Portable tenant screening report (PTSR)

A portable tenant screening report (PTSR) is a standardised referencing report that a prospective tenant obtains once and can share with multiple landlords or letting agents, rather than each party commissioning separate checks. The applicant orders, pays for, and retains ownership of the report, which typically covers identity verification, a credit check, employment or income confirmation, and a previous landlord reference, the same elements as a standard landlord-commissioned reference check. A PTSR is also known as a reusable screening report or tenant passport. There is no statutory PTSR regime in England; the concept has UK policy traction but remains a market-led product rather than a legal requirement.

What tenant screening involves in the UK

Tenant screening is the process by which a landlord or letting agent assesses a prospective tenant's suitability before granting a tenancy. In England, a thorough screen combines several distinct checks:

A credit check searches for County Court Judgments, missed payments, insolvency records, and electoral roll registration, giving a picture of the applicant's financial history. An affordability assessment verifies that the applicant's income is sufficient relative to the rent, most lenders and referencing agencies apply a threshold of 2.5–3 times the annual rent in gross income. An employment or income verification confirms the applicant's stated earnings through payslips, a letter from their employer, or self-assessment tax returns. A previous landlord reference asks the applicant's most recent landlord whether rent was paid on time, whether the property was kept in good condition, and whether they would rent to that person again. A Right to Rent check is a legal requirement under the Immigration Act 2014. Before granting a tenancy, landlords must verify that every adult occupier has the right to live in the UK.

One reason PTSRs appeal to tenants is that referencing costs cannot legally be passed to them, charging a tenant for a reference check is a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. A PTSR shifts this cost to the tenant voluntarily, at a time and on terms they choose, while eliminating the friction of repeated checks.

Where the PTSR concept comes from

The PTSR model originated in the United States, where several states, including Colorado, California, Illinois, and Washington, have introduced legislation requiring landlords to accept tenant-provided screening reports that meet defined standards. In Colorado, mandatory acceptance became law from 1 January 2026 under HB25-1236. The UK has no equivalent legislation. The concept has begun appearing in UK policy discussions around tenant referencing reform, and tenant-facing referencing products are available from a small number of UK providers, but no lender or regulatory body has mandated their acceptance. The August tenant referencing guide for landlords notes that tenant passports and shared referencing products are already emerging in the UK market.

How tenants obtain a PTSR in the UK

A prospective tenant seeking a portable referencing report would approach a specialist referencing provider or credit agency offering a tenant-facing product. The applicant pays for the checks, receives a report they own, and shares it with each prospective landlord, typically as a secure digital link rather than a PDF, so the data remains live rather than static. Reports are generally valid for 30 days from the date of issue, after which most providers treat the checks as stale and require renewal.

From working with self-managing landlords, the most common concern about tenant-provided reports is whether the data is current and unaltered. A reputable PTSR provider issues a secure link that refreshes from live data sources rather than generating a document the applicant can edit. Landlords should check the provider's name, the date the checks were run, and whether the report meets their own referencing standards before treating it as equivalent to a commissioned reference.

Landlords using August can store tenant referencing documents, including any PTSR received, in the document management feature, alongside compliance certificates and tenancy agreements.

Should landlords accept a PTSR?

Landlords in England are not required to accept a PTSR in place of their own referencing. The decision is commercial. If you do choose to accept one, verify that the report was produced by a reputable provider, that income and employment figures are recent, and that any adverse credit history is explained rather than simply noted. For higher-value or longer-term tenancies, independent verification of one or more elements may still be appropriate.

Whatever referencing approach is taken, the legal constraints apply regardless of who commissioned the checks. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords and agents cannot reject applicants on grounds of benefit receipt or the presence of children, see DSS tenant for how this anti-discrimination rule applies in practice. Referencing decisions must be based on objective affordability and risk criteria, not on protected characteristics or income source.

A PTSR does not replace a Right to Rent check. Regardless of the quality of a tenant-provided referencing report, landlords remain legally obliged to verify the Right to Rent status of every adult occupier before the tenancy begins.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a PTSR and standard tenant referencing?

Standard tenant referencing is commissioned and paid for by the landlord or letting agent; the tenant has no control over it and typically pays nothing directly (since charging tenants is a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019). A PTSR is commissioned and paid for by the tenant themselves, who then owns and controls the report and can share it with any prospective landlord. The content, covering credit, income, identity, rental history, is broadly the same. The key difference is ownership and portability.

Is a PTSR valid for a Right to Rent check?

No. A portable tenant screening report may include identity verification as one of its components, but it does not satisfy the Right to Rent obligation under the Immigration Act 2014. Landlords must conduct their own Right to Rent check on every adult occupier before granting a tenancy, using the government's online checking service or by inspecting and copying original documents in person.

How long is a portable tenant screening report valid?

Most providers issue PTSRs with a validity window of 30 days from the date the checks were run. After 30 days, the credit data, employment position, and other elements may no longer reflect the applicant's current circumstances. Landlords should check the issue date and request a refreshed report if it is approaching or past the 30-day mark.