Tenant referencing in Southwark
For landlords and letting agents letting in Southwark and Peckham: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Southwark
Southwark has one of the largest stocks of council and social housing in England (39.7% of households rented socially in 2021), but private renting is growing fast, from 23.7% to 28.7% of households between 2011 and 2021. Many leaseholders on council estates let their flats privately, and Victorian terraces in Peckham, Camberwell and East Dulwich are often split into flats. The north of the borough has converted warehouses and many new-build towers, with major regeneration at Elephant and Castle, the Aylesbury estate and Canada Water.
The income a tenant needs in Southwark
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 Southwark’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 | £2,516 | £75,480 | £90,576 |
| Shared by two | £1,258 each | £37,740 each | £45,288 |
| Shared by three | £839 each | £25,160 each | £30,192 |
Landlord licensing in Southwark
Selective licensing: Selective licensing covers 19 wards in four designations for homes let to one household: designations 1 and 2 (Newington, Champion Hill, Faraday, St Giles and Goose Green) from 1 March 2022 until 28 February 2027, and designations 3 and 4 (including Peckham, Old Kent Road, North Walworth, Nunhead & Queens Road, Rotherhithe, Rye Lane and Camberwell Green) from 1 November 2023 until 31 October 2028.
HMOs: Additional licensing covers the whole borough for smaller HMOs not covered by mandatory licensing, from 1 March 2022 until 28 February 2027.
Fee: Selective licence £945 (Part A £661.50, Part B £283.50); additional HMO licence £1,433 from 1 April 2026 (Part A £1,017.50, Part B £415.50). Paper applications cost £179.70 more.
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Southwark Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Southwark
- 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 Southwark
Borough and Bankside
SE1Converted warehouses, new-build apartment blocks and some older council and housing association flats.
Bermondsey
SE1, SE16Warehouse conversions around Shad Thames, large council estates and Victorian terraces.
Rotherhithe and Canada Water
SE16Riverside warehouse flats, 1980s Docklands houses and new high-rise blocks at Canada Water.
Elephant and Castle
SE1, SE17New towers and blocks built on the former Heygate estate and around the shopping centre site, alongside older council estates.
Walworth
SE17Large post-war council estates, including the Aylesbury estate under regeneration, and Georgian and Victorian terraces.
Camberwell
SE5Georgian and Victorian terraces, many split into flats, next to council estates.
Peckham
SE15Victorian terraces converted into flats, council estates and new blocks near Rye Lane.
Nunhead
SE15Victorian terraced houses, often let whole or as flat conversions.
East Dulwich
SE22Rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many divided into upper and lower flats.
Dulwich
SE21Larger Victorian and interwar houses, with homes on the Dulwich Estate subject to its own scheme of management.
Postcode districts: SE1, SE5, SE15, SE16, SE17, SE21, SE22
Tenant referencing in Southwark: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Southwark?
£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 Southwark?
At Southwark’s average private rent of £2,516 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £75,480 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £90,576 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Southwark?
Selective licensing covers 19 wards in four designations for homes let to one household: designations 1 and 2 (Newington, Champion Hill, Faraday, St Giles and Goose Green) from 1 March 2022 until 28 February 2027, and designations 3 and 4 (including Peckham, Old Kent Road, North Walworth, Nunhead & Queens Road, Rotherhithe, Rye Lane and Camberwell Green) from 1 November 2023 until 31 October 2028. Additional licensing covers the whole borough for smaller HMOs not covered by mandatory licensing, from 1 March 2022 until 28 February 2027. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Southwark Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Southwark?
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: Southwark Council’s private housing and environmental health service can inspect privately rented homes for disrepair and hazards; council leaseholders’ tenants can also report communal repairs to the council as freeholder.