Rent upfront is no longer the fallback. opndoor gives property professionals a new way forward. See how it works
Professional guarantor process. UK-wide.

Keep tenancies moving when rent upfront is no longer an option.

opndoor gives agents, landlords and operators a professional guarantor process for eligible tenants who need support at referencing. Good applications can still progress, without asking for months of rent upfront.

Professional guarantor support 12-month guarantee period Published eligibility routes Tenant-led application journey Built for agents, operators and partners
The market shift

The old fallback has gone.

For students, international tenants and renters without a UK guarantor, rent upfront used to bridge the gap. Now agents need another way forward.

01. The old route
6 months upfront ×

Ask for months of rent upfront when the landlord needed more comfort.

Used for years to get borderline applications across the line. Especially for tenants with no UK credit file, no personal guarantor or a non-standard income profile.

02. The new problem

That fallback is no longer available. More good tenants risk falling out at referencing.

The tenant is good. The reference is not enough. The landlord needs comfort. Without rent upfront, the application can no longer progress and the let is at risk.

03. The opndoor process
Guarantee issued

Eligible tenants can use opndoor as their professional guarantor for the initial 12-month period.

opndoor sits alongside your existing referencing process. It does not replace it. It gives your team a clear next step when the application needs guarantor support.

Why agents and operators choose opndoor

A clear next step when referencing asks for more.

When referencing asks for more comfort, your team needs something clear to do next. opndoor is that next step.

01Risk

Landlord comfort, without months upfront.

Where approved, opndoor stands behind the tenancy as professional guarantor for the initial 12-month guarantee period.

02Speed

A next step when referencing flags a guarantor.

When referencing flags a guarantor requirement, your team has a clear process to follow. No back and forth. No improvising.

03Conversion

Save lets that would otherwise fall away.

Students, international tenants and renters without a guarantor no longer need to be an automatic no.

04Simplicity

Built around the way agents work.

Refer through the opndoor portal, partner links or integration flows. The tenant completes the application. opndoor handles the assessment.

How opndoor works

From referral to guarantee, in five steps.

A clear, tenant-led journey that fits alongside your normal lettings process.

01

Refer

Send the tenant to opndoor when guarantor support is needed.

Referred
02

Apply

The tenant pays the £20 non-refundable application fee and completes their details.

In progress
03

Assess

opndoor reviews the tenant through the relevant eligibility route.

Under review
04

Pay and sign

If approved, the tenant pays the guarantor fee and signs the guarantor agreement.

Approved
05

Issue

opndoor issues the guarantee documents so the tenancy can progress.

Guarantee issued
Referred Under review Approved Guarantee issued Tenancy progresses
Choose your route

Built for the people who keep tenancies moving.

Eligibility

Clear eligibility routes.

Every application is assessed individually. Approval is not guaranteed. The main routes are simple.

Students

Accepted through the student route.

No UK credit file

Not an automatic decline.

Income

Usually 1.5x monthly rent. Benefits accepted where evidenced.

Savings

Six months' rent in savings, shown for at least three months.

Credit file

Minimum TransUnion score of 519 where a UK credit file exists.

Adverse credit

Active CCJs, bankruptcy, IVA or significant unpaid arrears may affect eligibility.

View eligibility guide
Headline thresholds
Income routeMonthly income vs monthly rent. 1.5×
Savings routeMonths of rent, evidenced for 3 months. 6 mo
Credit scoreMinimum TransUnion score where applicable. 519
Guarantee periodInitial guarantee period from move-in. 12 mo
Application fee (non-refundable)£20
Guarantor fee, if approved1 month rent

Application fee paid by the tenant before starting the full application. If approved and the tenant chooses to proceed, the guarantor fee is equivalent to one month's rent.

Integrations

Designed to work alongside the tools agents already use.

Refer through the opndoor portal, shared links or partner integrations. Your referencing provider, CRM and lettings process stay where they are.

