Military BAH (basic housing allowance)

[Sarah D.]

Is the military basic housing allowance enough to verify a tenant's ability to afford rent?  If their housing allowance exceeds the rent amount by $450 but they don't have 3x income requirement would you feel comfortable renting to them?

[Chris Mason]

Hi @Sarah D.

But, as the most basic answer to your question, BAH is intended to cover rent and incidentals of not living in the barracks (furniture, appliances). The 3x rule can't be said to apply if BAH is all you are looking at, as they have a second distinct category of income for food, and then a third distinct category of income for everything else.

Something else nice about military tenants... they have a chain of command. That's the reason used car lots are so eager to lend $20k to a 19 year old with no credit: If they don't pay, you can go to their chain of command.