Tenant Support

Vouch referencing checks your suitability to rent or be a guarantor by verifying the information below:

• Credit Check
• Affordability
• Residential Status
• ID & Right to Rent

Credit Check

As part of our referencing process, every prospective tenant will have the credit history checked. To complete this step, we need at least the last three years’ address history. Our checks are powered by Equifax and searched for credit repayment history for any current or historic adverse credit. This is to establish whether you were registered at the provided address in the past three years. These checks do not impact your Credit Score.

Affordability

We check your affordability to see if you will be able to afford the property. The industry standard affordability ratio is 30 times the monthly rent for tenants and 36 times for guarantors. This means that in order to meet our affordability, you will need to demonstrate that your income is 30 x the monthly rent (36 x the monthly rent for guarantors).

Residential Status

If you are currently renting, we will need a reference from your current landlord. We do not ask for landlord references for guarantors.

ID & Right to Rent

Every applicant must supply is with a valid ID. For tenants renting in England, you must supply an ID that meets Right to Rent Regulations. Right to Rent requirements do not apply to guarantors. Click here to learn more about what ID documents are acceptable.

How long does referencing take?

Vouch aims to complete your reference in 1-3 business days. This time frame is given as the process can take longer if there is information missing from your application. You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into your Vouch Portal. You will also be kept up to date if there is any outstanding information via text and email.

Your reference may take longer to complete if:

• The ID documentation you have provided does not meet the UK Government Right to Rent criteria (only applicable if renting in England)
• Your employer, landlord or guarantor has not responded to our request for a reference
• There are differences between the information you have provided, and that provided by your referee

How can I speed up the process?

Before you start your reference, make sure to have the following to hand to ensure you can provide all of your information in one go:

• Current/previous landlord’s contact details
• Employer contact details, or accountant’s contact details if you are self-employed
• Proof of ID (passport, driving licence etc.)
• Proof of address (house bills, council tax bills etc.)
• Proof of funds (payslips, SA302 etc.)

Where can I send additional documents to support my application?

If you need to include additional documents in your application and have used all the allotted spaces in the ‘Additional Documents’, you can email the documents to docs@vouch.co.uk and Vouch will upload them to your application.

Make sure to include your VCH reference number in the subject line and leave the body of the email blank.

Signing in

What do we check?

As part of the referencing process, we will check the following:

• Credit Check
• Affordability
• Residential Status
• ID & Right to Rent

Credit Check

As part of our referencing process, every prospective tenant will have the credit history checked. To complete this step, we need at least the last three years’ address history. Our checks are powered by Equifax and searched for credit repayment history for any current or historic adverse credit. This is to establish whether you were registered at the provided address in the past three years. These checks do not impact your Credit Score.

Affordability

We check your affordability to see if you will be able to afford the property. The industry standard affordability ratio is 30 times the monthly rent for tenants and 36 times for guarantors. This means that in order to meet our affordability, you will need to demonstrate that your income is 30 x the monthly rent (36 x the monthly rent for guarantors).

Residential Status

If you are currently renting, we will need a reference from your current landlord. We do not ask for landlord references for guarantors.

ID & Right to Rent

Every applicant must supply is with a valid ID. For tenants renting in England, you must supply an ID that meets Right to Rent Regulations. Right to Rent requirements do not apply to guarantors. Click here to learn more about what ID documents are acceptable.

Where can I find my VCH Reference number?

Your VCH reference number is included in both the email and SMS message you have received from Vouch.

Signing in

What documents do I need to submit to be checked?

As part of the referencing process, you will be asked to supply documentation for the following:

• Proof of ID
• Proof of Address
• Proof of Funds

Proof of ID

When providing proof of ID, you will be able to choose from the following options. Depending on what type of document you choose, we may ask for a second one to be provided.

• UK Passport
• UK birth or adoption certificate
• Full or provisional UK driving license
• A letter from HM Prison Service
• A letter from a UK Government Department or Local Authority
• A letter from National Offender Management Service
• Evidence of current or previous service in the UK armed forces
• A letter from a police force confirming that certain documents have been reported stolen
• A letter from a private rented sector access scheme
• A letter of attestation from an employer
• A letter from a UK further or higher education institution
• A letter of attestation from a UK passport holder working in an acceptable profession
• Benefits paperwork
• Criminal Record Check
• A valid passport endorsed with a time-limited period
• Biometric immigration document with permission to stay for a time-limited period
• Non-EEA national residence card
• UK immigration status document with a time-limited endorsement from the Home Office

Proof of address

You will be able to choose from the following for proof of address documents. You cannot use the same document as in Proof of ID, e.g. if you uploaded your driving license for Proof of ID, you will need to choose another option to use here. Documents provided must be dated within the last 3 months.

• Recent utility bill
• Recent bank statement
• Valid UK driving license
• Current council tax bill
• Credit/store card statement
• Local council card
• Current tenancy agreement

Proof of funds

To prove your income, we accept the following documents. You can add up to 6 images/files in this section, and they must be dated within the last 3 months. Click here to read how to add more documents to support your application.

• Payslips
• Benefits paperwork
• Bank statements
• Pension paperwork
• SA302 for self-employed

What happens when referencing is complete?

Once we have received all the information to complete your reference, we will provide your letting agency with a finalised report. They will then make a decision as to your suitability to be a tenant or guarantor for the tenancy, and contact you to let you know the outcome.

Vouch is unable to discuss the outcome of the referencing report with you. To learn about the outcome of the report, you will need to speak directly to your letting agent.

If you believe there was a mistake on your application and you want the reference to be reopened, you will need to discuss this with your letting agent and they can look into reassessing your application.

Once your letting agent has accepted your application, you will be able to access a wide range of exclusive deals for things like:

• TV & Broadband
• Insurance
• Energy
• And much more