Property guardian FAQs

We are unable to guarantee a stay of more than 28 days in one of our properties.

Dot Dot Dot works with property owners to secure buildings that would otherwise sit empty and will eventually be repurposed or dismantled. We secure them by finding reliable people to live at the property and keep it free from vandalism and theft. In return, our ‘property guardians’ get inexpensive housing and flexibility.

Guardians can give us 28 days’ notice to move out, at any time, and as part of our agreement with property owners, Dot Dot Dot can give a guardian 28 days’ notice. We aim to rehouse guardians where possible, but this can not be guaranteed.

When offered a property, you’ll need to have alternative accommodation plans in place for when you are given 28 days notice to leave the property. This is called a move-on plan and could include a move into the private rental sector, or to a friend or your family. You’ll provide us with these details in writing and then we’ll ask you to update this plan every six months while you’re a guardian with us.

Part of our mission is to create social value through the way we operate. Taking a volunteer-based approach to guardianship is one of the main ways we do this. Volunteering improves the lives of our guardians, their neighbours, communities, and those they volunteer with and for.

All Dot Dot Dot guardians volunteer for 16 hours each month, and this requirement forms part of their licence agreement.

t’s really up to you! We don’t have specific requirements around where guardians can volunteer. We simply ask that you choose an organisation or cause you are passionate about.

If you’re currently volunteering, you can continue with what you’re doing or try something new. If you need inspiration, you can check in with our property and volunteering assistant.

You can  become a guardian if you are in receipt of Universal Credit and/or other benefits. However, we will need to see evidence of a regular source of income alongside any benefits you receive.

Yes, you can, but you will need the right to rent in the UK. We will ask you to upload your visa and let us know your sharecode (if applicable) when you apply.

We do not furnish our self-contained properties, and only provide an oven and fridge in some areas. This is one of the ways we can keep monthly fees minimal for guardians. In some communal properties there may be limited furniture.

If you’d like to decorate (painting etc) you can, but do make sure that most of what you spend money on can be taken away when you have to leave the property. Don’t forget that guardianship is a temporary form of living.

After attending our virtual ‘Introduction to Dot Dot Dot’, you can fill out our online form which takes about 10 minutes.

It can take up to two working days to process your application. If successful, we’ll invite you to book onto our property viewings.

If you are matched to a property after a viewing, we can move you in within 1-2 weeks depending how quickly you supply us with your bank statements, references, and sharecode (if applicable).

The monthly licence fee is the amount of money you pay to Dot Dot Dot each month to live at the property.

If we offer you a property following your telephone interview, you will be contacted by a third-party provider called LetHQ, who perform advanced credit and reference checks. Offers at this stage are conditional, subject to these checks.

LetHQ will ask you to upload your relevant documents and complete the form within 72 hours of being contacted by them. Unfortunately, if you are unable to, or do not upload the information within this time frame, we will not be able to proceed with your application and will continue to market the property.

We also ask that you let us know if you wish to accept our offer within 24 hours of the conditional offer being made.

When two people share a property, licence fees are set at 65% of the fee for a sole occupant. We don’t simply half the amount (unless there’s a deal on) as we still have per person costs to cover. We treat guardians as individuals – each person goes through our application process, has their own licence agreement, interview and sign up meeting. They are also supported in their guardianship by our property and volunteering assistant, and dedicated services coordinator for their area.

You will pay a refundable security payment before moving into the property. This will be equivalent to five weeks of licence fees.

This payment will be returned to you in full when you leave the property as long as the property is in the same condition as when you moved in.

Yes, although it does depend on the property. Our double rooms in communal properties are only available for a single occupant. Couples and friends can move into our self-contained properties, but each person will each need to go through our application process separately and will have their own licence agreement.

Unfortunately, we can’t allow pets in our properties.

As a guardianship company, we work with property owners to secure their building and keep it safe. Due to our agreements with the owners, we can’t accommodate animals.

We are unable to house people who need to live with their children. Under-18s are also not permitted to stay in the property overnight at any time.

The nature of property guardianship means that guardians have to be ready to move out with 28 days’ notice. This lack of long-term stability is not suitable for children or families. Families also have a clear need to be close to the schools, GPs and other services they rely on. With the short notice period that comes with property guardianship, this cannot be guaranteed.