Which type of enquiry should I carry out?

This is a personal choice and depends on your attitude to risk assessment. Simply, using our Credit Check service will let you know if your prospective tenants or guarantors have had any problems in the past and given you the correct addresses. Our Full service will include references and income confirmation and the result will be predictive of what is likely to happen in the future.


Can I issue my tenants with application forms?

Yes, at FLS we provide both online and offline referencing services. If you decide to use our offline services we can supply application forms or you can download them by clicking here.


Do I have to have consent from the people being referenced?

Yes, you must always have the consent of each applicant or guarantor before using any of our services. When using our standard application forms each person will sign to give consent. In the case of online Credit Checks you, the account holder, must declare you have permission to carry out the search before the results are provided to you. For all other online applications each person will provide their own consent.


When will you recommend a guarantor agreement is in place?

We will recommend a guarantor when: 

• the applicant has insufficient income
• the applicant has minor credit history problems
• the applicant is unemployed or we are not happy with the status of their employer
• the applicant is self-employed and unable to provide acceptable proof of income
• we receive a negative reference from the current landlord
• the applicant is a student, unemployed or on Housing Benefit
• the applicant’s history of residence or identity can not be verified
• the application is considered generally weak for any other reason.

When will you recommend that the tenancy does not proceed?

We will decline an application when: 

• the applicant has severe credit history problems
• the information on the application is found to be fraudulent

When will you decline a guarantor?

We will decline a guarantor when:

• negative credit history is located
• the guarantor has insufficient income
• the guarantor is employed on a temporary contract or casual employment
• the guarantor is self-employed and has no proof of income
• the guarantor's residency at their address cannot be verified
• the information on the application is found to be fraudulent.