Guarantors explained: What you and your guarantor are agreeing to
Being asked to provide a guarantor can feel like a hurdle when all you want is to get the keys and move in. It happens most often to students renting for the first time, young professionals without a long credit history, people who are self employed or have recently changed jobs, and anyone moving to the UK from abroad without an established financial footprint here. None of those situations make you a risky tenant. They simply mean a landlord wants a safety net in case something goes wrong.

Guarantors also matter more now than they used to. Rent in advance is capped at one month, so tenants can no longer offer several months upfront to reassure a landlord. The important thing, for you and for whoever agrees to act as your guarantor, is to understand exactly what that safety net involves before anyone signs. A guarantee is legally binding, and the person putting their name to it is taking on a real financial responsibility.

What a guarantor agrees to do
When someone agrees to be your guarantor, they promise to cover your financial obligations under the tenancy if you cannot or do not meet them yourself. If you fall behind on rent, your guarantor becomes liable for those arrears. If you cause damage beyond what the deposit covers, they may be held responsible for the excess. If the landlord incurs legal costs pursuing you, the guarantor may be drawn in too.

The scope depends entirely on the wording of the agreement. Some guarantees are limited, covering a defined period or a capped amount. Others are unlimited, meaning the guarantor is responsible for any obligation that arises under the tenancy for as long as it lasts.

There is one important protection. For guarantees signed on or after 1 May 2026, the guarantor is not liable for rent falling due after the tenant dies. In a joint tenancy, this applies only if the guarantor is a family member of the tenant who died, or if all the joint tenants have died.

Open ended tenancies and existing guarantees
Since the Renters’ Rights Act took effect on 1 May 2026, private tenancies in England run as open ended periodic agreements. An unlimited guarantee therefore has no natural end date. A guarantor who expected to cover a twelve month fixed term could find themselves committed for years if the wording contains no time limit.

This also affects guarantees signed before May 2026. Some cover only the original fixed term, while others continue into the periodic tenancy that follows. There is no safe assumption either way, so the guarantor should read the wording carefully. Tenants can now end a tenancy by giving two months’ notice, which makes it all the more important to know when the guarantee itself ends.

Rent increases are worth checking too. Because tenancies no longer have fixed terms, rent rises can recur. Whether the guarantor covers an increased rent depends on the wording, so it should be clear before signing.

Joint tenancies and sharers
If you are renting with others, as many students and sharers do, the guarantor may be liable for the whole rent unless the guarantee is capped to one tenant’s share. That means a guarantor could end up covering a housemate’s unpaid rent as well as yours. Anyone agreeing to guarantee a single person within a shared tenancy should ask exactly how far the liability extends.

Who can be a guarantor
Most landlords and letting agents ask for a UK based homeowner, as they hold an asset that could be pursued if a claim were made. Some will accept a non homeowner in stable employment, but this varies. The guarantor will almost always need to pass an affordability check. Criteria differ, but income of around three times the annual rent is typical, often expressed as 36 times the monthly rent. A credit check is usually required as well.

The guarantor should be someone who trusts you completely and understands what they are agreeing to. Agreements between friends or family can put relationships under serious strain if things go wrong, so anyone asked to sign should be given time to read the document and, ideally, take independent legal advice.

How the agreement should be set up
A guarantee must be in writing and signed. It can be a separate document or sit within the tenancy agreement itself. A deed is not required for it to be enforceable, but deeds are commonly used, particularly when the guarantee is signed after the tenancy has started. Whatever the format, the agreement should clearly state what is being guaranteed, how long it lasts, and when the guarantor can be released.

Landlords and agents cannot charge the tenant or the guarantor for referencing or for preparing the guarantee, as the Tenant Fees Act prohibits this. If a fee is requested, query it.

What happens when things go wrong
If rent arrears build up and neither the tenant nor the guarantor pays, the landlord can apply to the courts for a money judgment against both. A County Court Judgment affects the guarantor’s credit record and can make borrowing, remortgaging, or opening certain financial products much harder. It stays on the credit file for six years unless it is paid in full within a month. For someone who agreed to help as a favour, that is a serious consequence to be honest about from the start.

Alternatives worth knowing about
If finding a personal guarantor is genuinely difficult, there are other routes. Some councils and charities run rent guarantee or deposit schemes that can reassure a landlord. Commercial guarantor services also exist for tenants who cannot provide a personal guarantor, usually for a fee. Availability and cost vary, so ask the agent or landlord what they will accept before committing to anything.

Questions about your tenancy? Talk to our lettings team today