Sign inMake an enquiry
South West · district

Tenant referencing in Cotswold

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

Start referencingSee a sample report

The local market

Renting in Cotswold

Average private rent£1,263£1,263 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 6.3% on a year earlier Source
Renting privately17.4%17.4% of households rent privately (Census 2021), up from 15.2% in 2011 Source
Average house price£426,000£426,000 (UK HPI, August 2026, provisional), down 2.3% on a year earlier Source
Council tax, Band D£2,392£2,392 average Band D (2026/27), including Gloucestershire County Council, police and parish precepts Source

Cotswold district is almost all rural, with honey-coloured limestone cottages, farmhouses and converted barns in conservation areas, many of them listed. House prices are among the highest outside the South East, and second homes and holiday lets are common in villages such as Bourton-on-the-Water and Chipping Campden. Cirencester has the largest private rented sector, including Royal Agricultural University students, and has had large new estates. Many homes are off the gas grid and rely on oil, LPG or electric heating.

Affordability

The income a tenant needs in Cotswold

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 Cotswold’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 rentTenant needs a yearGuarantor needs a year
Average home, one tenant£1,263£37,890£45,468
Shared by two£632 each£18,945 each£22,734
Shared by three£421 each£12,630 each£15,156
Before you let

Landlord licensing in Cotswold

Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.

HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only mandatory licensing, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. New fees and a five-year licence period were proposed from September 2025.

As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Cotswold District Council before letting. Private renting at the council.

How it works

Referencing a tenant in Cotswold

  1. Add the tenancyThe property, the rent, the move-in date and the applicant. Their link is emailed at once.
  2. They apply on their phoneFive years of addresses, work, 3 months of bank statements, payslips and ID, in about 10 minutes.
  3. We contact the refereesTheir employer, current and previous landlord, by email, automatically.
  4. You get the reportEvery check, the income from every source, and how we reached the outcome.

For landlordsFor letting agents

Neighbourhoods

Where people rent in Cotswold

Cirencester

GL7

A market town of Cotswold stone townhouses and cottages in the centre and modern estates around it, including the new Kingshill Meadow and Chesterton developments.

Tetbury

GL8

A small market town of stone townhouses and cottages with some post-war estates.

Moreton-in-Marsh

GL56

A market town of stone cottages and houses with newer estates on the edges.

Bourton-on-the-Water

GL54

A tourist village of stone cottages, holiday lets and some modern homes.

Stow-on-the-Wold

GL54

A hilltop market town of stone cottages and townhouses.

Chipping Campden

GL55

A historic wool town of honey-coloured stone houses along its high street.

Fairford

GL7

A small town of stone cottages and modern estates near RAF Fairford.

Lechlade

GL7

A Thames-side town of stone cottages and modern homes.

Postcode districts: GL7, GL8, GL54, GL55, GL56

Questions

Tenant referencing in Cotswold: questions

How much does tenant referencing cost in Cotswold?

£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 Cotswold?

At Cotswold’s average private rent of £1,263 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £37,890 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £45,468 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.

Do landlords need a licence to let in Cotswold?

No selective licensing scheme. No additional HMO licensing scheme: only mandatory licensing, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. New fees and a five-year licence period were proposed from September 2025. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Cotswold District Council before letting).

How long does a tenant reference take in Cotswold?

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 Cotswold District Council's environmental health (private sector housing) team.

Nearby

All areas