Tenant referencing in Babergh
For landlords and letting agents letting in Babergh and Sudbury: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Babergh
Babergh is a rural district in south Suffolk, with the market towns of Sudbury and Hadleigh and many villages in the Stour valley and on the Shotley peninsula. It has a high share of listed and timber-framed buildings, especially in Lavenham, Long Melford and Hadleigh. Homes are mostly owner-occupied; rented homes range from terraces and flats in Sudbury to village cottages, and new estates have been built near Ipswich and Sudbury.
The income a tenant needs in Babergh
We check that a tenant’s yearly income is at least 30 times their monthly share of the rent, and that a guarantor earns at least 3 times the yearly rent they guarantee, with enough disposable income left each month to pay it. At Babergh’s average rent:
Income comes from the most reliable source: the salary the employer confirms, then payslips, then what was declared, checked against three months of bank statements.
| Monthly rent | Tenant needs a year | Guarantor needs a year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average home, one tenant | £972 | £29,160 | £34,992 |
| Shared by two | £486 each | £14,580 each | £17,496 |
| Shared by three | £324 each | £9,720 each | £11,664 |
Landlord licensing in Babergh
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme; only national mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people from two or more households). The councils’ 2024 housing strategy says they plan to review their approach to HMO licensing.
Fee: The council’s HMO page gives the licence fee as £578.55 (an older version says £551)
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Babergh District Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Babergh
- Add the tenancyThe property, the rent, the move-in date and the applicant. Their link is emailed at once.
- They apply on their phoneFive years of addresses, work, 3 months of bank statements, payslips and ID, in about 10 minutes.
- We contact the refereesTheir employer, current and previous landlord, by email, automatically.
- You get the reportEvery check, the income from every source, and how we reached the outcome.
Where people rent in Babergh
Sudbury
CO10Victorian terraces and Georgian townhouses in the market town, with post-war estates on its edges.
Great Cornard
CO10Mainly post-war and modern estates of semis and terraces beside Sudbury.
Hadleigh
IP7Timber-framed and Georgian houses along the high street, with newer estates around the town.
Long Melford
CO10Period houses and cottages along a long village street.
Lavenham
CO10Medieval timber-framed and listed cottages in a preserved wool town.
East Bergholt
CO7Period cottages and detached houses in Constable country by the Stour.
Capel St Mary
IP9A village of mostly post-war and modern detached houses and bungalows near the A12.
Holbrook
IP9Village houses and cottages on the Shotley peninsula.
Sproughton
IP8A village on the edge of Ipswich with older cottages and new housing.
Nayland
CO6Timber-framed cottages in a village on the Stour valley.
Postcode districts: CO6, CO7, CO10, IP7, IP8, IP9
Tenant referencing in Babergh: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Babergh?
£14.99 per applicant with Rentwick, the same for tenants and guarantors, paid by the landlord or agent. Tenants in England can’t be charged for referencing.
What income do tenants need to rent in Babergh?
At Babergh’s average private rent of £972 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £29,160 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £34,992 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Babergh?
No selective licensing scheme. No additional HMO licensing scheme; only national mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people from two or more households). The councils’ 2024 housing strategy says they plan to review their approach to HMO licensing. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Babergh District Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Babergh?
The applicant applies on their phone in about 10 minutes. We email their employer and landlords straight away, so most references are back within a few working days, depending on how quickly the referees reply.
What does the reference check?
Three months of bank statements, payslips, income from every source, the employer, current and previous landlords, five years of addresses and payment history from the bank statements, with AI comparing every document with the application.
For tenants: Tenants in Babergh can contact Babergh District Council’s private sector housing team (shared with Mid Suffolk) about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in a rented home.