Tenant referencing in Leicester
For landlords and letting agents letting in Leicester: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Leicester
Leicester has one of the fastest-growing private rented sectors in the country, with nearly three in ten households renting privately in 2021. The rented stock is concentrated in Victorian terraces around the centre, in areas such as Westcotes, Fosse, Highfields and Clarendon Park, in student homes near the two universities, and in converted factories and new flats in the city centre. Large interwar council-built estates such as Braunstone and Saffron and later estates at Beaumont Leys ring the city. Selective licensing applies in parts of five wards until October 2027.
The income a tenant needs in Leicester
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 Leicester’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 | £1,020 | £30,600 | £36,720 |
| Shared by two | £510 each | £15,300 each | £18,360 |
| Shared by three | £340 each | £10,200 each | £12,240 |
Landlord licensing in Leicester
Selective licensing: Selective licensing covers privately rented homes in parts of Stoneygate, Westcotes, Fosse, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, and Saffron wards, from 10 October 2022 to 9 October 2027 (with a second designation from December 2022 adding streets left out). Check an address on the council's map.
HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme is listed: larger HMOs (five or more people from two or more households) need a national mandatory licence. Article 4 directions in parts of the city control new HMOs through planning.
Fee: £1,290 for a selective licence, paid as £1,032 on application and £258 when the licence is issued
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Leicester City Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Leicester
- 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 Leicester
City centre
LE1Converted factories and warehouses, Victorian buildings, and large purpose-built student blocks.
Clarendon Park
LE2Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many let to students of the University of Leicester.
Highfields
LE2Large Victorian houses and terraces, many split into flats.
Stoneygate
LE2Large Victorian and Edwardian villas, some converted into flats, and terraces in the selective licensing area.
Westcotes and Fosse
LE3Dense Victorian terraces west of the centre, many privately let, in the selective licensing area.
Braunstone
LE3A large interwar council-built estate of semis and terraces, partly regenerated.
Saffron
LE2Interwar and post-war council-built estates and terraces in the selective licensing area.
Belgrave and Rushey Mead
LE4Victorian terraces along Belgrave Road and interwar semis to the north.
Evington
LE5Interwar and post-war semis and detached houses, with an old village core.
Beaumont Leys
LE4Estates built from the 1970s of houses and low-rise flats on the north-west edge.
Postcode districts: LE1, LE2, LE3, LE4, LE5
Tenant referencing in Leicester: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Leicester?
£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 Leicester?
At Leicester’s average private rent of £1,020 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £30,600 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £36,720 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Leicester?
Selective licensing covers privately rented homes in parts of Stoneygate, Westcotes, Fosse, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, and Saffron wards, from 10 October 2022 to 9 October 2027 (with a second designation from December 2022 adding streets left out). Check an address on the council's map. No additional HMO licensing scheme is listed: larger HMOs (five or more people from two or more households) need a national mandatory licence. Article 4 directions in parts of the city control new HMOs through planning. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Leicester City Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Leicester?
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 Leicester City Council's private sector housing team, after first reporting the problem to their landlord.