Who can apply

We have a portfolio of high-quality, affordable rented accommodation for customers who cannot otherwise access owner occupation.

Anyone can apply for our full market rent properties, but we will check to ensure that you can afford the rent, how we assess that is set out below in ‘assessing affordability’

Applicants for mid-market rent properties should meet both our qualifying criteria. These are:

• The applicant(s) gross annual household income should be up to £40,000, unless stated otherwise in a property advert
• The applicant(s) should be able to afford to take up and sustain the tenancy.

Assessing affordability

We will look at the information provided in, and supporting, their application. Our assessment looks at whether an applicant can afford to pay the rent and other costs associated with a tenancy on an ongoing basis. That assessment will consider the following (although this is not an exhaustive list):

• if the applicant is employed or has a firm offer of employment or another regular income.
• if bank statements show evidence of returned or missed payments, unauthorised overdraft usage, using an overdraft over a long period of time to pay rent and other living costs, high-levels of gambling, debt management programmes, or use of short-term ‘pay-day’ or high interest lending.
• Monthly rent exceeds 35% of household gross monthly income.

We may also carry out a credit check to help our affordability assessment.

We will not routinely accept guarantors. However, we will assess this on a case-by-case basis and may accept a guarantor where our other criteria are met, for example, a young person in their first tenancy who meets our other criteria.

We may also refuse an application on the basis of references provided. For example, where their existing tenancy has not been conducted satisfactorily.