A tenant’s guide to renting

So you’ve found a property online and you are interested. This guide will help you understand how the process works and factor in all costs involved in the move.

Firstly, we recommend you arrange a viewing using our online booking system. You will need to register your account and once verified you can request an appointment from the property viewing diary. You will need to confirm the household details and also employment status and income details before you will be able to request an appointment.

Viewing Questions

Why do I need to register?

Before a viewing can be offered we need to have all the correct details, this is for your safety and the safety of those that will be showing you around. We also need to verify as much as possible that you will be in a position to pass our reference checks before you will be offered a viewing, this is why we ask you to provide details on the household and income along with information about yours and other tenants credit history.

What costs should I be aware of and will I pay any fees?

Private individuals will not be asked to pay any fees to view property or apply for property. 

If your offer is accepted then you will need to pay a holding deposit which is equivalent to one weeks' rent and will usually be requested by the landlord or the letting team. Holding deposit agreements will outline the holding rules and any obligations that you or the landlord have.

Once checks are completed and you are offered a tenancy then you will be asked to pay the remaining deposit amount and any rent required in advance. This is usually the first month.

You should check the advert for full details but most rents will exclude bills and you will need to consider costs for utilities, council tax and media services. 

I want to rent a property through my company, are there any fees?

Application fees apply to company tenancies for company checks, this is £240 including VAT.

I have requested an appointment, now what happens?

The appointment will be sent to the landlord for review to check if they can accommodate it. Sometimes it takes some time to get a confirmation as there will be other people involved such as nominated viewing agents or existing tenants.

Check in your tenant account for updates and also check that you received the confirmation text message. If this did not come through then log in to your account to check Personal Information and make sure your number is correct as we will send updates by text.

Who will show me around?

The majority of viewings are managed by the landlord themselves, sometimes they will have a third party contact or a viewing agent to show you around and sometimes it is the tenant. 

When you arrive please knock on the door, ring the address buzzer or bell. A contact number will be provided to you for the viewing, if you have any issues related to the viewing please contact the person on the number with the details sent to you by text.

I don't have a UK mobile number, can I still register and book a viewing?

We need a UK mobile number to send you the text messages, if you do not have a UK mobile then please enter 07777777777 and proceed but please note you will need to check the portal and emails for updates.

Should I check my credit history before booking?

Yes you should as you need to make declarations about your credit history when applying and you may lose some or all of your holding deposit if you make these

We recommend you check this and make sure that what you state on your offer is accurate. The best way to do this is look at all the credit agencies. For the most comprehensive check visit Check My File.

Why do you ask me about household income?

References will be required for all applications and for all adults to be named as a tenant. We need to know before the viewing whether your household income would meet the minimum requirement that would be needed to pass reference checks.

How much do I need to have as an annual household income?

The minimum income requirement is at least 2.6 times the annual rent. 

When you calculate your income as an employed person please use your basic salary gross figure (before deductions for tax, national insurance and pension).

If you are self employed please include the income amount from your last tax return, which will be your profits.

If you receive benefits and/or Universal Credit then please include all elements paid. You may include elements that you believe you will be entitled to but evidence of a confirmed award would be required for full reference checks.

Substantial savings can be considered along with income from pensions. Income from investments will be subject to additional checks and may not be included.

I don't earn enough, can I still make an application?

This will depend on your individual circumstances. We are able to still send your requests in some situations and the landlord will make the final decision. If you do not earn enough as a household to meet the minimum requirement then you would be better to consider property in a lower bracket or an alternative area.

Income thresholds use a general rule around affordability and those earning below the minimum level may face difficulties paying the level of rent required each month which can lead to further issues. You should consider your affordability carefully before progressing.

I have a poor credit history, can I still apply?

This will depend on your individual circumstances and you will need to confirm the issues that have led to the poor score. 

In some circumstances a guarantor would be required - where this is contractually and legally permitted. Provide as much detail as you can on your report history and the landlord will make the decision on whether they wish to proceed.

A landlord or agent cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. Once signed, no more than one month’s rent can usually be requested before a monthly tenancy begins.

Can I leave feedback following a viewing?

Yes, please do so as this helps the landlord and can be useful to us with helping you find property. From your Tenant Hub you can choose 'Submit Feedback' from the viewing record in your dashboard and then follow the instructions.

Please remember this is shared with the landlord and viewing agents appointed so we ask you to be clear, fair and polite.

Do I need a guarantor?

You may need to provide a guarantor if the landlord requires it or if your circumstances suggest it will be needed. Please check the advertising details or your Tenant Hub to confirm. If no information is available then you can ask the Landlord at the viewing. The requirement for a guarantor may not become apparent until after we complete checks and so this could change based on the results.

Offer and Application Questions

How do I make an offer?

From your tenant hub account you will be able to apply for property that you have viewed. 

