Applying for a tenancy with Tenant Link

Holding deposit and reservation terms

Before referencing begins, we will explain the proposed tenancy and ask you to agree written holding-deposit terms and pay a refundable holding deposit of no more than one week’s rent. This is a holding deposit, not a non-refundable application or holding fee. For monthly rent, one week’s rent is calculated as monthly rent × 12 ÷ 52. For a joint tenancy, the cap applies to the property as a whole—not a full week of the property’s rent charged to each applicant. We will take the property off the market while we process your reserved application; this does not guarantee that the application will be accepted. The usual deadline for entering into the tenancy agreement is 15 days after the holding deposit is received. A different deadline can be agreed in writing. This is a deadline for reaching the agreement, not an automatic deadline to move in or an automatic right to keep your deposit.

When your holding deposit is returned

The holding deposit will normally be refunded if the tenancy is agreed, the landlord decides not to proceed, or the agreement deadline passes without a tenancy being agreed. With your consent, it can instead be applied towards the tenancy deposit or first rent payment once the tenancy agreement has been signed. It can only be retained in the limited circumstances allowed by the Tenant Fees Act 2019, including withdrawal from the application, a failed Right to Rent check where the statutory conditions for retention are met, materially false or misleading information affecting suitability, or failure to take all reasonable steps to enter into the agreement where the landlord or agent has taken all reasonable steps themselves. Where a refund is due, it must be made within seven days of the relevant statutory trigger, such as entering into the tenancy agreement, the landlord deciding not to proceed, or the agreed deadline passing. If the deposit is lawfully retained, the reasons must be given in writing within seven days of the decision not to grant the tenancy or the agreement deadline expiring, as applicable. Failing an affordability or credit check is not, by itself, a reason to retain a holding deposit if the information supplied was accurate.

Online application and the 24-hour turnaround

Working professionals and student applicants will be asked to complete the online referencing form and provide the relevant documents as soon as possible, normally within 24 hours of paying the holding deposit. Where a guarantor is needed, they should also complete their form promptly so checks can be completed within the agreement deadline. The 24-hour turnaround is Tenant Link’s application target, not a statutory deadline. Tell us promptly if you need more time, an accessible way to apply, or help obtaining a document. Missing this target does not automatically mean your holding deposit is lost; the statutory rules above still apply.

Right to Rent checks

Under the Immigration Act 2014 Right to Rent rules in England, including section 22, checks are required for lettings covered by the scheme. We check all prospective adult occupiers aged 18 or over before the tenancy starts, including adults who will live in the property but are not named on the tenancy agreement. Checks are carried out consistently, regardless of nationality or perceived immigration status. The Right to Rent scheme does not apply throughout the whole UK. British and Irish citizens can normally prove their right using an accepted passport or other permitted documents. They cannot obtain a Right to Rent share code. A driving licence or birth certificate may help establish identity, but is not always sufficient on its own for the statutory check; we will explain any required document combination. Other applicants may prove their status through the Home Office online service using a Right to Rent share code and date of birth, or through another permitted document-checking route where available. Physical biometric residence permits and cards are not accepted as proof of Right to Rent; holders should use the appropriate online check. Where applicable, the Home Office Landlord Checking Service can be used for an outstanding application or other qualifying circumstances. For time-limited permission, the initial check must normally take place within the 28 days before the tenancy starts, with follow-up checks when required. We will explain if a statutory accommodation exemption applies; being a student in an ordinary privately rented house does not by itself remove the need for a check.

Affordability and references

Affordability checks are carried out on applications. Our usual referencing benchmark is evidenced annual income of at least 30 times the monthly rent. This is a referencing criterion, not a legal minimum income requirement; we will explain how it applies to your particular application, including any joint application. Income is not limited to an employment salary. Relevant income from benefits, pensions, self-employment and other evidenced sources must be considered fairly and treated equally. Applicants must not be rejected simply because they receive benefits or have children, and criteria must be applied lawfully and consistently with equality requirements. Tenant Link, the landlord or an appointed referencing company may seek references from the current employer and landlord identified in your application, where relevant. We will explain the checks being carried out, including any credit checks. Applicants are not charged application, administration, referencing or credit-check fees by Tenant Link.

Applicant document checklist

The documents needed depend on your circumstances. We will confirm which of the following are relevant and accept suitable alternative evidence where appropriate; the list is not a requirement for every applicant to hold every document.

• Identity evidence, such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate, together with the separate evidence needed for a valid Right to Rent check.
• Where applicable, a Right to Rent share code and date of birth, or other accepted immigration-status evidence—not an automatic demand for a share code from every non-British passport holder.
• Normally the most recent three months’ bank statements showing income and your name and current address where available. UK statements may be requested where available, but equivalent evidence should be discussed if you do not have them.
• Income evidence appropriate to your circumstances, such as payslips, an employment reference, benefit award letters, pension statements or self-employment records.
• Current employer and landlord contact details where relevant to the references being sought.
• A credit check as part of the referencing process. You may choose to supply a free report, for example from ClearScore, but you are not required to open an account with a particular third-party provider, buy a report or pay Tenant Link for the check.

Additional information for students

Student applicants complete the relevant identity, Right to Rent and application checks above. Employer information is not required where it does not apply. We will explain the evidence needed for your funding and any guarantor arrangements, rather than treating a lack of employment as an automatic refusal.

• An offer or enrolment letter from the university where you will study.
• A student ID card, where already issued; contact the team if you are a new student and do not yet have one.
• Relevant funding or income evidence where needed for the affordability assessment.
• Details of the proposed UK guarantor where a guarantor is required, and their completed referencing form.

