How to Evade Being a Guarantor

BitterAndTwisted

If your friends can't say "no" to their offspring now they should be acquainted with the facts of the risks they could be taking: that they could be accepting total responsibility for all of the rent for the entire duration of the tenancy. That could be years. And the landlord may not make them aware that the rent hasn't been paid until many, many months of arrears have been racked up. And they would be responsible for all damage done to the property which is in excess of the deposit, too.

Given the history between these parties they would be absolutely insane to even dream of agreeing to be guarantors. To my mind, it would be much, much better to risk any tantrums and rifts and anything else now before this all turns to !!!!!! some time down the line. And !!!!!! there almost certainly will be. People who get extricated from the mire often learn nothing other than how to get themselves into it again and again.

Unhappiness now or unhappiness later with the addition of costs undefined. I know what I'd be choosing.

missile

You might want to suggest your friends read one of the many posts from those who regret signing as guarantor, https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3593853.

mufi

Again, very many thanks all, both to those who suggested some interesting tactics for evading the issue, and to those who advocated the blunt approach.

Excellent suggestion that I get them to read previous horror stories from regretful guarantors (in fact reading one of those precipitated my question) - I shall wheel them over tomorrow, dig out a nice bottle of something, and sit them down in front of my computer...

Cheers:beer: