- Landlords usually check your right to rent, student status, identity, finances and whether you have a UK-based guarantor.
- International students often face extra checks because they may not have UK credit history or previous UK landlord references.
- If you do not have a UK guarantor, Rentmigo can help by acting as your professional rent guarantor.
Landlords check that international students can legally rent in the UK, afford the property, prove their student status and, in many cases, provide a UK-based guarantor.
If you are an international student trying to rent in the UK, the process can feel a bit intimidating at first.
You might find a room or flat you love, send an enquiry, and then suddenly be asked for documents, references, proof of funds, visa information and guarantor details.
That can feel like a lot, especially if you are still overseas or have only recently arrived in the UK.
But most of these checks are normal. Landlords are not usually trying to make the process difficult. They are trying to confirm two main things:
Can you legally rent the property?
And can you afford the rent?
The tricky part for many international students is the guarantor question. You may be able to afford the rent, but if you do not have someone in the UK who can act as your guarantor, your application can still become harder.
That is where Rentmigo can help. If you are an international student without a UK-based guarantor, Rentmigo can act as your professional rent guarantor and help you move forward with your rental application.
Why landlords carry out checks on international students
Landlords carry out checks on international students because they need to understand who is moving into their property and whether the tenancy is likely to run smoothly.
For international students, this usually means checking:
- Your identity
- Your immigration status
- Your right to rent
- Your university place
- Your ability to pay rent
- Your guarantor details, if needed
In England, right to rent checks are a legal requirement. That means landlords must check that every adult tenant has the legal right to rent before the tenancy starts.
Alongside that, landlords or letting agents will usually carry out standard referencing checks. These help them decide whether they feel comfortable approving your tenancy.
For UK students, this may be relatively straightforward. But for international students, landlords may not have access to the same information, especially if you do not have UK credit history or previous UK rental references.
That is why they often ask for extra reassurance.
Right to rent checks - what are they?
The right to rent check confirms that you are legally allowed to rent a property in England.
If you are an international student, you may need to prove your right to rent using your visa, immigration status or digital share code.
This might involve providing:
- Your passport
- Your visa details
- Your Biometric Residence Permit, if you have one
- Your eVisa details
- A share code from the UK government system
Your landlord or letting agent will use this information to confirm your status before the tenancy starts.
If your right to rent is time-limited, which is usually the case with international students, the landlord may need to check it again later.
This is normal and does not mean you have done anything wrong. It is simply part of the rules landlords have to follow.
Proof of identity - what counts?
Landlords will also need to confirm that you are who you say you are.
This usually means showing a valid passport or other accepted identity document.
They may check that the document:
- Is in date
- Matches your name
- Looks genuine
- Matches your visa or immigration record
- Matches the person applying for the property
If you are applying from overseas, you may need to send copies digitally at first, but the landlord or agent may still need to verify your identity properly before you move in.
Proof of student status
Landlords often ask international students to prove that they are studying in the UK.
This helps show why you are living in the country and may also explain why you do not have a standard employment income.
You may be asked for:
- A university offer letter
- Confirmation of enrolment
- A student status letter
- A CAS letter
- A letter from student services
If you are not sure what to give them, your university accommodation office or student services team should usually be able to help.
Having these documents ready before you apply can make the process much smoother.
Landlords want proof that you can afford the rent
Landlords want to know that you can pay rent on time. For international students, this can be slightly different from a normal employment check because you may not have a UK salary.
Instead, you may be asked to show bank statements, proof of savings or say that you have a guarantor.
This is where some international students struggle.
Even if your family is supporting you financially, landlords may still want a UK-based guarantor or several months of rent upfront.
That can feel unfair, especially if you have the funds available, but from the landlord’s point of view, they are trying to reduce risk.
If you can afford the rent but do not have a UK guarantor, Rentmigo can help. We assess whether the rent is affordable and, if approved, act as your professional rent guarantor.
Get started with Rentmigo today.
Previous landlord references
If you have rented before, landlords may ask for a reference from a previous landlord.
This can help show that you paid rent on time and looked after the property.
But many international students are renting in the UK for the first time, so they may not have UK landlord references.
Again, this does not mean you cannot rent, it just means the landlord may rely more heavily on other checks, such as proof of funds or a guarantor.
UK credit history
Many international students do not have UK credit history when they first arrive. That is completely normal.
You may never have had a UK bank account, phone contract, utility bill or rental agreement before. The problem is that some referencing systems rely heavily on UK financial records. If there is very little information available, the landlord may find it harder to assess your reliability.
This does not mean you are a bad tenant, it just means you are harder to check through the usual UK systems.
That is one reason landlords often ask international students for a guarantor.
What if you do not have a UK guarantor?
If you do not have a UK guarantor, landlords may ask you to do one of a few things.
They might ask you to:
- Pay several months of rent upfront
- Provide extra proof of savings
- Find a UK-based guarantor
- Use a professional rent guarantor service
Paying rent upfront is common, but it can be expensive.
If your rent is £1,100 per month and you are asked for six months upfront, that is £6,600 before you have even paid your deposit, travel costs, books, transport or living expenses. For many international students, that is not realistic.
A professional rent guarantor service like Rentmigo can be a much more practical option.
Instead of relying on family or friends in the UK, you apply online. If approved, Rentmigo acts as your guarantor and helps give the landlord the reassurance they need.
Check your eligibility today and see if Rentmigo can help you rent without a UK guarantor.
What could make you fail tenant referencing?
Referencing can fail for several reasons. For international students, common issues include:
- Not being able to prove your right to rent
- Not providing documents quickly enough
- No UK guarantor
- Insufficient proof of funds
- Concerns around affordability
- Documents that do not match
- Poor credit history, if you have UK credit records
Sometimes, applications do not fail because the student is a bad tenant. They fail because the landlord does not feel they have enough reassurance.
That is why being prepared matters.
How to prepare before applying for student accommodation
Before you apply for a rental, try to have your documents ready.
This may include:
- Passport
- Visa or eVisa details
- Right to rent share code
- University offer or enrolment letter
- Proof of funds
- Scholarship documents, if relevant
- Bank statements
- Guarantor details or Rentmigo confirmation
The faster you can provide documents, the smoother the process usually feels.
This is especially important in competitive cities where student properties move quickly.
Are the rules the same across the UK?
Not always. Right to rent checks are a legal requirement in England. The rules can differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
However, even where right to rent checks are not required in the same way, landlords will still usually want to confirm your identity, student status and ability to pay rent.
So, wherever you are studying, it is sensible to expect some form of checking process.
Why Rentmigo is useful for international students
So, what do landlords check when renting to international students?
They usually check your right to rent, identity, student status, financial position, references and whether you have a suitable guarantor.
For many international students, the hardest part is not proving that they are genuine students. It is proving financial reassurance in a way UK landlords are used to.
That is where the guarantor question often becomes a problem.
If you do not have a UK-based guarantor, you do not need to panic.
Rentmigo can help by acting as your professional rent guarantor, giving landlords the reassurance they need while helping you move closer to securing your student accommodation.
