Rent Affordability Calculator

Rent Affordability Calculator

This calculator shows the monthly rent you can afford on your gross income and whether you are likely to meet a letting agent’s income requirement. UK letting agents typically require a gross annual salary of at least 30 times the monthly rent. The 30 per cent affordability rule and the 30× agency qualification threshold are not the same figure — your results show both so you can see where you stand on each measure.


How to use this tool

  1. Enter your gross annual income before tax.
  2. If you are applying jointly, select Yes and enter your co-applicant’s gross annual income.
  3. Optionally enter a specific monthly rent you are considering. The calculator will show whether your income meets the letting agent’s threshold for that property.

Understanding your results

The 30 per cent figure is a rule of thumb for sustainable housing costs. It shows what you can realistically afford over time based on your income, not what an agent will require. Your actual affordability will depend on your other outgoings.

The 30× figure is the standard agency income requirement used by most UK letting agents. If your gross annual salary is below 30 times the monthly rent for a property, the agent will typically decline the application or require a guarantor. Some agents in higher-demand areas apply a 40× threshold. The calculator shows both figures so you can see which properties are within your unguaranteed range.

If the calculator shows an income shortfall for a target rent, a guarantor may bridge the gap. Guarantor income requirements are assessed separately and are not covered in this tool. If you are on Universal Credit or housing benefit, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rules apply to your situation and are not reflected here.

Save this result — create a free account to save your calculation and access it later.

Legal context

There is no legal requirement in the UK governing how much of your income you must spend on rent. The 30× income rule is a letting industry convention, not a statutory requirement. Letting agents set their own thresholds and are not obliged to disclose them before you apply. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, agents cannot charge application fees in England, but they can decline an application based on income. If you are applying with a guarantor, most guarantor services require the guarantor to earn at least 36 times the monthly rent. Confirm the exact income requirement with the agent before viewing a property.

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