You can rent with no rental history. Referencing still checks your identity, credit file, income and employment, so if those are solid and your income meets the usual test (often 30 times the monthly rent a year), a missing landlord reference rarely stops you on its own. If your income or credit is thin, a guarantor is the usual fix.
What referencing checks when there is no landlord reference
A previous landlord reference is only one part of tenant referencing. Rightmove lists the standard parts as personal details, employment information, previous landlord information and a credit check. OpenRent’s referencing includes:
- a credit check and risk score
- linked address, identity and fraud checks
- county court judgments (CCJs)
- an affordability rating based on your employment and earnings
- employer and previous landlord references, where they apply
HomeLet says its system compares your credit commitments and basic spending with your monthly income to decide whether the rent is affordable.
So what happens when the landlord part is blank? One referencing provider, Letting a Property, says first-time renters can still pass without a landlord reference but get a “caution” result, because having no landlord history is riskier for the landlord. The landlord then decides. That is why the rest of your file matters more.
In England, a landlord or agent cannot charge you for credit or reference checks, according to Shelter.
The income test
Rightmove gives the common affordability rule: your annual gross salary should be at least 30 times the monthly rent, or your monthly gross income at least 2.5 times the monthly rent. These are the same test written two ways.
Open Banking can help. Goodlord explains that you can consent to share bank data directly with the referencing provider, which looks at recurring income, usually over about the last three months. This can confirm your pay without a landlord or long payslip history.
Your options
Use other references. Shelter says that if you cannot get a landlord reference, you can ask for references from an employer, a guarantor, a university or college, or someone who knows you who can give a character reference. A reference from your university accommodation office, if you lived in halls, fits here.
Get a guarantor. A guarantor agrees to pay the rent if you do not. HomeLet notes a guarantor is usually a parent or guardian. They will be referenced too. See our guide to renting with a guarantor.
Apply jointly. Renting with a partner or friend who has a rental history or a higher income can strengthen an application. Our guide to joint income and rent affordability explains how combined income is assessed.
Have documents ready. Payslips, an employment contract or offer letter, bank statements and photo ID speed things up. Our guide on how long tenant referencing takes covers what slows it down.
A letter from a parent saying you lived with them is not a landlord reference. It does not show you paid rent. Put your effort into the checks that carry weight: credit, income and a guarantor if needed.
Build your credit file now
A thin credit file can hurt more than a missing landlord reference. MoneyHelper suggests:
- Register to vote at your current address. Shelter warns you might fail a credit check if you are not on the electoral roll there.
- Pay bills on time, ideally by Direct Debit.
- Run a current account well and stay within any agreed overdraft.
- Consider a low-limit credit card from a regulated provider and pay it off in full. Avoid “credit builder” products with high interest.
- Check your credit reports with the agencies for mistakes.
- Once you rent, report your rent through a rent reporting service so it shows on your file.
Worked example (fictional)
Sam is 22, has just started a job paying £28,500 a year and has always lived with family. Sam applies for a £900-a-month flat.
| Check | Figure | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Income needed (30 × £900) | £27,000 | Sam earns £1,500 more |
| Same test monthly (2.5 × £900) | £2,250 a month | Sam earns £2,375 gross |
| Landlord reference | None | Likely flagged as caution |
Sam passes the income test and has registered to vote. The landlord sees a caution flag for no rental history but accepts Sam with an employer reference. On £28,500, the 30 times rule tops out at £950 a month (£28,500 ÷ 30). Above that, Sam would need a guarantor or a joint applicant.
Use the income required to rent calculator to see what salary a given rent needs, or the highest rent your salary passes.
Related: Can you rent on a zero-hours contract?
Sources
- Shelter England: Landlord references, checked 4 October 2026
- Shelter England: Check your income and credit score, checked 4 October 2026
- MoneyHelper: How to improve your credit score, checked 4 October 2026
- Rightmove: Preparing for reference checks, checked 4 October 2026
- OpenRent: Tenant referencing and credit checks, checked 4 October 2026
- HomeLet: Being referenced, checked 4 October 2026
- HomeLet: Tips for being referenced, checked 4 October 2026
- Goodlord: Guide to Open Banking, checked 4 October 2026
- Letting a Property: What if a tenant doesn’t have a previous landlord reference?, checked 4 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.