Is a Fronted Deposit treated differently?
No. Your rental deposit should still be put into a Deposit Protection Scheme by your estate agent. If there is damage beyond normal wear and tear, outstanding rent or other details from your tenancy agreement, you are still liable for deductions, just like a normal deposit.
Who can get a Fronted Deposit?
To qualify for a Fronted Deposit you must:
Live in the UK for a minimum of six months
Have a primary UK bank account that connects to Open Banking
Have a minimum annual income of £12,000
Have verifiable details including email address and a UK mobile phone number
Be 18 years of age or over
We are only issuing Fronted Deposit between £500 to £4,800 (this may change in the future as more renters use Fronted.)
We take our work seriously and we will never give a Fronted Deposit to someone who we think cannot afford it. Information that is given to us which helps us make an affordability assessment will be verified.
We do accept DSS, provided that you meet our affordability and lending criteria.
If you need immediate financial or housing help, please use our support FAQs here.
What houses are covered by a Fronted Deposit?
We cover any assured short term tenancy property leased by a registered estate agent, with a rental deposit range of between £500 to £4,800.
Will applying impact my Credit Score?
No. When you apply we run a soft check on your credit history. This means there is no impact on your credit score even if you are declined for a Fronted Deposit.
How do the repayments work?
When you confirm your loan we will ask you what day of the month you would like to pay us back. We’ll set up a direct debit using the bank details you provide us. As it’s over 12 months, usually there are 11 standard repayment amounts and 1 repayment of any outstanding balance.
If you’d like to settle the loan early or pay off more one month, you can arrange a bank payment. There are no fees for settling the Fronted Deposit early.
You can see the cost of splitting your deposit across 12 months by getting a quote here.
Where do you send the deposit?
Once you are approved for a rental deposit from Fronted, we send the rental deposit amount directly to your estate agent. This money is secured in one of three registered deposit protection schemes.
Will my estate agent accept a Fronted Deposit?
Yes. Landlords and agents cannot force a renter to use anything other than cash as a deposit. A Fronted Deposit is paid directly to them, exactly the same way as an ordinary deposit. Your estate agent is required by UK housing law to put it into a protected deposit scheme.
When you move out, the deposit will be directly refunded to you via your landlord or agent.
I have a private landlord, can I still get a Fronted Deposit?
We cover any assured short-term tenancy property leased by a registered estate agent and through property management sites including Goodlord and OpenRent.
Currently, we do not offer a Fronted Deposit to those letting directly from a private landlord.
If you’re unsure if you meet this criteria, contact the team at [email protected].
Does Fronted work with multiple tenants?
Yes. As part of our affordability assessment each person will have to apply for a Fronted Deposit individually (we are looking at if we can allow multiple person applications in the future).
You can share Fronted with your friends, family, partner, or future flatmates, just send them a link to us.
If I haven't found a place yet but have been approved for a Fronted Deposit. How long will my approval last?
Your Fronted Deposit approval will last for 45 days. That means you can continue your property search with this approval.
If your situation or income changes, this may impact your approval.