Tenant referencing in Exeter
For landlords and letting agents letting in Exeter: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Exeter
Exeter is a compact cathedral and university city where about a quarter of households rent privately, a share that rose noticeably between 2011 and 2021. Student shared houses are concentrated in the terraced streets around the University of Exeter's Streatham campus, including St David's, Pennsylvania and Newtown, where an Article 4 Direction has controlled new HMOs since 2012. Georgian and Victorian terraces near the centre are often split into flats, while the eastern edge has large new estates around Newcourt, and purpose-built student blocks have been added across the city.
The income a tenant needs in Exeter
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 Exeter’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 | £1,319 | £39,570 | £47,484 |
| Shared by two | £660 each | £19,785 each | £23,742 |
| Shared by three | £440 each | £13,190 each | £15,828 |
Referencing a tenant in Exeter
- 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 Exeter
St Leonard's
EX2Georgian and Regency terraces and villas, many converted into flats, close to the city centre.
Heavitree
EX1Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis along and off Fore Street.
Newtown and Mount Pleasant
EX1, EX4Dense Victorian terraced streets, many let to students and young professionals.
St David's
EX4Victorian terraces near the university and St David's station, with a high share of student shared houses.
Pennsylvania
EX4Larger Victorian and interwar houses and post-war semis on the hill north of the centre, popular with students and families.
St Thomas
EX2, EX4Victorian terraces west of the river, with post-war housing towards Exwick.
Exwick
EX4Post-war and later estates of houses and flats on the hillside west of the Exe.
Whipton and Beacon Heath
EX1, EX4Interwar and post-war council-built houses, many now privately owned or let.
Alphington and Marsh Barton
EX2Village core cottages with suburban estates and newer developments on the city's south-west edge.
Newcourt and Topsham Road
EX2Large new-build estates of houses and flats from the 2000s onwards, near the Topsham Road corridor.
Postcode districts: EX1, EX2, EX4
Tenant referencing in Exeter: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Exeter?
£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 Exeter?
At Exeter’s average private rent of £1,319 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £39,570 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £47,484 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
How long does a tenant reference take in Exeter?
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, damp or safety problems in a private let can contact Exeter City Council's private sector housing team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.