The Review Autumn 2013 | Page 11

The obligations and liabilities of a guarantor are not governed by legislation and therefore you must carefully consider the guarantor agreement, in conjunction with the tenancy agreement, to ensure that you are happy with the scope of your liability. Obligations under the tenancy In the event that you are lucky enough not to have to be a guarantor, you should still consider the obligations under the tenancy agreement with your child and ensure that they fully understand what is expected of them – is there a requirement for the windows to be professionally cleaned once a month? Is there a clause against keeping your child’s beloved rat/cat/chicken in the property? If they are unhappy with any of the terms or require further clarification, they should discuss these with the landlord prior to signing the agreement Inventories Most properties which are let to students are furnished. Your child should therefore ensure that there is a detailed inventory of the items in the property and a description of the condition the items are in. If there is any disparity these should be raised with the landlord and, if possible, evidence provided to illustrate the condition at the time they entered the property. Failure to do so could result in deductions to your deposit at the end of the tenancy. P 10