AIBU not to be guarantor for DC?

So it’s a fancy studio and he’s a student ? He needs realistic expectations . I’d laugh if my child asked me this tbh . A friend’s son is at Kings College and lives quite centrally . He’s in a house share like a normal student .

Are they school age ? If so she’s his girlfriend not his partner . Why do kids want to play at being grown ups before they have to . Tell him no and let him share a crappy student let like most of the student population. It’s character building .
He can visit his girlfriend and vice versa and go on dates like a normal teenage relationship . If the relationship goes tits up ( statistically likely to happen ) they’ll be glad to be living apart .
Just because he wants something doesn’t mean he gets it .

Can’t he live in uni housing? I wouldn’t do it though OP and doubt you’d be accepted as one anyway.

Can he not rent a room with his partner?

14K is criminal. Must be London

You won’t be able to be a guarantor if you’re not a homeowner . You’re as big a risk as they are for the landlord. I’d just say no . Can he not apply for halls at the university? Tbh I wouldn’t be encouraging two older ( I presume) teenagers to be heading off to university already living as a couple .

My friend is a guarantor for her daughter and partner. They've stopped paying the rent and she's being hounded for it.
It's a mess and she's fed up but her dd has form for such behaviour so I don't know what possessed her.
Never be a guarantor unless you are prepared to pay up.

I am a guarantor for my older son. He's got himself in a mess and I've had to pay his rent. I'm taking it out of his nest egg saved for him since he was born - £ that was meant to be towards a house deposit, or travel or something like that.

I can afford to bail him out, but he needs to learn the value of money (MY money).

It has changed our current relationship.
Be careful OP.

I'd also question whether a studio flat is suitable for their needs as there often isn't much space except the bed and kitchen area. Is there room for 2 desks for when they both need to study?

Could they each get a room in the same shared house or halls and then if they remain as a couple they can use one room for sleeping and the other for studying/daytime use and if they split up, they both have their own room?

Might not solve the guarantor issue, but I'd certainly stay out of that one. Like others have said, it's likely that the guarantor will have to pay the whole £14k rent if it isn't paid, and it doesn't sound like you're in a position to pay and even if you were, few people can pay out an unexpected £14k on top of their own costs without a massive struggle and lifestyle change.

You are right to be worried. If it was just your son and he could afford it by himself then perhaps with certain conditions in place, but this is way too big a gamble.

You can't afford it so your answer is no.

His partners parents will have to be asked do it.

And if they say no m, they'll have to find some where else that is suitable for their means, like any other adult would do in their situation.

The contract would be "joint and several" liability, so you'd potentially be on the hook for the entire amount if your son's partner doesn't pay up his share, or they split up and one moves out. It would make a lot more sense if they both moved into a shared flat but had a room each so that they could have some space from each other as required. A studio is insanely cramped for 2 people.

As others have pointed out, they need to reset their expectations because £14k p/a for a studio is ridiculous unless you are living in Zone 1 of London. And if they are studying in central London, why on earth would they not move to Zone 3/4 and use public transport? I rent out an entire house in Zone 4/5 for about that much.

Sorry, just checked and they do need a guarantor.

Don't they have those Unite blocks of student accommodation (or similar) in their area? I don't think you need a guarantor for those.

I think wanting to move in with a partner and expect you to be guarantor is a cheek to be honest.

Most students opt for a shared house e.g. 4 sharing as this is where the cheapest rents are. They could save buckets doing that as a couple, test their relationship and be able to afford to move in together at a later date.

I wouldn't, especially not in your circumstances.

Suggest they share a room in another house, or find separate rooms in different houses. No compromise on two rooms in one house, I shared a house with a couple and it was a bloody nightmare when they split - both the atmosphere and having to find another person half way through the year to take one of their rooms and cover the rent. They may well not split, but the odds are not in their favour.

Only be a guarantor if you can afford for the person you are guaranteeing to default on their payments. It doesn't matter if they are a loved one. If you can't afford to take on their debt then don't do it.

Darned if I know! My Brother in Law was also turned down and he owned a successful business...still does in fact!

I'm a letting agent and we wouldn't accept a student tenant without a suitable guarantor. If you aren't happy acting as guarantor, tell your son to look into companies such as Your Guarantor or Housing Hand. For a fee, they will act as his guarantor.

@BillHadersNewWife how bizarre! Maybe it depends on the amount of rent and terms for ending the contract

GiveHerHell I found it impossible to get a guarantor accepted when I tried to rent One friend had around a million in the bank but didn't own a property...they turned him down!

Say no. They can stay in halls.

£1200pm?? I’m sure they could find a cheaper flat, that’s madness for 2 students, how are they finding that?

No, bad idea. They ought to be looking at shared accommodation like every other second year student. If they split up someone will have to take the whole rent on. Two people in a studio sounds like a really bad idea. Very cramped.

Where are they planning to rent that it is that much? Round here (SE, so not cheap), you can get a 2 bed flat for under £1k a month, even some small 2 bed houses are similar cost.

They need to look at a shared room in a flat share before jumping to a cosy studio coupled up love nest.