Tenant referencing in Harlow
For landlords and letting agents letting in Harlow: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Harlow
Harlow is a post-war new town in west Essex, laid out in neighbourhoods of terraced houses, maisonettes and low-rise flats around local shopping centres, with a high share of social housing. Many former council homes are now privately let, and office blocks in and near the town centre have been converted into flats. Newer estates at Church Langley and Newhall add family houses, and Old Harlow keeps its historic village core. Private renting grew quickly between 2011 and 2021, helped by commuting to London and Cambridge.
The income a tenant needs in Harlow
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 Harlow’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 | £1,521 | £45,630 | £54,756 |
| Shared by two | £761 each | £22,815 each | £27,378 |
| Shared by three | £507 each | £15,210 each | £18,252 |
Landlord licensing in Harlow
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme: mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. A town-wide Article 4 direction means converting a home to an HMO needs full planning permission, and some council-built homes carry covenants limiting them to single-family use.
Fee: £850 (or £600 for accredited landlords) for a mandatory HMO licence of up to six bedrooms; licences last one year, renewal £350 (£225)
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Harlow Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Harlow
- 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 Harlow
Town centre and The Stow
CM20Post-war new town flats and maisonettes, with office blocks converted into flats near the town centre.
Old Harlow
CM17The original village of period cottages and townhouses, surrounded by post-war housing.
Netteswell and Little Parndon
CM201950s new town terraces and low-rise flats around green spaces.
Great Parndon and Staple Tye
CM191960s and 1970s new town estates of terraced houses and flats.
Tye Green and Bush Fair
CM18New town terraces and maisonettes grouped around neighbourhood shopping centres.
Potter Street
CM17Post-war estates and newer housing on the town's southern edge.
Church Langley
CM17Estates of detached and semi-detached houses built from the 1990s.
Newhall
CM17A newer development of contemporary-design houses and flats on the eastern edge.
Postcode districts: CM17, CM18, CM19, CM20
Tenant referencing in Harlow: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Harlow?
£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 Harlow?
At Harlow’s average private rent of £1,521 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £45,630 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £54,756 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Harlow?
No selective licensing scheme. No additional HMO licensing scheme: mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. A town-wide Article 4 direction means converting a home to an HMO needs full planning permission, and some council-built homes carry covenants limiting them to single-family use. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Harlow Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Harlow?
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 Harlow Council's environmental health (private sector housing) team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.