Rent Guarantors for Student Housing
Did you know that students need a rent guarantor to secure university halls or private housing? Yet our research showed 64% of UK Universities don’t mention guarantors or signpost to any provision on their websites. It’s invisible! Lack of information is a real barrier to lots of students starting uni for the first time, including care experienced and estranged young people.
We’re encouraging all Universities to include clear information about rent guarantors on their housing webpages and on any other pages specifically for students like care leaver/experienced, estranged, international students, asylum seekers. It’s vital that any student like us, without UK family to rely on, knows what a rent guarantor is before having to suddenly find one!
Wording to go on your uni website:
What is a rent guarantor?
Most landlords, including private accommodation providers that rent properties to students, require a third person to act as a ‘guarantor’ before a tenancy agreement can be completed.
A guarantor is a third party, for example a family member, who agrees to pay the rent if for any reason you as the tenant cannot. In some cases a guarantor is also liable for other costs that might be incurred, for example any damage to the property that happened whilst you were living there. Agreeing to be a guarantor is a binding legal commitment, and landlords can take legal action against your guarantor if the rent, or other costs, are not paid.
Check if you need a guarantor for student housing that you are interested in and be sure to get this in place before you start.
Who can act as a rent guarantor?
A person acting as a guarantor would normally have the following credentials:
• UK individual citizen – to enable a landlord to pursue action through the UK court system if required
• Solvent – credit checks may be taken to assess ability to meet any potential liability
*Now add to this your university requirements for a rent guarantor within any student housing your university owns or controls.*
Email info@unitefoundation.org.uk if you need a plain text version of this wording.