Explore integrations Talk to partnerships
Referral routes
opndoor portalSubmit and track applications. Live
Shared referral linkSend to tenants in one click. Live
Partner workflowsEmbed within your existing journey. By request
Status webhooksPipe events into your CRM. Roadmap
Trust and compliance

Built for agents, landlords and operators who need confidence.

Tenant Fees Act considered

Product structure designed with the Tenant Fees Act in mind, alongside published eligibility routes.

Renters' Rights Act ready

Positioned for the new lettings environment, where the rent upfront fallback is no longer available.

Indemnity-backed claim-paying ability

opndoor maintains its own indemnity arrangements with a third-party insurer to support its commitments under the guarantee. opndoor is the insured; tenants and landlords do not buy insurance from us.

Due diligence available

Documentation for agency, operator and partner due diligence, including data flow and security.

Portal and document trail

A clear trail across referral, application, decision and guarantee issue, with status visibility.

Privacy and claims

Data handled in line with our Privacy Policy. Claims process available on request.

Common questions

opndoor in plain English.

Quick answers to the questions agents, operators and tenants ask us most.

What is opndoor?

opndoor is a UK professional guarantor service. Where eligible, opndoor acts as the named guarantor on a tenancy for an initial 12-month period. opndoor is used by letting agents, BTR operators and PBSA to support tenants who need a guarantor at referencing, including students, international applicants and renters without a UK credit file.

Who can use opndoor as a guarantor?

Tenants who pass referencing checks but need guarantor support. Eligible tenants typically include students (UK and international), professionals new to the UK without a credit file, self-employed renters, and applicants with steady income or savings but no personal UK guarantor. Every application is assessed individually and approval is not guaranteed.

How much does opndoor cost?

Tenants pay a non-refundable £20 application fee. If approved and the tenant chooses to proceed, the guarantor fee is equivalent to one month rent. There is no fee to the agent, landlord or operator for using opndoor.

Is opndoor an alternative to paying rent in advance?

Yes. opndoor is built for the new UK rental market where rent upfront is no longer the standard fallback. Where eligible, opndoor stands as the professional guarantor for an initial 12-month period instead of the tenant being asked to pay several months of rent in advance.

Does opndoor work across the UK?

Yes. opndoor covers tenancies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

How does opndoor assess applications?

Applications are assessed through clear published routes. The income route is monthly income at 1.5x monthly rent. The savings route is six months rent in savings, evidenced for at least three months. Where a UK credit file exists, a minimum TransUnion score of 519 applies. Students are assessed through a dedicated student route, including international students.

Can letting agents and operators integrate opndoor into their workflow?

Yes. opndoor can be built into your existing workflow through our API, partner portal and shared referral links. We are already integrated with Lettings in a Box and Lets Safe, and our roadmap includes deeper embedded CRM workflows so letting agents and operators can refer tenants without changing their existing systems.

opndoor sits alongside your current referencing providers and CRMs rather than replacing them, making it easy to introduce a professional guarantor option at the right point in the tenant journey.

Who is behind opndoor?

opndoor is operated by OPNDOOR SERVICES LTD, a UK company registered at 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. Companies House number 16483111.

About opndoor

opndoor is a UK professional guarantor service for the rental market. Operated by OPNDOOR SERVICES LTD (Companies House 16483111, registered at 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX), opndoor provides a regulated guarantor route for tenants who need support passing referencing.

Where approved, opndoor stands as the named guarantor on the tenancy for an initial 12-month period. The service is designed for letting agents, build to rent operators, and purpose built student accommodation, and is used to support eligible tenants including students, international applicants, professionals new to the UK, self-employed renters, and applicants without a personal UK guarantor.

opndoor sits alongside existing referencing providers and lettings tools. There is no fee to the agent, landlord or operator for using opndoor. The tenant pays a £20 non-refundable application fee, and a guarantor fee equivalent to one month rent if approved and the tenant chooses to proceed. opndoor operates UK-wide, covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Book a partner demo

Give your team a new next step.

opndoor gives property professionals a professional guarantor process for tenants who need support at referencing.