Who Looks at the Debt-To-Income Ratio?
The debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is an important financial metric that helps lenders, landlords, and other creditors assess the ability of a potential borrower to meet their financial obligations.
Lenders are the primary group of people who look at a borrower’s debt-to-income ratio. Banks and other lenders use the DTI to evaluate a potential borrower’s creditworthiness. Generally, the higher the debt ratio, the higher the risk the lender takes on in lending money to the borrower.
Landlords will sometimes look at the debt-to-income ratio of a potential tenant. When a potential tenant applies for a rental, the landlord will usually review the DTI as part of the application process.
Contrary to popular belief, the debt-to-income ratio does not affect your credit score. Credit bureaus do not take your income into consideration when calculating your score.