House share student dropped out before start of tenancy

LindorDoubleChoc · 2025-08-15T17:46:51+00:00

Any ideas gratefully received. My son is in year 2 going into year 3 and had found a house share for six with five friends/fellow students. They got as far as tenancy agreements being drawn up but one of the six has now dropped out (I'm not sure if they signed the agreement or not). The remainder have been advertising and putting the word out but no luck with finding a replacement so far. It's getting stressful as the new tenancy starts on 5th September (from memory). WWYD as a concerned parent (and guarantor!) without taking over or trying to solve the problem for them? If there are any helpful pointers I'd like to nudge them in the right direction. TIA.

DrPrunesqualer · 16/08/2025 17:13

Chewbecca · 16/08/2025 17:03

Will they?
Won't the person who has dropped out or their guarantor be responsible for it, not the remaining tenants?

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If she didn’t sign the contract no and OP said she wasn’t sure if she did.

Chewbecca · 16/08/2025 17:03

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 21:44

I'm just trying to help my son and his fellow flat mates out. If a new tenant isn't found they will each be paying £100 more per month in rent.

Will they?
Won't the person who has dropped out or their guarantor be responsible for it, not the remaining tenants?

DrPrunesqualer · 16/08/2025 16:57

This happened to one of our sons and they advertised on the student net.
If the rent is for the whole house then the other students still have to foot the bill ( or their guarantors)
If the rent is by room then the tenants won’t have to but
I wouldn’t leave it up to the LL to find a new tenant in this situation. Your dc will want someone they get on with

Just advertise

Lots of students will have just gone through clearing now and won’t necessarily have hall accommodation

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 16/08/2025 13:46

Thanks everyone for the useful advice on this thread. I will share with my son when I see him tomorrow.

OP posts:

Comefromaway · 15/08/2025 22:02

There are lots of performing arts colleges in Brighton who don’t have their own halls for first years. Places like BIMM & Waterbear. Get into their Facebook groups & advertise.

PinkFrogss · 15/08/2025 22:00

Also who has paid her share of the deposit?

PinkFrogss · 15/08/2025 22:00

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 21:53

Yes, he shares with one of them currently.

I'm not sure why the 6th person dropped out but ds says she didn't like the idea of drawing straws for the best rooms.

Probably already thought of this but presumably the others he was sharing with have all found other places for this year, do they know anyone who might be looking? Maybe someone who didn’t agree in time and may now have nowhere to stay?

It sounds like she didn’t drop out but found somewhere else to live, if so they could try and find out where she found her current place and do the same thing.

If some rooms are better than others is it the worst room they’re currently advertising?

Dbank · 15/08/2025 21:57

First I would establish if they had actually signed the agreement, if they didn't then finding a replacement would be your best solution, as you are probably liable as a guarantor. (check your contract, it may say joint & several liability)

If they did sign, then they are liable, and so is their guarantor assuming they had one. You may also find it problematic to install a replacement without the agreement of the landlord or agent, I would speak to them asap.

Whilst this may sound like a disaster, it probably won't be and you should be able to resolve it, I wish you luck.

GreyAreas · 15/08/2025 21:54

It's often called tenancy takeover, Google for any local sites or Facebook pages where people advertise or look for tenancy takeovers, particularly Facebook groups for new students or parents of students at your university.

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 21:53

Yes, he shares with one of them currently.

I'm not sure why the 6th person dropped out but ds says she didn't like the idea of drawing straws for the best rooms.

OP posts:

PinkFrogss · 15/08/2025 21:47

Are in any of the people he is sharing with in third year the same as he shared with in second year?

Why did this person drop out of the house share?

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 21:44

I'm just trying to help my son and his fellow flat mates out. If a new tenant isn't found they will each be paying £100 more per month in rent.

OP posts:

Sadteacher · 15/08/2025 21:34

I wonder what sort of contract your child has. Both of my children have had numerous house shares, they have a contract for their share of the rent which I am a guarantor for. Their housemates have their own contract, they have to pay or find their own replacement. I’m not sure why you have the stress of finding a replacement for a person who is not your own child,
Hope you get it resolved anyway!

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 21:19

I'm afraid I'm completely at a loss as to what you are advising SadTeacher?

If I gave the impression that I wasn't worried about the increased rent for the remaining 5 tenants, that's wrong @PinkFrogss. I actually hadn't mentioned it. It's not the most pressing issue just at the moment.