The viewing record will display in your dashboard, you can then choose 'Apply'. You will need the following details before you do this as you cannot save and return to the form later;

• Full names, email addresses and UK mobile numbers for all adults (over 18yrs) to be named as tenants
• Confirm details about pets and smokers 
• Confirm employment status for each applicant 
• Provide details of individual annual income 
• Confirm household income in full 
• Confirm information about each tenants credit history and make a declaration on this
• Make any requests in the notes section that you wish to include with your offer, such as a full clean is required

For guarantors;

Please make sure you check with the guarantor that they would be willing to act for you before submitting. They need to agree to be reference checked and also to sign the contract for tenancy. Do not provide their details without their authorisation.

• You will need to provide their full name, email addresses and UK mobile number
• Confirm that they have a good credit history 
• Confirm their annual income amount (individual income and not household)

The form will present you with the rental advertised and deposit amount advertised. You may change these to offer lower but any higher amounts will not be accepted under The Renters Rights Act 2025. Note that the tenancy offered will be an assured periodic tenancy (APT), which means it periodically renews each month - fixed terms are no longer offered.

Choose 'Add Tenant' to add each new tenant, you do not need to include any occupiers under 18yrs old but please provide details of any occupiers over the age of 18yrs which will not be named as a tenant on the agreement. You can do this in the offer notes section.

Why do you ask about children and pets?

Declaring this will not prejudice your application. For children it is so that landlords can make you aware of any suitability issues and also be certain they understand the occupancy levels to avoid any overcrowding issues.

Pets - we request this information to allow landlords to consider advance requirements. Landlords must consider all requests for pets and give a reason if refusing on this basis. Sometimes this will be detailed for you in the property listing particulars.

My viewing record is not showing, how do I make an offer?

Sometimes viewings are not booked correctly on the portal or they are arranged offline directly with the landlord. Where this happens contact letting@makeurmove.co.uk with your name and the property address you viewed so that they can arrange a 'false' viewing for you. You will not need to attend again unless you want to and this is just to allow you to create an application.

What are the guarantor requirements?

Guarantors must be based in the UK and have a good credit history with a verifiable income which is at least 3 times the annual rent.

What happens when my offer is submitted?
The landlord will be notified straight away, they may contact you for further information or to discuss your offer.

If there are multiple offers then this may take a little longer. Only one application will be progressed at a time and the Landlord will make a decision based on the details you have provided. Remember that all the information will be verified and you need to be honest with everything, if you are unsure on any question then please check before submitting.

We know it is difficult to wait for a reply but please be assured that you will be updated as soon as a decision is made. You may wish to call or message the landlord or contact our support team but this will not speed up the process. If you need to update the offer details or make any changes then our support team can assist with this and you should only contact us in these circumstances.

I received a negotiation email, what is this?

If the landlord has sent you a negotiation then they wish to make a counter offer - this is usually were you offered a lower rent amount than was advertised or there is a difference in proposed dates. Please review this in the Tenant Hub and follow the instructions to respond.

My offer was accepted, what happens now?

As soon as your offer is accepted subject to checks and contract, the property will be removed from the market pending checks and all viewings will be suspended. You will normally be asked to pay a holding deposit which is an amount equal to one weeks' rent to secure the property pending reference checks and will be subject to the terms of a holding deposit agreement.

You will be provided a minimum of three working days to complete all checks, after this time the property may be relisted and your application declined.

If the Landlord has chosen to complete their own checks then you will need to contact them for details on the next steps. 

My offer was declined, why?

We do not always get a reason for offers being declined and there are many. Sometimes a tenancy cannot be offered because the minimum requirements have not been met and others it is because the circumstances have changed and the property is no longer available. Often it is because there were multiple applications and a decision is made based on individual circumstances.

We know it is disheartening but your details will be saved as interested and should the property become available again in the near future then we will contact you.

Reference Questions

What happens once I pay my Holding Deposit?

The property is secured for you pending checks, these must be completed within three working days of the offer being accepted.

We will invite you to complete a full application, you should submit this as soon as you can to start the process of reference checking.

The default period of time for signing a tenancy agreement after paying a holding deposit is 15 days. To facilitate this we require all checks to be completed in 3 working days, where an applicant fails to reasonably support the completion of references within this time the landlord may reject the application and return the holding deposit in full.

Should the signing of an agreement not be possible within 15 days then the reasons for this will be confirmed in writing with agreement of the parties for a shorter or longer period.

Will I get my Holding Deposit back?

On most of the applications we will be asked to manage this process. If the Landlord requests you pay them directly you should ask them for their holding deposit terms and any privacy policy.

When you pay your Holding Deposit to Make Ur Move we will hold this securely in our Client Account which benefits from Client Money Protection provided to us by Propertymark. In most cases the Holding Deposit is then retained to go towards your tenancy deposit or first month's rent. This will usually happen once the tenancy agreement is signed.

You will have already received a Holding Deposit Agreement for review and signing before making your payment.

