• What does the term “tenant type” mean?

    Tenant type refers to the tenant’s current situation. For example, if they are in full time work, they would be classed as Professionals, while if they pay the majority of the rent with benefits, they would be classed as DSS. Other tenant types include Students, Asylum Seekers, Housing Association and Retired.

    People now rent for many different reasons, from many different backgrounds and in many different situations.

    A tenant is classed as a Professional, for instance, if they are in employment, with these tenants considered to be low-risk for falling behind with their rental payments given their regular income. Students are also frequently tenants, and while there can be great differences between students, they are often of low income and only employed part-time. This means they may be at greater risk of being unable to make rent payments consistently.

    Another prominent type of tenant is the DSS tenant – the DSS standing for ‘Department of Social Security’, an old phrase referring to anyone on government benefits. Tenants who claim housing benefits to pay their rent are discriminated against to a similar level to students.

    As some landlord insurance providers will not provide cover for student, DSS or certain other tenant types, you may need to shop around for the right policy. It is also important to scrutinise what each policy permits, as just one mistake could invalidate your cover.


    Tenant type can make a great difference to the likelihood of your tenant being able to make their rental payments on time, as well as to the exact policies and standard of cover from which you can choose. Be sure to familiarise yourself with the various tenant types and their potential implications for your life as a landlord.