Tenant referencing in Swindon
For landlords and letting agents letting in Swindon: one link per applicant, thorough checks, and a report that explains its outcome. £14.99 per applicant.
Renting in Swindon
Swindon grew around the Great Western Railway works, leaving a large stock of Victorian terraces near the centre, including the stone cottages of the Railway Village. Much of the town is post-war and later: council-built estates, then the large West Swindon and North Swindon developments, and now new-build villages to the south and east. Private renting is close to the national average and higher in the central terraces and town-centre flats. The town is popular with commuters to Reading, Bristol and London.
The income a tenant needs in Swindon
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 Swindon’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 | £1,103 | £33,090 | £39,708 |
| Shared by two | £552 each | £16,545 each | £19,854 |
| Shared by three | £368 each | £11,030 each | £13,236 |
Landlord licensing in Swindon
Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
HMOs: No additional HMO licensing scheme found; mandatory licensing applies to properties with five or more people from more than one household.
Fee: £1,474 for a five-year mandatory HMO licence applied for online, up to 10 occupants (£1,755 on paper; £1,193 to renew online), from 1 April 2026
As checked in October 2026. The council’s page Schemes change: confirm with Swindon Borough Council before letting. Private renting at the council.
Referencing a tenant in Swindon
- 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 Swindon
Town centre and Railway Village
SN1Stone-built Victorian railway workers' cottages, flats over shops and office-to-flat conversions.
Old Town
SN1Georgian and Victorian houses and terraces on the hill, some split into flats.
Gorse Hill and Rodbourne
SN2Dense red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraced streets, many privately let.
Penhill and Pinehurst
SN2Post-war council-built estates of houses and low-rise flats.
West Swindon
SN51970s and 1980s estates of terraced and semi-detached houses, such as Freshbrook, Toothill and Shaw.
North Swindon
SN25Large estates built from the 1990s onwards, including Abbey Meads, Haydon and Tadpole Garden Village.
Wichelstowe and Eastern Villages
SN1, SN3New-build estates of houses and flats still being developed on the edges of the town.
Highworth and Wroughton
SN6, SN4Small towns with older stone houses in the centre and post-war estates around them.
Postcode districts: SN1, SN2, SN3, SN4, SN5, SN6, SN25, SN26
Tenant referencing in Swindon: questions
How much does tenant referencing cost in Swindon?
£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 Swindon?
At Swindon’s average private rent of £1,103 a month (ONS), a tenant renting alone would need about £33,090 a year (30 times the monthly rent). Sharers each need 30 times their own share. A guarantor would need about £39,708 a year (3 times the yearly rent) and enough disposable income to cover it.
Do landlords need a licence to let in Swindon?
No selective licensing scheme. No additional HMO licensing scheme found; mandatory licensing applies to properties with five or more people from more than one household. (as checked in October 2026; confirm with Swindon Borough Council before letting).
How long does a tenant reference take in Swindon?
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: Private tenants can contact Swindon Borough Council's private sector housing team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions.