Our application process

You've found your new home - congratulations! 

Finding your perfect rental property is an exciting step, and we’re here to make the process as smooth and straightforward as possible. At The Letting Company, we understand that applying for a property can sometimes feel overwhelming, but don’t worry - we’re here to guide you every step of the way. From ensuring you meet the affordability criteria to gathering the necessary documents, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to submit a strong application and secure your next home. Let’s get started!

Checking your affordability

Before applying for a property, it’s essential to ensure the rent is affordable for you. As a general guideline, your monthly rent should not exceed 35% of your gross monthly income. If your income doesn’t meet the threshold, don’t worry - you might still be eligible by providing a guarantor, but please call us to discuss this prior to applying for the property.

For ease, we have compiled the below table so you can compare your salary (and your guarantor's salary if applicable) against the affordability rates:

Monthly Rent                    Applicant Minimum Salary        Guarantor Minimum Salary

£500                                      £15,000                                               £18,000

£550                                      £16,500                                               £19,800

£600                                      £18,000                                               £21,600

£650                                      £19,500                                               £23,400

£700                                      £21,000                                               £25,200

£750                                      £22,500                                               £27,000

£800                                      £24,000                                               £28,800

£850                                      £25,500                                               £30,600

£900                                      £27,000                                               £32,400

£950                                      £28,500                                               £34,200

£1,000                                  £30,000                                               £36,000

£1,050                                  £31,500                                               £37,800

£1,100                                  £33,000                                               £39,600

£1,150                                  £34,500                                               £41,400

£1,200                                  £36,000                                               £43,200

Checking your credit history

We are committed to ensuring a smooth rental process for both tenants and landlords, which includes performing thorough credit checks as part of our application process. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from individuals with County Court Judgments (CCJs) recorded on their credit history. CCJs indicate unresolved debt issues, which can raise concerns about the ability to meet regular rental payments. Please do not proceed with an application if you have received a CCJ against your name in the last 6 years – even if it has since been paid – as this will appear on your credit report, and your application will be rejected.

We are able to accept applications where there is an IVA in place, but you must obtain a suitable guarantor. Please contact us for more information before proceeding further with your application.

If you're unsure if you have any defect credit against your record, we recommend carrying out a free credit check with Capital One by clicking here. We have found Capital One's credit checker to be the most accurate, as other agencies such as Experian can miss certain aspects of your credit history that our referencing company will pick up on.

The holding deposit

When applying for a property, you will be asked to pay a holding deposit as part of the process. A holding deposit is a payment made to reserve a property while your application is being processed. It shows your commitment to renting the property but also ensures we are not marketing it to others during this time. By law, the amount of a holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent, making it a fair and transparent step in securing your new home.

If your application is successful, the holding deposit will be deducted from your first month’s rent. If your application is not successful or if the owner decides not to proceed with your tenancy, this holding deposit is refundable. However, if you decide not to proceed or provide false or misleading information during the application, your deposit is none refundable. You can find more information about this on Shelter's website by clicking here.

How to submit an application

All applications are processed online through our referencing partner, Ittria. Once your holding deposit has been paid, Ittria will send each applicant a direct link via email to the online application form. Only those aged 18 or over that will be living at the property/using it as their main residency will need to be referenced.

In order to receive your online application form, you will need to provide the following information for each person moving into the home:

• Full name
• Mobile number
• Email address
• Your ID, as below

Providing your identification and Right to Rent checks

The Right to Rent scheme requires letting agents across England to check that all tenants who occupy their properties have legal status to live in the UK. This means that before you can rent a home in England, we must undertake ID checks prior to the start of your tenancy. We must therefore carry out the check on all prospective tenants, over the age of 18, by either:

• Checking an original form of ID
• Using an approved identity service provider to check your ID
• Viewing your Right to Rent online via the Home Office ‘share code’ system

If you are a UK citizen, we will need a copy of either your passport (an expired version is fine) or your birth certificate and another form of photo ID such as a driving licence.

If you do not have a passport or a birth certificate or driving licence, there are other documents you may use - the full list of accepted forms of ID can be found on the Government website by clicking here.

If you are not a UK citizen, we will need a copy of your passport and Right to Rent share code.

If you are unable to provide your passport, there are other documents you may use - the full list of accepted forms of ID can be found on the Government website by clicking here.

Please click here for information on how to produce and provide your share code.

What happens next

Once you’ve submitted your application, your referencing will be carried out by Ittria, our trusted referencing company. During this process, Ittria will handle all aspects of your references, so if you have any questions or need updates, please contact them directly on 01652 601400 or at referencing@ittria.co.uk rather than our office. Any enquiries sent directly to us will be referred back to Ittria.

Once the referencing is complete, we will be in touch within 24 hours to confirm the next steps. This will include arranging payment of the rent and deposit, finalising your tenancy agreement, and coordinating your move-in date.

If you have any questions about referencing or the application process, please don’t hesitate to give us a call - we’re here to help!