One of the most common questions we hear from hosts is a simple one: how do I know the person applying for my property is genuine? It's a fair question. When you're handing over the keys to a furnished home, you want confidence that the person moving in is who they say they are and is in a position to pay.
This article explains exactly what EzyFlats checks, how our new application process works, and where the host's role begins.
Every Applicant Is Verified Before They Can Apply
We've built verification into the very front of the process. Before anyone can submit an application for your property, they must complete the following steps:
Verify their identity — applicants confirm who they are through our identity verification step.
Verify their phone number — a working, verified mobile number is required.
Enter their full name and current address — basic but essential details that establish a real, contactable person behind the application.
No one can lodge an application without clearing these gates. This means that by the time a request lands in your inbox, you're already dealing with a verified, identifiable individual — not an anonymous enquiry.
Income and References: Our New Two-Stage Process
We recently changed how income and reference information is collected, and the reason is worth explaining.
Previously, asking applicants to gather payslips, references, and supporting documents before they could apply created friction. Good, genuine tenants would start an application, hit the paperwork stage, and drop off — which meant fewer quality applications reaching hosts.
Under the new process, applicants can submit their proof of income and references after applying. Submitting an application is quick and low-friction, and we then strongly encourage tenants to follow up with their supporting documents to strengthen their application. This change is designed to improve conversion for your property: more genuine applicants make it all the way through, and you see more of them.
As a host, you remain in control. You can request proof of income and references before accepting a request, and many hosts do exactly that. The verification gates are mandatory; the supporting documentation is strongly encouraged and available for you to require before you commit.
What EzyFlats Checks
To summarise, for each applicant EzyFlats works to confirm:
Adequate income — we check that the applicant has sufficient income for the booking.
A verified identity — confirmed before they can apply.
References — we facilitate reference checks as part of the process.
These checks give you a strong, factual foundation to make your decision from.
The Final Decision Is Always Yours
Here's the principle at the heart of how we operate: EzyFlats verifies and facilitates, but the host decides.
We can confirm identity, assess income, and help with references — but it is the host's primary responsibility to decide whether they wish to rent to a particular applicant. You know your property better than anyone. You understand its quirks, its neighbours, and the kind of tenant who will thrive there. That judgement isn't something we can or should make for you.
That's why we strongly recommend taking one extra step before accepting a request: exchange a few messages with the applicant, or organise a quick phone call. A short conversation tells you a great deal — about the person's plans, their fit for the property, and whether the arrangement feels right on both sides. It's the single best way to confirm a good match, and it's something only you, as the person who knows the property inside and out, can really do.
At EzyFlats, we believe the final decision should always rest with the host. Our job is to make sure that when you make that decision, you're doing it with verified information and a genuine applicant in front of you.
