Guarantors for private tenants
You might need a guarantor if you rent privately.
A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay your rent if you do not pay it.
Private landlords and letting agents are more likely to ask for a guarantor if you are:
a student
renting for the first time
moving to the UK from overseas
on a low income or getting benefits
not able to pass affordability, referencing or credit checks
Your landlord or agent cannot charge extra fees if you need a guarantor.
For example, they cannot charge for checks or a guarantor agreement.
Who can be a guarantor?
Guarantors are often close family members or friends.
The landlord or agent usually checks your guarantor's income and credit history.
They might say your guarantor must be a homeowner.
Video: What does it mean to be a guarantor?
Video transcript
What does it mean to be a guarantor?
If you agree to be a guarantor for someone, it means you agree to pay their rent if they stop paying.
You might also have to pay for any damage to the property that they cause.
Check the guarantor agreement to see what you might have to pay.
What if it's a joint tenancy?
Sometimes guarantor agreements say that you can be asked to pay for money if any of the joint tenants do not pay their rent, not just if the person you are guarantor for misses a payment.
Check the guarantor agreement very carefully.
You might want to make sure it says you can only be asked to pay for your friend or family member's share of the rent.
You can ask for a guarantor agreement that makes this clear.
When does the guarantor agreement end?
It depends on what your guarantor agreement says.
You might say you're not a guarantor if:
the tenancy terms have changed
the guarantor agreement wasn't properly explained to you
you felt under pressure to agree to be a guarantor
For guarantor agreements signed from 1 May 2026, the guarantor's liability ends if the tenant dies.
For joint tenancies this only applies if the tenant who died and the guarantor are related, or if all joint tenants die.
Our adviser explains what you should know if a family member or friend asks you to be their rent guarantor.
[Video length 01:21]
What is a guarantor agreement?
A guarantor agreement is a legal document.
Your guarantor should get copies of both:
the tenancy agreement
the guarantor agreement
They should read both carefully before signing.
Make sure you and your guarantor understand:
when the landlord can ask your guarantor for money
what happens in a joint tenancy
how long the guarantor agreement lasts
Make sure you and your guarantor are happy with the agreement.
When can your guarantor be asked to pay?
A landlord could ask your guarantor to pay if you:
do not pay rent on time
cause damage to the property
They should contact you about the problems first.
If you cannot pay, your landlord will contact your guarantor for the money.
Your landlord could go to court if neither of you pay what's been agreed. They could get a county court judgment (CCJ) against either or both of you.
A CCJ is a court order which says you owe someone money.
Guarantors for a joint tenancy
Each joint tenant is responsible for the total amount of rent, not just their share.
Any tenant can be asked to pay if other joint tenants do not pay their share.
This is called being 'jointly and severally liable' for rent.
A guarantor agreement for a joint tenancy works the same way.
Your landlord could ask your guarantor to pay if another joint tenant does not pay rent.
This can happen unless the guarantor agreement says they do not have to.
Some landlord or agents will offer separate guarantor agreements for each tenant. Or your guarantor could ask for this.
Example: shared student house
A landlord might ask a parent of each student to guarantee the rent.
The parents could ask to sign separate guarantor agreements. They could ask to limit their responsibility to their child's share of the rent.
How long does a guarantor agreement last?
This depends on what the guarantor agreement says.
Your guarantor might only want to be your guarantor for a set amount of time.
If the landlord agrees, this should be set out in the guarantor agreement.
Guarantor agreements signed before 1 May 2026
Check the agreement to see if your guarantor is still responsible for rent in a periodic tenancy.
Some agreements say the guarantor is only responsible for rent in a fixed term tenancy.
Most tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026.
This is because of Renters' Rights Act changes.
Changes to the tenancy
A new tenancy agreement or a rent increase can mean your guarantor is no longer responsible for rent.
But your guarantor could still be responsible if either:
they agree to the change
the guarantor agreement says it does not end in these situations
If the tenant dies
Guarantors are not responsible for unpaid rent after a tenant's death if both:
it's a private assured tenancy
the guarantor agreement was signed on or after 1 May 2026
This only applies to joint tenants if either:
the joint tenant who dies and the guarantor are related
every joint tenant dies
A debt adviser can check the guarantor agreement.
A court can decide if the guarantor agreement is still in place if it's not clear.
Your landlord might not be able to use it if your guarantor was pressured or misled into signing.
If you do not have a guarantor
You could use a:
rent guarantee scheme
rent guarantor company
Rent guarantee schemes are a better option because they are run by councils or charities. Rent guarantor companies are commercial businesses.
Rent guarantee schemes
Some councils and charities have rent guarantee schemes that:
give money to help with rent in advance and a deposit
act as a guarantor service and cover unpaid rent or damage up to a set amount
You might have to pay back any money paid on your behalf.
More on options if you cannot afford rent in advance or a deposit.
Rent guarantor websites and companies
Rent guarantor companies offer guarantor services but you have to pay a fee.
You can find companies that offer this service online.
Make sure you understand the fees before you use these companies.
Check reviews of the company on websites like Trustpilot.
A landlord or agent might suggest you use a particular company but they cannot make you use one. For example, you could ask to use a different company if you find one with lower fees.
Students
Ask your university or college about any funds or support.
They might have:
a hardship fund
student support services
a list of landlords who do not ask for a guarantor
More on private renting as a student.
Last updated: 8 June 2026
