Who can become a Dot Dot Dot property guardian?
We have housed over 1,884 property guardians including nurses, teachers, students, cleaners, engineers, artists and actors: all sorts of people become property guardians with us.
People enjoy the experience for different reasons too, whether that’s because it opens up a new way of living for them, or it makes their existing lifestyle easier and more affordable. The one thing they have in common is a desire to make a social impact through volunteering.
Our eligibility criteria
You must:
- be aged 18 or over
- live without any children under 18
- live without any pets or animals
- be earning an annual income of 30x the monthly licence fee, or able to evidence savings amounting to at least 6x the monthly licence fee
- provide evidence of your right to rent in the UK
- be able to provide a solid move on plan for when you are given 28 days’ notice to leave the property
- be open-minded, flexible, reliable, creative and resourceful
Discover what responsibilities you will have as a property guardian.
What are the costs involved?
As a Dot Dot Dot guardian, you will need to pay…
A monthly licence fee: To live in one of our properties, each guardian pays what we call a monthly licence fee. This varies from property to property and depends on size, location and transport links. Some of our licence fees include council tax and utilities.
A refundable security payment: Each guardian pays a refundable security payment before they move in. This is calculated based on five weeks of licence fees, which will vary from property to property. For example:
- If the monthly licence fee is £500, then the refundable security payment will be £500 x 12 ÷ 52 x 5 = £576.92.
- If the monthly licence fee is £700, then the refundable security payment will be £700 x 12 ÷ 52 x 5 = £807.69.
When you move out of the property, we return security payments within 28 days of receiving all necessary information. We will only make reasonable deductions if there are belongings left behind, you haven’t paid your bills or there is significant damage to your property. Apart from in these cases, we have a consistent record of returning security payments in full without any deductions.
Utilities and council tax: In most of our self-contained flats, it is the guardians’ responsibility to set up, and pay for the utilities (gas, electric, water) and council tax for where they are living. In many of our shared properties, however, council tax and utility bills are included in the monthly licence fee. You can find out when and where these are included on the relevant property page.
There are no other costs involved. No hidden costs, service charges or administration fees.
Can I pay using benefits?
When looking at applications, one of the most important factors is guardians having a reliable source of funds to cover their licence fee and living costs. To live in one of our properties you must have an annual income of 30x the licence fee. If you are currently receiving benefits, we’d encourage you to fill out our application form.
Can I use a guarantor to support my proof of income?
No, we do not accept guarantors as proof of income or security. You will need to provide evidence that you can support yourself while living as a Dot Dot Dot property guardian.
If I’m up for sharing a property but don’t know anyone I can share with, can I still apply?
Yes, we often advertise rooms available in shared properties. All Dot Dot Dot guardians go through the same application and checks process and generally have common ground because they’ve opted in to our approach and way of living. As Kit in Croydon put it, “Once I knew that everyone was up for 16 hours of volunteering a month, I felt pretty confident they’d be great, considerate housemates, and they are.”
Can I live with a partner or friends?
Yes, but your partner or friend(s) will also need to go through our application process and be able to pay their own separate deposit and fees.
Fees are not halved, but we offer a discount for couples sharing a studio, double room or a 1-bed flat, and for sharers in properties with two bedrooms or more.
Do you do right to rent checks?
Yes, we do Right to Rent checks on all applicants:
- UK/ROI passport holders: we’ll ask to see your passport in person.
- EU citizens: we’ll ask to see your passport in person, and use the Home Office Online Right to Rent service to check your status in the UK.
- All other applicants: we’ll ask to see your passport in person, and conduct visa checks (study, spousal, ancestral) to confirm your length of stay.
Where can I live with Dot Dot Dot?
Many of our properties are self-contained flats available for sole occupancy or to share with a partner or a friend. We also have some larger commercial properties such as former offices or residential homes.
Learn more