- You can rent on a zero-hours contract, but because your hours aren't guaranteed, letting agents usually judge affordability on what you've actually been paid, often over the last 6 to 12 months.
- Many agents expect your yearly income before tax to be around 30 times the monthly rent, although criteria vary.
- If your pay record doesn't meet the agent's criteria and you don't have someone in the UK who can be your guarantor, a professional rent guarantor like Rentmigo may be able to step in.
You've found a flat you can afford, at least in most months, then the letting agent's application form asks for your annual salary, and your contract says zero guaranteed hours.
Being on a zero-hours contract doesn't stop you renting. What makes it harder is proving your income in the way landlords and letting agents expect, because there's no fixed salary for your employer to confirm.
If you've been asked for a guarantor and don't have a friend or relative in the UK who meets the agent's criteria, Rentmigo may be able to act as your guarantor to help you secure the property. Check whether you're eligible.
Can you rent on a zero-hours contract?
Yes, no law in the UK stops a landlord renting to someone on a zero-hours contract.
Every landlord or letting agent sets their own criteria. Most run referencing first, checking your income, credit history and sometimes previous landlord references to make sure you're a reliable tenant.
So if one agent turns you down, that's their policy rather than a legal rule, and another agent or private landlord may look at the same payslips differently. It could be worth asking upfront what a landlord looks for when it comes to affordability on their particular property.
Why is it harder to prove you can afford the rent on a zero-hours contract?
If you work on a zero-hours contract, an employer can't confirm a fixed salary. Because of this, the agent has to work out your income from what you've been paid instead, and uneven months can make that figure look lower than your real earnings.
Most agents use an affordability check to compare your income with the rent. A common benchmark is an annual income before tax of at least 30 times the monthly rent, so an £800 a month flat would mean showing about £24,000 a year. Not every agent uses the same multiple, though.
A record 1.23 million people in the UK are on zero-hours contracts in their main job, according to Work Foundation analysis of ONS data published in February 2026. Around a third (32.8%) rely on these contracts for full-time work, and 77% aren't in full-time education.
People aged 16 to 24 are 5.1 times more likely to be on a zero-hours contract than older workers, and many are also renting for the first time with no rental history or UK credit file to fall back on. It's a similar problem to the one self-employed renters face: the money is there, but not in the form referencing was built around.
How do letting agents assess zero-hours income?
Most agents look at your average pay over a set period of time, often somewhere between three and 12 months, but it really depends on the referencing company they use.
You might be asked for payslips and bank statements, or to use Open Banking. This gives the referencing company secure access to your bank account so it can see your regular income, and some companies look back over roughly three months this way.
Ask the agent early which referencing company they use and how it treats zero-hours income. If they only look at recent months and you've just had a quiet spell, it helps to know before you pay a holding deposit to reserve the flat.
Example: how the period checked can change the answer
In this hypothetical example, Sam earned £22,100 before tax over the last 12 months on a zero-hours contract. Sam's last three months were quieter, at £1,750, £1,650 and £1,850.
Sam applies for a flat at £725 a month, so at 30 times the rent the agent wants to see £21,750 a year. Measured over 12 months, Sam's £22,100 hits that benchmark. If the agent instead takes the last three months and multiplies them by four, Sam's income becomes £21,000, which only supports £700.
Sam's earnings haven't changed, only the months being checked, which is why a full year of evidence matters.
What documents should you prepare if you're looking to rent on a zero hours contract?
Bring evidence of what you've earned and for how long, because the more months you show, the less one quiet month matters.
- Payslips for the last 12 months, if you have them, so slower months sit alongside busier ones.
- Your P60, the end-of-year form from your employer showing your total pay and tax for the tax year (6 April to 5 April).
- Bank statements that match your payslips.
- A letter from your employer confirming how long you've worked there and your typical weekly hours. It can't promise future shifts, but it shows a steady pattern.
- Proof of savings or other income, such as a second job or self-employment.
What can you do if your income doesn't pass referencing?
You still have options, and the most common is adding a guarantor to your application to make it more appealing.
Ask someone to be your guarantor
A guarantor agrees to pay your rent if you aren't able to, and the agent checks their finances too.
Agents often want a guarantor who lives in the UK, has a good credit history and earns enough to cover your rent, and some also want a homeowner. That rules out many parents who live abroad, are retired or rent, as our guide on who can be a guarantor in the UK explains.
Use a professional rent guarantor
If nobody you know qualifies, or you'd rather not ask family to take on that financial responsibility, a professional guarantor service like Rentmigo can act as your guarantor instead.
Rentmigo looks at your overall ability to pay rather than one payslip, and can consider different sources of income together, including employment, self-employment income and savings. Being on a zero-hours contract doesn't rule you out, although every application is assessed case by case.
The one-off fee is between two weeks' and one month's share of the rent and covers up to three years at the same property. Before applying, check that your agent accepts professional guarantors, as not every landlord does.
If your income adds up over the year but doesn't look the way the agent wants on paper, see whether Rentmigo can act as your guarantor.
Apply with someone on a steadier income
Some agents will look at a partner's or friend's income alongside yours. On a joint tenancy, each of you is usually responsible for the whole rent rather than just your share, so make sure you're both comfortable with that.
Will the new zero-hours rules make renting easier?
They might in time, but the changes aren't in force yet. The Employment Rights Act 2025 will give zero-hours workers the right to be offered guaranteed hours that reflect the hours they regularly work over a reference period, with the reforms expected to start in 2027. Until then, your pay history is what counts.
What to do before you apply for a flat
Get your evidence and a back-up plan ready before viewings, because a good flat can go quickly.
- Gather 12 months of payslips, your P60 and matching bank statements.
- Divide your 12-month total by 30 to see roughly what rent you'd pass for, and look at cheaper flats if needed.
- Ask the agent which referencing company they use and how it treats zero-hours pay.
- Line up a guarantor option in case your figures fall short.
If you can afford the rent but don't have a UK guarantor who meets the agent's criteria, Rentmigo may be able to fill that gap. You can read how Rentmigo works, and the online application usually takes around five to ten minutes.