Guarantors and their responsibilities

If the affordability assessment or other relevant referencing results indicate that additional security is needed, we may ask for a suitable guarantor. A guarantor must be an adult able to enter into a legally binding guarantee. We do not describe an over-25 age restriction as a legal requirement or apply a blanket age-based exclusion. Our usual referencing criteria seek a UK-based homeowner with evidenced annual income of at least 35 times the monthly rent being assessed. For a student assessed on their individual rent share, the benchmark relates to that share. These are referencing criteria, not statutory requirements. Suitable alternatives and individual circumstances—including a younger, retired, self-employed or non-home-owning guarantor—should be discussed with the team and assessed lawfully. The guarantor completes an application and, if accepted, signs a written guarantee before the tenancy proceeds. It will explain when they may have to pay if the tenant fails to do so, whether the guarantee covers an individual share or a joint tenancy’s liabilities, any other obligations, and its duration. Being assessed on an individual rent share does not itself limit the legal liability in the guarantee. The guarantor should read it carefully and may seek independent legal advice before signing. If you cannot provide a suitable personal guarantor, ask about available alternatives, including an independently chosen company guarantor where accepted by the landlord. Any optional provider charges must be explained; this is not a mandatory Tenant Link referencing fee or a requirement to buy a particular third-party service.

Guarantor document checklist

We will explain the identity, financial and ownership evidence required before a guarantee is signed. A guarantor who is not occupying the property is not automatically subject to a tenant’s Right to Rent check.

• Identity evidence, such as a passport or appropriate driving licence/birth-certificate documentation.
• Property-ownership evidence where relevant to the assessment, such as a mortgage statement or Land Registry record.
• Normally the most recent three months’ bank statements showing income, name and current address, or suitable alternative evidence.
• Employment and income details, with pension, benefit or self-employment evidence where applicable.
• Credit referencing carried out without a Tenant Link guarantor-check fee. A free ClearScore report may be supplied voluntarily; opening a third-party account or purchasing a report is not compulsory.

Self-employed applicants and guarantors

Further affordability evidence may be needed if the applicant or guarantor is self-employed. We will explain what is proportionate to your circumstances; a newer business should contact us if three years of records are not available.

• Normally the most recent three months’ bank statements showing income, name and current address.
• Tax returns or suitable HMRC tax calculations/accounts for up to the last three years, where available and relevant.
• Accountant contact details so Tenant Link or the referencing provider can request an appropriate reference.

Rent in advance and applicants new to the UK

For ordinary assured private tenancies in England under the rules introduced on 1 May 2026, a landlord or agent must not ask for, encourage or accept rent payments before both parties have signed the tenancy agreement. A permitted holding deposit or tenancy deposit is different from rent and may be requested before signing. After the agreement has been signed but before the tenancy starts, the amount that can normally be required is limited to one month’s rent for a monthly tenancy, or up to 28 days’ rent for a weekly tenancy. Statutory exceptions exist for certain housing arrangements; we will explain if one genuinely applies to the property. You will not be required to pay several months’ rent in advance simply because you are a student, have recently arrived in the UK, have limited UK credit history or cannot provide a guarantor. We will discuss appropriate income, funding and identity evidence and any acceptable alternative security arrangements instead. Please speak to the team if you need help understanding the costs of renting.

Tenancy deposit and agreed payments

Once Tenant Link has confirmed that references have passed and been accepted, the remaining tenancy deposit is normally due within 24 hours under our application process. This is an agency payment timetable, not a separate statutory deadline. We will confirm the amount and explain any holding-deposit refund or agreed credit. For tenancies covered by the Tenant Fees Act, the tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent where annual rent is below £50,000, or six weeks’ rent where annual rent is £50,000 or more. For an assured tenancy, the deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme and the prescribed information provided within 30 days of receipt. Rent is only requested in accordance with the signing and advance-payment rules above. If you need to discuss an agreed payment deadline, contact us promptly rather than assuming a deposit will automatically be forfeited.

Your tenancy agreement and move-in

Once the terms have been agreed and references completed, we will prepare the appropriate written tenancy agreement for you to review and sign. Since 1 May 2026, ordinary assured tenancies in England run on a periodic, rolling basis. We will therefore prepare an assured periodic tenancy agreement where that regime applies—not a new assured shorthold tenancy with a compulsory minimum six-month fixed term or fixed end date. Ordinary privately rented student houses are not automatically exempt from these reforms. Different rules may apply to genuinely excluded arrangements, such as qualifying purpose-built student accommodation or resident-landlord lodgings. We will explain the applicable tenancy type for the specific property rather than assuming every letting is an assured tenancy. Before move-in, we will confirm the tenancy’s start date, rent and payment arrangements, relevant documents and information, deposit arrangements, and how you will collect the keys. Ask any questions before signing, and obtain independent advice if you are unsure about the agreement or a guarantee.

How your information is used

Your application information is used for appropriate tenancy, identity, affordability and reference checks. Relevant information may be shared with the landlord and appointed referencing providers as explained in our Privacy Policy, using an appropriate lawful basis. Completing a referencing form is not blanket consent to unrelated marketing and does not remove your data-protection rights. We will request information needed for the checks and explain the secure way to provide it. Ask us about suitable alternatives or redacting unrelated information from financial documents without removing the evidence needed for the assessment. Do not post identity or bank documents publicly. This page is general guidance for private residential applications in England, checked against the linked official guidance on 13 October 2026. It does not replace advice about an individual tenancy or guarantee. Please contact Tenant Link if your circumstances are not covered.