North West · unitary authority

Tenant referencing in Cheshire East

For landlords and letting agents letting in Cheshire East and Crewe: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.

Start referencing See a sample report

The local market

Renting in Cheshire East

Average private rent£992£992 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 7.2% on a year earlier Source

Renting privately15.5%15.5% of households rent privately (Census 2021), up from 12.5% in 2011 Source

Average house price£312,000£312,000 (UK HPI, August 2026, provisional), up 4.5% on a year earlier Source

Council tax, Band DAbout £2,371 Band DAbout £2,371 Band D (2026/27) for the council, police and fire, before any town or parish charge Source

Cheshire East is a largely owner-occupied area of market towns and countryside, with private renting concentrated in Crewe and Macclesfield. Crewe has many Victorian terraces near the station and town centre, some converted to HMOs, which is why the council has used Article 4 directions there. The north of the borough (Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Knutsford, Poynton) has high-value detached homes and apartments, while rural parishes have farm cottages and converted barns. Large new-build estates have been added around Crewe, Sandbach, Congleton and Middlewich.

Affordability

The income a tenant needs in Cheshire East

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 Cheshire East’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	£992	£29,760	£35,712
Shared by two	£496 each	£14,880 each	£17,856
Shared by three	£331 each	£9,920 each	£11,904

Before you let

Landlord licensing in Cheshire East

Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. The council looked at a targeted scheme around Nantwich Road in Crewe, but in March 2024 decided to wait for the Renters' Rights reforms and the national landlord database instead of going ahead.

HMOs: No additional HMO licensing: only mandatory licensing of HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. Article 4 directions in three Crewe wards mean new small HMOs there need planning permission.

As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Cheshire East Council before letting.

How it works

Referencing a tenant in Cheshire East

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.

For landlords For letting agents

Neighbourhoods

Where people rent in Cheshire East

Crewe

CW1, CW2

Victorian and Edwardian railway-era terraces near the centre, with inter-war and post-war estates and newer estates on the edges.

Macclesfield

SK10, SK11

Stone and brick terraces from the silk-mill era near the town centre, with suburban semis and detached homes towards the hills.

Nantwich

CW5

A historic market town with timber-framed and Georgian buildings in the centre and newer estates around it.

Congleton

CW12

Terraces and former mill buildings near the centre, with post-war and modern estates around the town.

Wilmslow

SK9

Large detached and semi-detached houses and modern apartment blocks, among the most expensive in the North West.

Sandbach

CW11

A market town with period cottages in the centre and large new-build estates built in the last 15 years.

Knutsford

WA16

Period cottages and townhouses in the old town and large detached homes in the surrounding villages.

Alsager

ST7

Mainly post-war and modern semis and detached houses, with some new-build estates.

Middlewich

CW10

A salt town with Victorian terraces near the canal and modern estates on the edges.

Postcode districts: CW1, CW2, CW4, CW5, CW10, CW11, CW12, SK9, SK10, SK11, SK12, ST7, WA16

Questions

Tenant referencing in Cheshire East: questions

How much does tenant referencing cost in Cheshire East?

£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 Cheshire East?

At Cheshire East’s average private rent of £992 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £29,760 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £35,712 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.

Do landlords need a licence to let in Cheshire East?

No selective licensing scheme. The council looked at a targeted scheme around Nantwich Road in Crewe, but in March 2024 decided to wait for the Renters' Rights reforms and the national landlord database instead of going ahead. No additional HMO licensing: only mandatory licensing of HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. Article 4 directions in three Crewe wards mean new small HMOs there need planning permission. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Cheshire East Council before letting).

How long does a tenant reference take in Cheshire East?

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 a credit check, with AI comparing every document with the application.

For tenants: Tenants with disrepair or safety problems in a private rented home can contact Cheshire East Council's private sector housing team, which can inspect and take action against landlords.

Nearby

All areas