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Written by CribCheck, reviewed by the CribCheck inspection team. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.
Part of How to verify a landlord or estate agent before paying rent
Short answer
Ask for proof of ownership or the landlord's right to let, the landlord's identification, the agent's written letting authority, the draft tenancy agreement, a receipt template in the landlord's name, the last service-charge breakdown and evidence that electricity and other bills are clear.
Ownership and identity
- Proof of ownership or the right to let the property.
- The landlord's photo identification, and the company registration if a company owns it.
- The agent's written letting authority from that same owner.
The deal itself
- The draft tenancy agreement, to take away and read.
- A written schedule of every payment due, with each fee named.
- Confirmation of the receiving account name.
Money already owed on the property
- The last service-charge breakdown and any arrears.
- The electricity account status, especially on a shared or estimated meter.
- Waste, CDA or estate levy status.
Refusal to provide any of this before payment is itself an answer.
What to do next
Check this home with CribCheck while you are still there. Record what you see, get a condition score with indicative repair costs, and keep it to compare against other homes.
Before you pay, CribCheck it.
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