Before you sign
Goodlord, HomeLet, Vouch and Canopy referencing
Been sent a referencing link by a letting agent? These are the companies agents use most to check tenants. Here is what each one checks, how long it takes, the income they usually look for, and what to do while you wait.
England · Checked November 2026 · Independent, not connected with any referencing company
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Check a property freeWhat each company checks
In what each one says on its own pages for tenants. They all check you, not the home.
- Goodlord
- Lettings software used by many agents to run referencing, send the contract and collect the first payments. You get a link by email or text and fill in the application online, and a dashboard shows how far it has got. Goodlord sends the final report to the agent, who talks to you about next steps. It says it completes 30% of its references within an hour. It doesn’t publish its pass criteria for tenants, so ask the agent what income they need.
- HomeLet
- A long-established referencing and rent guarantee insurance company. HomeLet runs a credit search for CCJs and bankruptcy, looks for previous names and addresses you haven’t mentioned, checks your bank account is genuine, and contacts your employer and usually your previous landlord. It says you’ll usually need a household income of around two and a half times the annual rent. A status of ‘Complete’ means the result has gone to the agent or landlord, not that you have the home.
- Vouch
- Vouch runs an Equifax credit check that it says doesn’t affect your credit score, and needs three years of address history. It asks for an income of 30 times the monthly rent (36 times for a guarantor), a reference from your current landlord if you rent now, and ID that meets the right to rent rules. It aims to finish in 1–3 business days. The letting agent, not Vouch, makes the final decision.
- Canopy
- Canopy’s RentPassport is a digital rental history you build in its app: your income, your rent payment history, a credit check and, if you like, your savings. You can connect your bank through Open Banking to show income and rent payments, or upload documents instead. Canopy says there is no cost to the renter; it charges the agent or landlord.
Which referencing company is best?
You don’t get to choose: the agent or landlord picks the company and pays for it. All four check much the same things, your identity and right to rent, your credit file, your income and usually a reference from your employer and previous landlord. The differences are in the app or website you use and how quickly they work, not in what you need to pass.
Do I have to pay for referencing?
No. In England the Tenant Fees Act has banned referencing fees for tenants since 1 June 2019, whichever company the agent uses. If an agent asks you to pay for referencing, credit checks or ‘admin’, that’s a banned fee. The only payments allowed before you move in are a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent, the tenancy deposit and the first rent.
The Tenant Fees Act guidance for tenants on GOV.UK lists the payments that are allowed.
How much do I need to earn to pass?
Most agents use a yearly income of around 30 times the monthly rent, which is the same as two and a half times the yearly rent. For a rent of £1,000 a month that’s £30,000 a year, between all the tenants. Guarantors are usually asked for more, often 36 times the monthly rent, because they have their own home to pay for. The agent sets the rule, so ask what it is before you apply.
Work it out for your rent with our salary needed to rent calculator.
How long does referencing take?
Usually two to three working days once everything is in, and sometimes the same day. Vouch aims for 1–3 business days, and Goodlord says it completes 30% of references within an hour. The wait is almost always for someone else: an employer or previous landlord who hasn’t replied, or a document that doesn’t match what you put in the form.
What slows it down, and how to speed it up, is in how long tenant referencing takes.
My referencing is stuck. What can I do?
Log in to the company’s portal or app and see what it is waiting for. Then chase that person yourself: ask your employer or previous landlord to check their junk folder, and to reply to the referencing company. If your ID or proof of address was rejected, upload a clearer or more recent document. Proof of address and of income usually has to be dated within the last three months.
- Check the portal or app for what is outstanding.
- Ask your employer and previous landlord to look in their junk folder.
- Make sure the names, dates and addresses match your documents.
- Upload recent documents, dated within the last three months.
- Tell the agent what you’ve done, so they can chase as well.
Does referencing affect my credit score?
Vouch says its Equifax check doesn’t affect your credit score. The others don’t say on their tenant pages, so if you’re about to apply for a mortgage or a loan, ask the referencing company what kind of search it runs.
What happens if I fail referencing?
The agent decides what happens next, not the referencing company. Ask which part failed: income, credit file, a landlord reference or right to rent. A guarantor, another earner on the tenancy or a professional guarantor service can often get you through. If the landlord pulls out, your holding deposit must usually be repaid within 7 days.
Referencing checks you. Who checks the home?
While the agent checks your income and credit, nobody checks the home or the landlord for you. Use the wait to do it: a free check covers the energy rating, flood risk and crime nearby in about a minute. The complete report adds who owns it on HM Land Registry, the rent against similar homes nearby, whether it needs a licence, and a check of the tenancy agreement before you sign.
Check a property freeSources: Goodlord for tenants and its blog on referencing times; HomeLet’s tips for being referenced; Vouch’s tenant FAQ; Canopy’s help centre on the RentPassport and its cost; and the Tenant Fees Act guidance on GOV.UK. RenterCheck is not connected with any of these companies, and they change how they work, so check their current pages. This guide covers common private tenancies in England and is general information, not legal advice. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to lodgers, social housing and some specialist accommodation.
Check the agreement
Received an agreement? Check its terms against the property before you sign.
Referencing checks you. The report checks the home and the landlord. The free check covers the energy rating, flood zone, crime nearby, conservation area and listed building status, and the sale history. Complete RenterCheck adds the rent comparison, the monthly running costs, licensing, and whether a company or a private individual owns it, and checks your tenancy agreement against the records.