How to Find Reliable Tenants for Your Property

For a landlord, finding the right tenant can make a huge difference to the experience of renting out a property. A suitable tenant isn’t simply someone who wants to move in quickly — you want a process that helps you assess affordability, complete the required checks, communicate clearly, and make decisions based on relevant evidence.

It’s also important to remember that tenant selection must be fair. In England, rental discrimination rules now specifically protect people with children and people who receive benefits. Landlords and agents must not make it harder for someone to rent because of those circumstances.

01Start With a Clear Property Advert

Reliable tenants are more likely to come through when your advert gives people the information they need from the beginning — rent, property type, number of bedrooms, location, availability, important features and any relevant conditions. Good photographs and an accurate description also reduce wasted enquiries. If the property has stairs, limited parking, a small garden or other features that matter, explain them honestly.

02Respond Professionally From the First Enquiry

Your first conversation with a prospective tenant tells them a lot about how organised the letting process will be.

• Confirm the viewing arrangements clearly
• Give realistic information about availability
• Explain what information will be required later in the application
• Keep communication polite and consistent with every applicant
• Keep useful records of important communications

03Use the Viewing to Understand the Tenant’s Needs

A viewing isn’t just an opportunity for the tenant to see the property — it’s also a chance to explain how the property works and answer practical questions. Avoid turning it into an informal interrogation, though. Keep your approach professional and focus on information genuinely relevant to the tenancy.

04Have Consistent Affordability Criteria

Affordability is an important part of assessing whether a prospective tenant can reasonably meet the rent. Decide in advance what information you’ll consider, and apply the same basic process to every applicant. Since 1 May 2026, landlords in England cannot discriminate against someone because they receive benefits — if you assess income, benefit income must be treated the same way as other income, not automatically excluded.

05Carry Out the Relevant Right to Rent Checks

In England, landlords and agents must carry out Right to Rent checks on prospective adult tenants before the tenancy starts, using the appropriate checking route — a legal requirement that should be handled consistently. Don’t decide who needs a check based on how someone looks, sounds, or what you assume about their nationality. Official guidance stresses consistent, non-discriminatory checks, and a statutory code updated for checks from 1 October 2026 reinforces that all prospective adult tenants should be treated the same way.

06Use Referencing to Verify, Not Simply to Reject

Tenant referencing can help confirm identity, previous rental history, employment or income, depending on the service used. Treat a reference report as one part of the overall decision, not the whole picture — if information is unclear, understand what it actually means before deciding.

07Check Previous Rental History Where Appropriate

Where a prospective tenant has rented before, a previous landlord or agent reference can offer useful information about payment history, property care and tenancy conduct. Be cautious about relying on informal opinions — a structured reference focused on relevant tenancy facts is generally more useful than a personal judgement about someone’s character.

08Look at the Whole Application

A strong application is usually about the overall picture — affordability, references, Right to Rent requirements, the proposed household, and the practical suitability of the property. Don’t use personal assumptions as a substitute for evidence. The aim is to choose a tenant who meets your lawful and reasonable criteria, not someone who simply matches a personal preference.

09Avoid Unlawful Rental Discrimination

Since 1 May 2026, landlords and agents in England must not discourage or prevent people from renting because they have children or receive benefits, subject to limited exceptions set out in government guidance. Prohibited behaviour can include refusing access to property information, making it harder to arrange a viewing, or refusing to let someone rent because of these circumstances. Landlords can still assess affordability — the criteria simply need to be applied fairly.

10Keep Your Decision-Making Process Documented

Good records help you stay organised and explain how a decision was reached. Keep appropriate records of applications, checks, important communications and the reasons for decisions — but don’t keep unnecessary personal information indefinitely. Make sure your record-keeping approach is sensible and consistent with your data-protection responsibilities.

A Simple Tenant-Selection Process

1. Advertise the property accurately
2. Respond to enquiries consistently
3. Arrange viewings professionally
4. Provide the application and next-step information
5. Assess affordability using lawful, consistent criteria
6. Complete the required Right to Rent checks
7. Obtain relevant references or verification
8. Review the evidence as a whole
9. Make a fair and documented decision
10. Complete the tenancy process and provide the required information

Key Takeaway

Finding a reliable tenant doesn’t mean trying to find a “perfect” person. It means creating a professional process that attracts suitable applicants, checks relevant information, and applies the same lawful criteria consistently. Take your time, keep good records, and avoid decisions based on assumptions — a well-run tenant-selection process gives both landlord and tenant a clearer, more professional start to the tenancy. It’s exactly the process Key Homes Letting runs for every property we let.