diff --git a/app/models/lettings_log.rb b/app/models/lettings_log.rb
index 51ff481fa..2b517869b 100644
--- a/app/models/lettings_log.rb
+++ b/app/models/lettings_log.rb
@@ -550,6 +550,8 @@ class LettingsLog < Log
   end
 
   def is_prevten_general_needs?
+    return false unless prevten
+
     ![30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 6].include?(prevten)
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/validations/household_validations_spec.rb b/spec/models/validations/household_validations_spec.rb
index 03a99aa9a..872900317 100644
--- a/spec/models/validations/household_validations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/validations/household_validations_spec.rb
@@ -528,6 +528,19 @@ RSpec.describe Validations::HouseholdValidations do
             record.referral_noms = scenario[:referral_noms]
           end
 
+          context "and prevten is nil" do
+            before do
+              record.prevten = nil
+            end
+
+            it "does not add an error" do
+              household_validator.validate_referral(record)
+              expect(record.errors["prevten"]).to be_empty
+              expect(record.errors["referral_register"]).to be_empty
+              expect(record.errors["referral_noms"]).to be_empty
+            end
+          end
+
           [
             { code: 3, label: "Private sector tenancy" },
             { code: 27, label: "Owner occupation (low-cost home ownership)" },