Does PIP count as income when renting?

Javens

I am looking at renting a 1 bedroom studio/flat for around £800-£850.

My take home pay is £1550 a month, so a letting agent is unlikely to rent to me with my salary alone.

I receive £550 per month PIP. Would a letting agent class this as income?

£1550 salary
£550 PIP
£2100 take home total a month, to rent a £800/month property, would a letting agent allow this?

Thanks

csgohan4

is there a cheaper alternative? that's still half your income without PIP

Javens

£700-£800 for a studio and £800-£950 for a 1 bed seems to be about average around here. I'm on the outskirts of London, near Heathrow.

Worst case I will look into renting a room in a house share, but want to explore the possibility of a studio/small 1 bed first.

PersianCatLady

Different letting agents have different policies.


Is there any way that you could get someone else to call the LA in question and ask the question hypothetically??

FBaby

PIP is supposed to go towards additional care/mobility needs, not towards the rent so really shouldn't be counted. If it is on this basis, than as a LL, I would question whether you are likely to continue being illegible and therefore wouldn't want it to be taken into account.

theartfullodger

It's entirely up to landlord/agent to count what he wishes:

Frankly, any landlord who counts PiP doesn't understand what it is for, sorry.

xylophone

I would question whether you are likely to continue being illegible

OP said nothing about his handwriting....:)

Javens

Thanks for all the responses, some fair points raised.

I have emailed a few local letting agents - one has replied so far stating it depends on the landlord, however usually they require a salary of 2.5x the annual rent, so £800 PCM rent requires £24k salary. They said regarding PIP that in general, they would accept it as income but depends on landlord.