Stop gambling with your lets (and start referencing students)

Every autumn, thousands of students arrive at UK universities, eager to secure accommodation for the academic year, and many letting agents‌ see this as a great opportunity to expand their portfolio. But without a reliable process, you risk placing students with a history of delayed payments, arrears, or property damage into your landlords’ properties.

This will not only cause financial problems but also damage your customer relationships. 

The good news is that you can mitigate these risks, protect your landlords, and improve your agency’s reputation with a robust referencing solution.  

In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about student referencing and explain how Vouch can help. 👇

The challenges of student referencing 

Right to rent checks are required for all tenants, including students, and failing to comply can result in hefty fines and legal repercussions. 

However, many agencies still overlook student referencing. This is because, unlike traditional tenants, students often lack financial credentials and manually verifying their eligibility can be a time-consuming process. 

Here are some challenges you may encounter when referencing students:

1 - Lack of traditional credit history

Most students have never rented before and often don’t have full-time jobs, making it difficult to assess their financial reliability. Unlike working professionals, they typically lack a credit score, utility bill history, or payslips to verify their income. 

This puts you and your landlords in a tough spot. After all, without clear financial data, how can you confidently determine if a student can pay rent on time? 

2 - Heightened seasonal demand 

Unlike regular tenants who move throughout the year, students arrive in waves, primarily at the start of the academic year. This creates a short window where you need to process hundreds of applications simultaneously.

Without an efficient system, it’s almost impossible to reference every student tenant, which could result in rent arrears, property damage, and more.

3 - Delays in providing necessary documents

Students often struggle to submit essential documents such as passports, university enrolment letters, or guarantor details on time as they might have to travel across the country for in-person ID verification. 

Many are renting for the first time and may not fully understand the importance of timely paperwork. This can lead to repeated follow-ups and administrative headaches for you, slowing down the entire process.

4 - Time-consuming and costly processes

Traditional referencing methods involve manually checking documents, contacting guarantors, and verifying financial stability. This process is not only admin-heavy but also expensive. 

If you're managing multiple student lets, the hours spent chasing references and verifying details quickly add up, eating into your profits and your team’s schedule. 

How Vouch simplifies student referencing 

From the challenges above, it’s clear that student referencing needs a smarter, more efficient approach. This is where Vouch comes in. 

Our platform is designed specifically for student referencing, helping you streamline student lets while keeping costs low. Here’s how it works:

Designed for student tenancies 

Instead of focusing on financial checks on tenants themselves, our platform prioritises key factors like ID verification and guarantor support. This ensures a smoother experience for both you and student tenants, reducing friction in the rental process. 

Affordable and transparent pricing 

At just £3 per student reference, Vouch offers one of the most cost-effective solutions available. Need to reference a guarantor? Simply add it for £7.75. This simple, clear pricing makes it easy for you to offer a complete and reliable service at a reasonable cost. 

Automated and time-saving 

We remove the hassle of chasing students for documents by integrating ID verification and open banking checks. With Credas-powered automated ID verification, Vouch reduces your admin work while ensuring full compliance with right to rent regulations. 

During the peak student rental season, this automation is a game-changer, as you can process applications faster while maintaining accuracy and compliance.

Full control with a live dashboard 

Vouch provides complete visibility over every reference with its live tracking dashboard. You can monitor progress, manage applications‌ and make final decisions with confidence. 

This hands-on control ensures that nothing slips through the cracks, even when demand is at its highest. 

Seamless integration with existing systems 

With Vouch, there’s no need to overhaul your current processes – we integrate with leading CRMs like Alto. This means you can adopt the system without disruption, keeping your operations running smoothly while enhancing efficiency. 

Conclusion

A structured student referencing process doesn’t just protect landlords—it gives you a competitive advantage. 

With Vouch, you’re not just processing applications—you’re offering a trusted, professional service that builds confidence with landlords and wins you more business.👇