Blinc-UK claims its new referencing service is ‘most comprehensive yet’
A new digital referencing service that offers letting agents a comprehensive range of checks for just £8 per applicant is the most detailed offering yet from the company behind it, its founders say.
Blinc-UK’s new digital service combines digital identity verification, Open Banking, HMRC income information and advanced fraud screening in a single report, often completed within minutes.
Blinc-UK co-founder Daniel Leeson says the new service better matches what letting agents now need, especially in the light of the Renters’ Rights Act. He says: “We’ve listened to what letting agents want and used the technology now available to completely rethink how tenant referencing should work. The result is a more robust, faster and considerably cheaper way of referencing applicants.
“Some might call it self-service, others might call it instant referencing, but ultimately it’s about giving agents the flexibility to work in whatever way suits their business. They’re in complete control of the process and the decisions they make, while our platform does all the heavy lifting for them. It’s about making referencing work around the agent, rather than the other way around.”
The abolition of Section 21 in May as part of the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act has placed greater emphasis on effective tenant screening to help landlords and agents make more informed decisions before a tenancy begins.
The new service also aims to tackle growing concerns over fraudulent tenancy applications by verifying information directly from independent sources, rather than relying solely on documents supplied by prospective tenants.
A full list of checks
Each £8 reference includes certified digital identity verification and Right to Rent checks; Open Banking income and affordability assessments, with applicant consent; HMRC employment and income data; credit history, County Court Judgment and insolvency checks; HM Land Registry information; Politically Exposed Person (PEP) and sanctions screening; and fraud detection, including identity risk indicators and IP address warnings.
Guarantor references and additional applicants are also charged at £8 each, with no premium tiers or additional charges for the listed checks.
Leeson adds: “When agents see a full reference at £8, they assume something has been taken out. We’ve done the opposite. This is the most comprehensive reference we’ve ever offered.
Agents can also customise their referencing criteria, including income and affordability thresholds and guarantor requirements, to reflect their own policies and those of their landlords.
Applicants complete the process through a secure link sent to their smartphone. Completed references can be forwarded to landlords for approval directly through the platform, with results and approvals recorded in a central dashboard.
Darren Bignall, co-founder of Blinc-UK, says: “Agents want thorough information, landlords want confidence and tenants want to move in without delay. Our new service delivers all three, at a price that makes comprehensive referencing accessible to every agency.”
The new referencing platform is now live and available to letting agents across the UK.
