues from concealment. Honest applicants can have imperfect files. Problem renters usually create patterns.

Use clear acceptance criteria before you advertise

The cleanest screening process starts before the first viewing. Decide in advance:

• Minimum income multiple or affordability benchmark

• Whether guarantors are accepted

• What counts as acceptable credit history

• Which documents are mandatory

• How you will score borderline applications

That makes the process faster, fairer and easier to defend. It also reduces the temptation to decide based on instinct alone.

The practical rule for landlords

If a candidate can pass the legal checks, prove the rent is affordable, provide strong references and respond promptly to reasonable requests, they are usually a low-risk prospect.

If they cannot, the issue is not whether they sound pleasant on the phone. It is whether the tenancy will be sustainable.

Bottom line

To avoid problem renters, screen for facts, not feelings. Use one consistent process, verify the income, check references, complete Right to Rent properly and insist on a clear paper trail. That approach will not eliminate every risk, but it will catch the problems that usually become expensive later.