Guarantor request by LL for student accomodation

aquitaine

silvercar wrote: »

Anecdotedly, when students are told that they need a guarantor signature on a form or the property will be given to someone else and a parent refuses to sign, the agents often find that the magic signature appears.

Out of 6 years of guaranteeing, only once have any checks been made.

That is what I have been told today. They are threatening to get someone else to replace my son. Despite offering them these third party guarantors, £6k guarantees and money up front they are totally intransigent and insist upon unlimited liability for all the students who will live in the house. This is appalling behaviour from an industry with a reputation which could probably not sink lower. Very bad day for me as I do not like being bossed about by a band of corporate bully boys. Time for a bit of creative thinking and another try tomorrow.

BeatTheSystem

aquitaine wrote: »

Has anyone come across this sort of corporate racketeering and dealt with it successfully?

yes, I was the OP for the thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5507688

I called the letting agent and explained very nicely and carefully and tactfully and respectfully that I was uncomfortable with signing it, but would as an act of good faith be prepared to pay the years rent up front which I have done. I offered to pay an additional damage deposit but the agent was completely happy for me to pay the years rent. The letting agent was completely reasonable.

I agree it feels duplicitous but these scoundrels have the upper hand, my 19 year old was only given 2 days to sign and get a guarantor which I think considering the complexity and possible potential liability scenarios is grossly unfair. I have logged a complaint with the university stating this adding that the tenancy agreement was signed under duress. Should a future court case arise this can be referenced, most magistrates don't like landlords too much.

The housing market is broken that's for sure but don't get me started on that one, as soon as opportunistic greedy landlords are taxed out of existence the better. However there are some good fair landlords that genuinely care about their tenants, I don't think those that target students are like that, they just care about how much money they can make for the minimum effort.

silvercar

If you act as a guarantor, you have to trust your child and their choice of housemates.

If you pay the rent up front, you have to trust the landlord to attend to maintenance and repairs through the tenancy.

Nothing is fool proof.

BeatTheSystem

silvercar wrote: »

If you act as a guarantor, you have to trust your child and their choice of housemates.

If you pay the rent up front, you have to trust the landlord to attend to maintenance and repairs through the tenancy.

Nothing is fool proof.

My daughter had no choice over the housemates this year, it is her first year she is with a random assortment who could either turn out to be fine or like the mad girl in single white female. The uni failed to get her into halls, which is another story.

If the landlord does not keep to the tenancy agreement then I have complete recourse legally.

Nothing is fool proof, all one can do is try and reduce risk.

Guest101

BeatTheSystem wrote: »

My daughter had no choice over the housemates this year, it is her first year she is with a random assortment who could either turn out to be fine or like the mad girl in single white female. The uni failed to get her into halls, which is another story.

If the landlord does not keep to the tenancy agreement then I have complete recourse legally.

Nothing is fool proof, all one can do is try and reduce risk.

You're overestimating your recourse.

If the LL fails to keep to it, the majority of the time it's a breach of contract, which requires a loss to enforce

aquitaine

BeatTheSystem wrote: »

yes, I was the OP for the thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5507688

I called the letting agent and explained very nicely and carefully and tactfully and respectfully that I was uncomfortable with signing it, but would as an act of good faith be prepared to pay the years rent up front which I have done. I offered to pay an additional damage deposit but the agent was completely happy for me to pay the years rent. The letting agent was completely reasonable.

I agree it feels duplicitous but these scoundrels have the upper hand, my 19 year old was only given 2 days to sign and get a guarantor which I think considering the complexity and possible potential liability scenarios is grossly unfair. I have logged a complaint with the university stating this adding that the tenancy agreement was signed under duress. Should a future court case arise this can be referenced, most magistrates don't like landlords too much.

The housing market is broken that's for sure but don't get me started on that one, as soon as opportunistic greedy landlords are taxed out of existence the better. However there are some good fair landlords that genuinely care about their tenants, I don't think those that target students are like that, they just care about how much money they can make for the minimum effort.

Thanks for that. I will try a different approach with the estate agent today and see if I can get something similar to what you achieved. They are very anti that approach and want people signed up to their ghastly unlimited liability contract so I doubt that it will be easy.

Miss_Samantha

aquitaine wrote: »

You need to educate yourself and learn what you are talking about before you start making patronising comments which only serve to display your level of ignorance.

:rotfl::rotfl::T

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

aquitaine wrote: »

Thanks for that. I will try a different approach with the estate agent today and see if I can get something similar to what you achieved. They are very anti that approach and want people signed up to their ghastly unlimited liability contract so I doubt that it will be easy.

Your son is already signed up to the unlimited liability contract. By refusing to be his guarantor, all you are doing is keeping yourself out of it. In the event you manage to not be a guarantor, what are you going to do when they take your son to court for damages or unpaid rent caused by the other housemates?

GwylimT

aquitaine wrote: »

Thanks for that. I will try a different approach with the estate agent today and see if I can get something similar to what you achieved. They are very anti that approach and want people signed up to their ghastly unlimited liability contract so I doubt that it will be easy.

Why, there is zero contract with the estate agent. Do you still not understand that landlords own properties, therefore landlords are insured, therefore landlords need to meet their insurance requirements for guarantors. Estate agents have absolutely nothing to do with landlords insurance.

What next, blaming car sales people for car insurance excess?

silvercar

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

Your son is already signed up to the unlimited liability contract. By refusing to be his guarantor, all you are doing is keeping yourself out of it. In the event you manage to not be a guarantor, what are you going to do when they take your son to court for damages or unpaid rent caused by the other housemates?

I suspect son's contract is subject to guarantor, otherwise OP would just be walking away from it. With OP refusing to guarantee the joint tenancy, the letting agent will not agree to son taking the property. Leaving son's future housemates to find a replacement for son and son to find another property with other friends.