We don't think it's fair that landlords are asking students to provide guarantors for their housing, and we're working to put a stop to it.
What's a guarantor?
A guarantor is someone who signs your tenancy contract with you and agrees to pay your rent if you're ever unable to pay it yourself. This is common practice in renting, especially for students, and most students ask their parents or other family members to be their guarantor. Guarantors often have to provide evidence of funds or a credit check and it can be quite an invasive process.
What's the big deal?
Lots of students find it hard to find a guarantor, especially when it comes to:
- International students
- Estranged students
- Mature students
- Working class students
Most landlords and letting agents also demand that guarantors are living in the UK and own their own homes, which makes things especially tough for international students who can be expected to pay an entire year's rent up front. This demand is often impossible to meet, contributing to 13% of students declaring themselves; a figure that rises to 29% for international students, which we think is shocking and unacceptable.
We don't think any student's background should stand in the way of them achieving their best, so we're calling to abolish guarantors!
What's the plan?
We're working with NUS and other Students' Unions across the country to lobby the government to tackle the issue and put an end to this discriminatory and outdated practice.
We took part in a National Day of Action on Wednesday 23 October, where our President Martha and International Students' Officer Shafaq went to parliament to meet with Abtisam Mohamed, our MP for Sheffield Central and Chair of the APPG for Students, to discuss the issue and present evidence (including your feedback!). We asked her to support the amendment to the Renters Rights Bill to abolish guarantors when this goes to consultation. It was clear Abtisam has students at the forefront when making decisions, and she committed to backing the amendment in Parliament - a huge win for us!
If you need support with housing issues, please view our online housing resources.