With OpenRent, it's always the landlord's decision how to proceed. There may be a number of reasons why a tenant doesn't have a credit footprint, including being new to the UK, renting for the first time, or living in student or bills inclusive accommodation.
There can sometimes also be slight mis-matches between the information provided by the applicant and the data held by the credit bureau which can prevent their file from being located. If there is a chance this could be the case, we recommend that the applicant contacts the team so that we can reopen their reference to supply updated address information.
If an applicant's credit file can't be located at all, we include this information on the report along with an explanation of why this may be the case, to try to help you make an informed decision. It is worth noting though that since an applicant's credit record is a central part of the referencing process, and it is a requirement for many insurance policies that a tenant or guarantor has a clear credit history, unfortunately we can't recommend applicants whose credit file we haven't been able to locate. If you would like additional surety, or specifically want to purchase Rent Guarantee Insurance, you may wish to request that tenants in this situation provide a UK-based guarantor.
You can find out how to add a guarantor here.
We would always recommend that you talk to the tenant in this situation to try to agree a way forward. If they are unable to provide a guarantor, a common alternative solution is paying multiple months' rent in advance, though many landlords will be willing to proceed with the tenancy regardless if the other parts of the reference are positive.
You can see how to add rent in advance to the contract here.
How is it possible for someone's credit file not to be located when they have a bank account?Referencing always includes a credit search and in many cases a tenant or guarantor will link their bank account via open banking as well. It can seem surprising if someone who successfully connects to their bank can't be located in the credit record, given that credit bureaus will normally receive information from banks about account-holders.
However, it is important to note that the credit search and open banking connection are entirely separate processes. There are a number of scenarios where the applicant's UK credit file can't be located even though they can demonstrate access to a bank. These could include non-UK banks that support open banking, or very recently-opened accounts. There can also sometimes also be slight mis-matches between the information provided by the applicant and the data held by the credit bureau which can prevent their file from being located. If there is a chance this could be the case, we recommend that applicants reach out to the team so that they reopen their reference on our website to supply updated address information.