How our Rental Approval Service helped an international student overcome referencing problems and secure her pet-friendly home in the UK.
Moving to the UK as an international student can be challenging enough. Add a dog, unfamiliar rental requirements and complicated financial referencing, and securing a home can become even more difficult.
This was exactly the situation facing one of our clients relocating from Bangkok, Thailand, to Preston, Lancashire, to continue her studies with her Golden Retriever.
A Pet-Friendly Property Found, But Almost Lost
Our client had successfully found a pet-friendly rental property in Preston and paid the holding deposit.
However, problems arose during the rental referencing process.
Despite having sufficient savings to cover the rental commitments, the referencing agency was not properly taking these funds into account.
The situation became increasingly difficult. The landlord was considering putting the property back on the market and finding another tenant.
With limited suitable student pet friendly rental accommodation available, particularly for someone with a larger dog, our client was at risk of losing both the property and potentially her holding deposit.
How Pets Lets Stepped In
Our client contacted Pets Lets and signed up for our Rental Approval Service.
We reviewed her application, financial information and supporting documents to establish where the referencing process had gone wrong.
It became clear that important documentation had been overlooked, including evidence of sufficient funds held in savings.
We collated the relevant information and approached the manager of the estate agency directly.
Our aim was straightforward: demonstrate that our client had the financial means to meet her rental obligations and persuade the agent to reconsider the situation with the landlord.
Rather than allowing the property to return to the market, we worked to resolve the concerns and keep the tenancy on track.
A Successful Outcome
Following further discussions and a few days of consideration, the landlord agreed to proceed.
Our client successfully secured her rental home in Preston and has since moved in with her Golden Retriever.
Her Google review says it all:
“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. He is a true professional with high-calibre negotiation skills and market insights. From my experience, Russell is the ultimate local property advisor for anyone planning a move to the UK.”
Rental Referencing Challenges for International Students
Since the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act reforms in England, we have noticed increasing concerns around rental referencing, particularly among international students relocating to the UK with dogs or cats.
Students arriving from overseas may face additional challenges, including:
- Limited or no UK credit history.
- Overseas income or savings that referencing agencies may not fully consider.
- Difficulties meeting standard affordability criteria.
- Requirements for UK-based guarantors.
- Finding suitable accommodation where landlords will accept pets.
Even when a landlord has agreed to accept a tenant and their pet, the referencing process can still cause the tenancy to fall through.
Already Found a UK Rental but Having Referencing Problems?
At Pets Lets, we don’t just help clients find pet-friendly homes. We also help them secure them.
Our Rental Approval Service is designed for tenants who have already found a property but are experiencing difficulties with referencing, affordability checks or their rental application.
Whether you’re an international student relocating with a dog or cat to London, Preston, Manchester or elsewhere in the UK, we can review your situation, identify potential problems and liaise with agents to help move your application forward.
