Free tool
Does this rent pass on your salary?
Most agents want a household income of at least 30 times the monthly rent. It varies by agent. Put in your numbers and see where you stand before you view anything.
How the test works
- Most letting agents and referencing companies ask for annual household income of at least 30 times the monthly rent, sometimes called the 2.5 times rule. Some ask for less, some for more.
- Household income is everyone on the tenancy added together. Two NHS contracts on one application is the usual way to pass for a two-bed.
- If you have no UK guarantor, an insured guarantor service can stand in. It usually wants income of about twice your share of the rent and charges a fee you can split over months. It is your choice, never a condition.
- Since 1 May 2026 no landlord in England can ask for more than one month's rent in advance, so a lump sum no longer replaces the income test.
The full list of documents that pass referencing with no UK rental history is in the Rental Passport .