Tenant referencing in Hastings
For landlords and letting agents letting in Hastings: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Hastings
Hastings and St Leonards is a hilly seaside town with one of the highest shares of private renting outside the big cities. Much of the rented stock is in large Regency and Victorian houses in the town centre and Central St Leonards that have been split into flats and bedsits, many on steep streets close to the sea. The Old Town has historic cottages and timber-framed houses, while Hollington, Baird and Ore have post-war estates. A selective licensing scheme ran in seven central wards from 2015 to 2020.
The income a tenant needs in Hastings
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 Hastings’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 | £1,008 | £30,240 | £36,288 |
| Shared by two | £504 each | £15,120 each | £18,144 |
| Shared by three | £336 each | £10,080 each | £12,096 |
Landlord licensing in Hastings
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme in force that could be confirmed. The 2015 to 2020 scheme covering seven wards (Braybrooke, Castle, Central St Leonards, Gensing, Old Hastings, Ore and Tressell) ended in October 2020, and the government refused the council's application to renew it in 2021.
HMOs: National mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people from two or more households).
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Hastings Borough Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Hastings
- 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 Hastings
Old Town
TN34Medieval, Tudor and Georgian houses and cottages packed into narrow streets and twittens between the hills.
Hastings town centre
TN34Victorian terraces and large houses split into flats, and flats above shops.
Central St Leonards and Warrior Square
TN37, TN38Grand Regency and Victorian seafront houses, most converted into flats and bedsits.
Bohemia and Silverhill
TN34, TN37Victorian and Edwardian terraces and villas on the hills behind the seafront.
West St Leonards
TN38Victorian and interwar houses, bungalows and seafront flats towards Bexhill.
Ore and Clive Vale
TN35, TN34Victorian terraces on steep streets and post-war estates.
Hollington
TN38Post-war council-built estates and newer housing on the town's northern edge.
Baird and Hollington Old Lane
TN34, TN38Post-war estates of semis, terraces and low-rise flats.
Postcode districts: TN34, TN35, TN37, TN38
Tenant referencing in Hastings: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Hastings?
£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 Hastings?
At Hastings’s average private rent of £1,008 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £30,240 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £36,288 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Hastings?
No selective licensing scheme in force that could be confirmed. The 2015 to 2020 scheme covering seven wards (Braybrooke, Castle, Central St Leonards, Gensing, Old Hastings, Ore and Tressell) ended in October 2020, and the government refused the council's application to renew it in 2021. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Hastings Borough Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Hastings?
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 Hastings Borough Council's housing renewal (private sector housing) team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.