Tenant referencing in Guildford
For landlords and letting agents letting in Guildford: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Guildford
Guildford is a county town with a busy rental market driven by the University of Surrey, the Royal Surrey County Hospital and fast trains to London. Private lets range from Victorian terraces and flats in the town centre to shared student houses in Onslow, Park Barn, Westborough and Stoughton. Outside the town the borough is mostly green belt villages with detached houses and period cottages, and there are large new developments at Ash and on the edges of Guildford. Prices are well above the national average.
The income a tenant needs in Guildford
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 Guildford’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 | £1,731 | £51,930 | £62,316 |
| Shared by two | £866 each | £25,965 each | £31,158 |
| Shared by three | £577 each | £17,310 each | £20,772 |
Landlord licensing in Guildford
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only national mandatory licensing applies, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. A 2023 council review found the evidence did not justify additional licensing at that time.
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Guildford Borough Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Guildford
- 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 Guildford
Guildford town centre
GU1Period town houses, flats above shops and newer apartment blocks near the station and the Wey.
Onslow Village
GU2Interwar garden-suburb cottages and semis close to the University of Surrey.
Park Barn and Westborough
GU2Post-war council-built estates, with many homes let to students and hospital staff.
Stoughton
GU2Victorian and Edwardian terraces and interwar semis.
Merrow and Burpham
GU1, GU4Interwar and post-war semis and detached houses, with newer estates.
Charlotteville
GU1Victorian terraces and villas on the hillside east of the town centre.
Ash and Ash Vale
GU12Victorian cottages, post-war estates and large new developments near the Hampshire border.
Send and Ripley
GU23Villages of older cottages, semis and detached houses.
Shalford and Chilworth
GU4Villages of period cottages and detached houses in the Tillingbourne valley.
Effingham and the Horsleys
KT24Large detached houses and bungalows set in woodland and green belt.
Postcode districts: GU1, GU2, GU3, GU4, GU5, GU12, GU23, KT24
Tenant referencing in Guildford: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Guildford?
£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 Guildford?
At Guildford’s average private rent of £1,731 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £51,930 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £62,316 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Guildford?
No selective licensing scheme. No additional HMO licensing scheme: only national mandatory licensing applies, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. A 2023 council review found the evidence did not justify additional licensing at that time. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Guildford Borough Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Guildford?
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 Guildford Borough Council's housing standards team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.