Your Holding Deposit may be retained if any applicant:

• fails a right to rent check 
• withdraws from the application process 
• does not sign the tenancy agreement despite the landlord and agent taking all reasonable steps to do so 
• gives false or misleading information 

False information is when there is a difference between the information provided and the correct information. 

This is usually related to inaccuracies around the tenant’s financial suitability. A tenant could also fail to disclose relevant information.

For example:

• a tenant has lied about income or employment
• a tenant failed to disclose relevant information when they were asked for it. For example, a tenant has not disclosed that they have a County Court Judgment (CCJ) 
• income was shown to be significantly higher because of a typo, even if the tenant was not aware of the typo

A landlord or agent cannot keep a holding deposit if the false or misleading information or conduct is not relevant to the individual’s suitability as a tenant.

For example:

• where a tenant has misspelled their name, the name of their employer or a previous address 
• the tenant did not declare a previous address. The omission did not impact on their credit worthiness or assessment of suitability 
• the tenant slightly misjudged their income which does not affect their ability to afford the rent 

Where the Holding Deposit is retained you will be notified in writing of the reasons within 7 days of the decision to not grant a tenancy agreement or the expiry of the deadline for the agreement.

What do you check?

We will verify the following details for each tenant;

• Credit check 
• Income and affordability verification 
• Letting verification 
• Identity 

Credit Check
The credit check is ran as a read of your credit file for tenant verification and will not leave a trace or affect your score.

We encourage all tenants to register for a checking service and the most comprehensive tool is Check My File as this covers all the credit reference agencies.

Income and Affordability
We will require details for your employer or accountant where applicable. We may also require 6 months of bank statements and other financial documents to check affordability.

Additional documents listed below may be required;

• Last 6 months bank statements
• Last two self assessment returns 
• Accountant's certificate 
• Payslips 
• Employment Contract 
• Benefits/Credits award notice and accompanying bank statements
• Companies Accounts/Tax Returns
• Any other documents that will evidence claims made on application

Letting Verification
If you are currently renting we will verify this by contacting your landlord or agent.

We may require a copy of your tenancy agreement along with 6 months bank statements.

If you do not currently rent please indicate on your application form and a letting reference will not be required.

Identity
Photographic identity documents and proof of address are required for all tenants and occupiers over 18yrs of age. We are now also required to complete a sanctions and politically exposed persons check and you will be asked to carry out the ID verification with our ID checking partner alongside your full reference application.

Additional right to rent documentation may be required following identity checks. Below is a list of documents accepted.

Proof of address 

• Utility or media service (to the property such as internet or home phone) dated within last 3 months
• Council Tax Demand  
• Full UK driving licence
• Letter from employer on company headed paper 
• TV licence 

Identity Documents

• Full UK driving licence 
• Passport 
• Visa Documentation 

How do you complete checks?

We partner with industry experts and providers to complete ID verification and full tenant reference checks.

What happens when referencing is complete?

We will inform the Landlord of the outcome of checks and ask them if they wish to proceed to a tenancy. 

Once a tenancy is agreed you will be issued with the relevant documentation and will need to make the payments for rent and deposit as outlined on the property adverts and particulars of the offer. Your Holding Deposit will usually be allocated as part of your deposit but may also be used as rent.

All adults that will be living at the property will need to attend at the Check In appointment and bring with them a copy of their photo ID and visa documentation (if relevant) for the completion of the Right to Rent check.

What is the How to Rent guide?

The How to Rent guide was a tenancy guide provided to tenants before the Renters Rights Act 2025 was implemented on 1 May 2026. It is no longer issued or required.

Prescribed written tenancy information must now be provided before a tenancy is agreed and may be incorporated into the tenancy agreement in place of this requirement.

What other documents will I be provided with?

Tenancy documents will include;

• Tenancy Agreement 
• Deposit Prescribed Information 
• Deposit Certificate 
• Gas Safety Certificate (if applicable)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (if applicable)

Additional Documents may include;

• Insurance documents (where you are obliged to meet certain conditions)
• Leasehold documents 
• Electrical Safety & Portable Appliance Testing Certificates
• Property Condition (Inventory) Documents 
• Appliance Manuals 
• Property Care Instructions
• Utility meter readings

You should check your online Tenant Hub for documents or links and information related to your tenancy. Some documents will be emailed to you for safe keeping and some will be provided as physical documents by the landlord or kept at the property.

What do I do if I have a problem once I move in?

You should raise any issues with your property manager or landlord direct depending on who is looking after the property and tenancy. Check your Tenancy Agreement to confirm this or look in your Tenant Hub.

If Make Ur Move Property Agents look after your tenancy then you will have a welcome email from them and a link in your Tenant Hub to report any maintenance issues so please follow those instructions. 

If you do not have confirmation that we look after your property then refer to your landlord, their contact details will be in your Tenant Hub on your Dashboard.

We hope this answers all the questions you may have. If you still need assistance please use our online chat support or email us and we'll help wherever we can.