House Hunting Guide A5_ Keele_ Hunting Guide _K digital single pages | Página 14

guarantor,
Using a
do I need one?
What is a guarantor?
A guarantor is a third party, such as a parent or
close relative, who agrees to pay your rent if you
don’t pay it. Your landlord can take legal action to
recover any unpaid rent from your guarantor.
Your landlord may check that your guarantor
can pay the rent and may carry out a credit
check. There is a legal requirement for this to be
in writing.
Does the guarantor have to live in
the UK?
Landlords will usually want a guarantor who lives
in the UK because it’s easier for them to take
legal action against a UK resident if they need to.
If you’re an international student and can’t get a
UK-based guarantor, you may be asked to pay
more rent in advance.
Guarantors of tenants who live in
shared accommodation
If you share accommodation with other tenants
under one tenancy agreement (joint tenancy),
it’s common for the guarantee to apply to all of
the rent, and not just your share. Make sure the
guarantor is aware of this, as they are not just
liable for your possible unpaid rent, but your
flatmates too.
It’s best to check the guarantee agreement
carefully and ask the landlord or agent any
questions if something is unclear. As soon as the
agreement is signed, the guarantor is bound by its
terms and conditions.
Checking the guarantee agreement
It’s always best to check any guarantee agreement
carefully so that the guarantor knows how and
when their liability ends.
Remember, you can get advice on this from
ASK in the Students’ Union.
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