Published: 22/06/2018
When you decide to look for a property to rent various checks need to be made. The rental agency may ask you to fill in a tenancy information form.The form you fill in will ask for details about your name, date of birth and current address. You will also have to give a previous address if you have lived at your current address less than around 5 or 6 years.
If you are tenant when you apply, then fill in your current landlord’s contact details. This might include a telephone number or an email address.
Students who are looking to rent a property might be asked to provide a guarantor. A rent guarantor is someone who agrees to pay the rent on your behalf if you don’t. This carries a lot of responsibility and so it will most probably be a member of the family or a close friend. If the rent remains unpaid by you or your guarantor, the landlord can take you to court.
You’ll also have to give details about your current employment. You will have to give the name and address of your employer and provide a contact name and number or email address. You don’t have to give any details about your earnings. The potential landlord can only check that you do work at the name and address you have provided.
After this put in your bank details and attach a document which identifies you. This can be a passport, a driving licence or a utility bill.
At the end of the form you may be asked for your social security number. There might also be a box to tick regarding a credit check. Many landlords like to check a potential tenant’s credit history. They need your permission to do this. By ticking the box, you will agree to the search.
If you agree they can apply to a credit agency like Experian, Callcredit or Equifax. Your landlord can only see records that are available to the public. This means they can’t see your credit card or loan debt. But, they can see whether or not you have any county court judgments or bankruptcy orders. If you have signed up to the Rental Exchange with Experian, your rent records are available. Your landlord can see these records.
Your credit score is also a public record. A poor credit score indicates that you don’t have any credit or that you don’t handle your finances very well. A good score is more likely to result in an offer of a tenancy by a landlord.
Filling out a tenancy information form gives your landlord information about you. If this is combined with a credit check, they will be able to find out if you are financially responsible.