Tenant referencing in Gateshead
For landlords and letting agents letting in Gateshead: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Gateshead
Gateshead stretches from the Tyne riverside to the rural Derwent valley. Inner areas such as Bensham, Saltwell and Felling are built up with Tyneside flats (pairs of upstairs and downstairs flats behind separate front doors) and Victorian terraces, where much of the private renting is found, while large post-war council estates surround the town and western areas such as Whickham and Ryton are more suburban. The council has used selective landlord licensing in parts of the inner borough and publishes information about its schemes on its website.
The income a tenant needs in Gateshead
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 Gateshead’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 | £790 | £23,700 | £28,440 |
| Shared by two | £395 each | £11,850 each | £14,220 |
| Shared by three | £263 each | £7,900 each | £9,480 |
Landlord licensing in Gateshead
Selective licensing: Selective licensing in 16 neighbourhoods, in two phases: phase 1 (including Bensham, The Avenues, Windmill Hills, Beacon Lough East, Birtley and Chopwell) from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030, and phase 2 (more of central Gateshead, Felling and Swalwell) from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2030.
HMOs: Additional HMO licensing for smaller HMOs of three or four unrelated people in the same designated neighbourhoods, from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030; larger HMOs need a mandatory licence.
Fee: £850 for a selective licence and £976.30 for an additional HMO licence, with a £75 discount for accredited landlords
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Gateshead Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Gateshead
- 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 Gateshead
Gateshead town centre
NE8Flats in older and newly built blocks, alongside regeneration sites close to the Tyne.
Bensham and Saltwell
NE8Dense streets of Tyneside flats and Victorian terraces near Saltwell Park, with many private lets.
Low Fell
NE9Victorian and Edwardian terraces and semis along Durham Road and its side streets.
Felling
NE10Tyneside flats and terraces with post-war council-built estates.
Dunston
NE11Terraces and post-war estates near the riverside and the MetroCentre.
Whickham
NE16Mainly owner-occupied interwar and post-war semis and detached houses.
Blaydon
NE21Terraced streets and post-war estates near the river.
Ryton
NE40Older stone houses and suburban semis and detached homes in the west of the borough.
Birtley
DH3Brick terraces and post-war estates on the southern edge of the borough.
Rowlands Gill
NE39A Derwent valley village of terraces, semis and detached houses.
Postcode districts: NE8, NE9, NE10, NE11, NE16, NE21, NE39, NE40, DH3
Tenant referencing in Gateshead: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Gateshead?
£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 Gateshead?
At Gateshead’s average private rent of £790 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £23,700 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £28,440 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Gateshead?
Selective licensing in 16 neighbourhoods, in two phases: phase 1 (including Bensham, The Avenues, Windmill Hills, Beacon Lough East, Birtley and Chopwell) from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030, and phase 2 (more of central Gateshead, Felling and Swalwell) from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2030. Additional HMO licensing for smaller HMOs of three or four unrelated people in the same designated neighbourhoods, from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030; larger HMOs need a mandatory licence. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Gateshead Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Gateshead?
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 Gateshead Council's private sector housing team, which also runs its landlord licensing, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.