PRODUCT INFO | Use this product to verify the identity of a tenant before you rent out a property. By using Shergroup’s Background Check a Tenant product you can minimise the risk of running into rent arrears or other problems caused by tenants ignoring their tenancy agreement obligations. Our background check on your tenants will give you information about their history of renting, their financial situation, and any criminal records they may have. As a landlord, it is advisable to exercise caution and confirm the identity of your tenant before giving them the keys to your home.
Using this product can minimise the risk of running into rent arrears or other problems caused by tenants ignoring their tenancy agreement obligations. Our tenant background check will shine a light on your prospective tenant’s financial history and the ability of your tenant to meet rental obligations.
Why do you need a Tenancy Background Check?
You need a tenant background screening to verify |
- The character of the person wishing to rent your property. Every landlord wants to rent out their property to tenants with a clean criminal record.
- The credit history of the person. Good credit history shows that a tenant keeps on top of their bills and will, most likely, pay their rent on time.
- The employment history of potential employees. If someone has lied about their income, he or she may not be able to keep up with rent payments. Confirming this in advance of a tenancy gives the landlord security that they have rented to someone who can afford the property.
As we get involved in issuing claims against tenants, and enforcing judgments and orders against tenants, we can assure anyone looking at this product that it’s much better to be informed BEFORE you let out your property, rather than after there’s a default or a failure to meet other property obligations.
Don’t forget that as a landlord you should carry out checks to verify that your prospective tenants (extending to all the adults living in the property) have a ‘right to rent in the UK. You can ask your prospective tenant to show you their immigration documents or passport before you start a new tenancy or renew an existing tenancy. If a tenant can’t show you the necessary documentation you can make a “right to rent” check with the Home Office which should reply within 2 working days.
You should also ask the tenant for references to show they can afford the rent for the property and that you will or have been a good tenant. References can be supplied from the tenant’s current landlord or previous landlords (or the letting agency). You can also ask your tenant to supply a reference from an employer. This will confirm that the tenant has a job and that the tenant has job security.
Tenants can also be asked to disclose their recent bank statements to confirm that they have received the income they are claiming. For self-employed tenants, you should ask for copies of trading accounts and an accountant’s reference to verify that the rent can be met.
If that still doesn’t give you enough comfort, you can ask the tenant to provide a guarantor for the rent. This might be a good idea if the tenant doesn’t have a history of renting to show you. A guarantor will agree to pay you the rent if the tenant defaults and in the event of default the guarantor can be sued for the outstanding rent. It is not unheard of for us to enforce a judgment against a guarantor (often a parent or relative) of a judgment debtor.
How to Instruct Us?
You can instruct us by adding this solution to the cart and by making the payment. If you want us to know any more details, you can message us at hub@shergroup.com.
Our tenant background check will verify the tenant’s current address, and ability to pay the rent. If further enquiries need to be made, you can apply for a deeper background check for a further fee.
As we get involved in issuing claims against tenants, and enforcing judgments and orders against tenants, we can assure anyone looking at this product that it’s much better to be informed BEFORE you let out your property, rather than after there’s a default or a failure to meet other property obligations.
References can be supplied from the tenant’s current landlord or previous landlords (or the letting agency). You can also ask your tenant to provide a reference from an employer. This will confirm that the tenant has a job and that the tenant has job security.
Tenants can also be asked to disclose their recent bank statements to confirm that they have received the income they are claiming. For self-employed tenants, you should ask for copies of trading accounts and an accountant’s reference to verify that the rent can be met.
If that still doesn’t give you enough comfort, you can ask the tenant to provide a guarantor for the rent. This might be a good idea if the tenant doesn’t have a history of renting to show you. A guarantor will agree to pay you the rent if the tenant defaults and in the event of default the guarantor can be sued for the outstanding rent. It is not unheard of for us to enforce a judgment against a guarantor (often a parent or relative) of a judgment debtor. So, it’s also best to credit-check the guarantor because this is your backup to pay if your tenant defaults.
Our friendly team of business solution advisors will help you through the needed steps to get consent from your tenant to give you the references you need.