We hear a lot about location, location, location when it comes to property.

But if you’re renting in the UK today, I’d argue there are three other words that are becoming just as important:

Referencing, referencing, referencing.

At Pets Lets, we increasingly hear from people who have already done the hard work. They’ve searched, viewed properties, found somewhere they love and sometimes even had an offer accepted.

Then the referencing starts. And suddenly the tenancy is at risk.

Finding a Rental Is Only Half the Battle

The rental market has changed. Landlords and letting agents want reassurance that the person taking the property can comfortably afford the rent and represents a sensible risk.

That can be particularly challenging if you are:

Relocating to the UK from overseas
Starting a new job
Self-employed
Relying partly on savings
Unable to demonstrate a conventional UK income history
Using a guarantor
Renting with pets
Unfamiliar with UK affordability and referencing requirements

None of these necessarily means you are a poor tenant.

But if your circumstances don’t fit neatly into the referencing company’s boxes, problems can arise very quickly.

Overseas Tenants Can Find Referencing Particularly Difficult

A large proportion of our clients are relocating to the UK.

They may have excellent jobs, substantial savings and impeccable rental histories, but UK referencing systems don’t always deal particularly well with circumstances that sit outside the standard UK model.

We’ve seen perfectly good prospective tenants struggle because their income is overseas, they don’t yet have a UK credit history or the documentation being requested doesn’t properly reflect their financial position.

This is where preparation matters.

Don’t Wait Until Referencing Fails

One of the biggest mistakes is assuming that once an offer has been accepted, the property is effectively secured. It isn’t. The referencing process still has to be navigated.

Ideally, potential issues should be identified before the application reaches the point where a referencing company says no.

Think about what the landlord or agent is going to see.

Does your income comfortably meet the affordability requirements?
If not, can savings help demonstrate affordability?
Are those savings clearly evidenced?
If you’re relocating, do you have the appropriate visa and Right to Rent documentation available?
If you need a guarantor, have you considered this before making the offer?
And if you have pets, have you presented them properly rather than simply adding “two dogs” to an application?

The stronger and clearer the overall application, the easier it is for an agent or landlord to understand your position.

Already Found the Property? We Can Help

We were seeing so many people coming to us after they’d found a property that we decided to create a specific service for them.

Our Rental Approval Service is designed for people who don’t need us to find the property. They need help securing it.

We can:

Review your proposed application
Identify potential referencing or affordability issues
Help strengthen the way your financial position is presented
Advise on documentation
Support negotiations with the landlord or letting agent where necessary
Help you navigate the referencing process through to the tenancy

And this isn’t purely a pet service. You may have a dog, three cats or no pets whatsoever. The problem is the same: you’ve found the property and don’t want to lose it because your application wasn’t properly prepared.

What One Client Said

A recent client who used us for help with referencing left this Google review:

“I worked with Russell on referencing, and he has been an indispensable support—I could not have navigated the process without him. More than that, Russell went above and beyond the task at hand to ensure my interests in the property were protected.”

They also described Pets Lets as:

“The ultimate local property advisor for anyone planning a move to the UK.”

That’s really what the Rental Approval Service is designed to provide: someone experienced in UK property sitting on your side of the table.

The Bottom Line

Finding a great rental is an achievement.

But don’t confuse finding the property with securing the tenancy.

In a competitive rental market, your financial position, documentation and referencing strategy can be every bit as important as the property search itself.

Location gets you through the front door. Referencing gets you the keys.

Already found a property and worried about the application or referencing?

Take a look at the Pets Lets Rental Approval Service before submitting your application.

Call to Action

If you’re navigating the UK rental market with a pet—or thinking about it—take a look at:

👉 https://www.sayyestopets.co.uk/

Get the right advice early, and you’ll put yourself in a completely different position when it matters most.

About the Author – Russell Hunt

Pets Lets Expert Insight

This article was written by 罗素-亨特, co-founder of Pets Lets, a specialist service helping tenants secure pet-friendly property to rent in London and across the UK.

With more than 30 years of experience in the London property market, Russell works with tenants, landlords and estate agents to make renting with pets possible in practice, not just in theory. His work focuses on helping pet owners present strong applications, prepare properly for competitive markets, and navigate landlord concerns around pets.

Through Pets Lets, Russell supports UK tenants with pets as well as educates landlords with UK properties on the benefits of dog friendly rentals and cat friendly rentals in London and across the UK.

Russell also runs the community “Relocating to the UK with Pets”, helping thousands of members understand the realities of travelling to the UK with pets.

Learn more about pet-friendly renting advice and services at Pets Lets

For further guidance on renting with pets, visit Dogs Trust’s Lets with Pets