Rent and applications
Can roommates combine income to qualify for an apartment?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Often, yes. Many landlords add up the incomes of everyone on the lease and compare the total to the rent. Others require each roommate to earn a share on their own, or require a guarantor for anyone who falls short. Ask for the landlord's exact policy before everyone pays an application fee.
How a landlord handles joint applications makes a big difference to who qualifies. Three common policies:
- Combined income: the total of all incomes must meet the requirement, such as three times the rent.
- Individual share: each person must meet the requirement for their share of the rent.
- Guarantor top-up: anyone below the line needs a guarantor who meets a higher threshold.
Everyone on the lease will usually need to submit their own application, ID and proof of income, and each will be screened. One roommate's weak credit can hold up the whole group, so share where everyone stands before applying.
Most roommate leases make every tenant jointly responsible for the entire rent, not just their share. If one person stops paying, the landlord can collect from the others. Talk about that before signing, and write down how you will split rent and bills. The roommates answers cover roommate agreements and splitting costs.
Want the whole picture? Read Renting Your First Apartment: Applications, Leases and Move-in Costs.