Letting guarantor

westlyn

My son is a student wanting to let a 2 bed flat with an employed co-tenant. The letting agency want a Guarantor.
OK so far, but I am *very* concerned about the amount and type of information that I am being asked to provide: So far I have sent a photocopy of my passport and completed a guarantor form that requests: my name, address, date of birth, national insurance number, gross salary, phone number, email address. In addition I have been asked to provide my employment details, a character reference, bank details including account code, sort code and bank address.
Even that is not sufficient: today they came back and asked for proof of my address and a copy of my last bank statement.

Does this amount of information seem excessive and even legal under Data protection law? What is reasonable for them to expect me to provide.

Right now I feel I have already provided enough personal info to allow a disreputable person/agent to either create a credit card, purchase stuff over the internet if not even to persuade my bank that they are "me" to do what ever they liked.

I don't want to prevent my son getting his let but is there any guidance on what I should reasonably be expected to provide as a guarantor?

I really feel like I'm going to have to open a new bank account and close the one that I provided details to the letting agency......

DCFC79

You might get a better response on the Buying, renting and selling section, its just a few below credit file & ratings board.

rising_from_the_ashes

westlyn wrote: »

I don't want to prevent my son getting his let but is there any guidance on what I should reasonably be expected to provide as a guarantor?

I'd expect it to be the same info as if you were actually taking the property yourself - as, if your son (and maybe the other tenant depending on the T&Cs), doesn't pay, you'll have to - so they will want to verify your ID / income / have your bank account info in case this happens!

westlyn

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

I'd expect it to be the same info as if you were actually taking the property yourself - as, if your son (and maybe the other tenant depending on the T&Cs), doesn't pay, you'll have to - so they will want to verify your ID / income / have your bank account info in case this happens!

Posted here because i can see they'd want to do a credit check.

I can sort of see that they'd treat me as if i was my son, but if what I fear came to pass and this info were abused then I can't see how my Bank would be sympathetic to having given so much info away. And that would surely apply to my son too.
I can accept I'd have to provide name, address, proof of income, referee etc but actual bank details, national insurance number etc as well. Just seems like identity theft waiting to happen. And how do I ensure that the data is destroyed when the lease ends?

Is there no control/best practice or is this really the norm for letting agencies? - coming from the IT world this is mind boggling.

bargainbetty

As a guarantor, you are effectively taking the let. I was asked to provide all of that (I refused the bank statement) but provided them with the other details because they had to do a full credit check on me. I checked their registration with the ICO and asked that I be provided with written confirmation that my data would be securely destroyed once checked. I got it.

InsideInsurance

westlyn wrote: »

Does this amount of information seem excessive and even legal under Data protection law?

Why on earth do you think it is illegal for them to ask for these things?? They can legally ask for absolutely anything they want (possibly excluding anything covered by the official secrets act) but its your choice if you want to give it or not. Obviously there are consequences if you choose to decline.

What I would be more concerned about is nothing to do with the data you are being asked to supply but the fact that a tenancy agreement is typically jointly and severally liable which would mean you are not just being a guarantor to son and their half of the rent but are guaranteeing 100% of the rent for both your son and his mate. Certainly make sure that the agreement your son is signing is just names him and just says his share of the rent with no jointly and severally clauses. I know some student digs do this but most do it jointly.