A guarantor is the safety net for cases where the tenant alone does not quite meet the threshold. Knowing when to ask, and how to record it, matters as much as the request itself.
Triggers for asking
- Affordability below the typical multiplier of the rent.
- Limited UK credit history or short employment tenure.
- Students, first-time renters, those on probation periods.
Reference the guarantor as carefully as the tenant
A guarantor who is themselves struggling financially provides little protection. Run the same financial checks you would on a tenant.
A signed deed of guarantee
Verbal guarantees mean nothing. A signed deed, witnessed where appropriate, is what your file needs.