OP posts:

Sadteacher · 15/08/2025 21:12

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 20:37

I'm not sure why this thread has gone down the line of who is liable for paying the missing rent .

I'm actually asking for advice on finding a new tenant. The question of covering the rent wasn't raised by me.

well you can’t sublet / relet someone else’s room? Why do you think you can find a new tenant for someone else’s room? You really need to check the contract! I’m not sure why the other tenants have to take the role of letting agents.

Arlanymor · 15/08/2025 20:43

bumbaloo · 15/08/2025 20:41

Often each tenant is joint and severally liable. In other words the whole amount is guaranteed and if one doesn’t pay the LL can come after the others.
It is usually the case if the house was rented by a group.
if the house is rented to individuals by the LL on individual room tenancies rather than a group who find and rent the house as a whole then the OP will be fine.

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Yep and I have known both types of contracts to be fair, so it's literally dependent on whatever the OP has signed.

PinkFrogss · 15/08/2025 20:42

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 20:37

I'm not sure why this thread has gone down the line of who is liable for paying the missing rent .

I'm actually asking for advice on finding a new tenant. The question of covering the rent wasn't raised by me.

I think everyone assumed you were worried about money/who is liable for the rent as you’re making out this is yours/the remaining house sharers problem.

In theory it’s not your problem and nothing to be concerned about if you’re confident you and your child won’t be liable for the rent.

bumbaloo · 15/08/2025 20:41

Arlanymor · 15/08/2025 19:01

Usually the person who drops out has to find a replacement or else pay until a replacement is found. Student accommodation is at such a premium I am sure a replacement will be found through clearing if nothing else. Plus if you're only guarantor for your son's share then you've got nothing to worry about.

Often each tenant is joint and severally liable. In other words the whole amount is guaranteed and if one doesn’t pay the LL can come after the others.
It is usually the case if the house was rented by a group.
if the house is rented to individuals by the LL on individual room tenancies rather than a group who find and rent the house as a whole then the OP will be fine.

Original poster

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 20:37

I'm not sure why this thread has gone down the line of who is liable for paying the missing rent .

I'm actually asking for advice on finding a new tenant. The question of covering the rent wasn't raised by me.

OP posts:

FinallyHere · 15/08/2025 20:16

Dearover · 15/08/2025 19:02

There is a strong chance they have joint & several liability. Did you read the contract and guarantor agreements carefully.

It's always easier to collect the full rent from those remaining in the property and their parents, rather than chasing the one who isn't there.

This

this is how it usually works.

ZeusandClio · 15/08/2025 19:59

LindorDoubleChoc · 15/08/2025 18:58

Did you not check what you guaranteed?

I guaranteed to cover my son's share of the rent. What was I missing?

Are you sure you didn't sign an agreement to be "joint and severally liable"? This means that you and the other guarantors are liable for the whole rent. IANAL but have had 2 daughters go through private student rentals where I have had to be the guarantor, and in one case we (the other parents and I) wouldn't sign until one of them paid the whole tenancy in advance as we had no faith that we wouldn't be stuck with paying his share.
Also, definitely let the SU know as there will be students desperately searching for somewhere.

Meadowfinch · 15/08/2025 19:48

Make sure student services are aware of the vacancy. Everyone coming through clearing will be looking for somewhere to live

Arlanymor · 15/08/2025 19:29

Dearover · 15/08/2025 19:12

In this case one of the others had moved their partner in without agreement or any contribution towards the bills, so DD had been paying more than her fair share whilst she was there. He was a nasty piece of work. It's easy to make judgements without knowing the whole story.

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I don't think the poster was making a judgement, she was explaining what happened to her daughter and why it was unfair - which it clearly was.

Sadteacher · 15/08/2025 19:18

Dearover · 15/08/2025 19:12

In this case one of the others had moved their partner in without agreement or any contribution towards the bills, so DD had been paying more than her fair share whilst she was there. He was a nasty piece of work. It's easy to make judgements without knowing the whole story.

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I made no judgement, I literally said what happened to my daughter.

Dearover · 15/08/2025 19:12

Sadteacher · 15/08/2025 19:03

From another perspective, my daughter was in a house share of 3 a few years ago. One girl dropped out and refused to pay any more towards the bills. My daughter and her housemate made the argument they signed up for a house of 3, so budgeted for a third of the bills. Why should they then have to pay half the bills ( things like broadband, standing charges don’t decrease just because someone is missing) it was quite unfair.

Show quote history

In this case one of the others had moved their partner in without agreement or any contribution towards the bills, so DD had been paying more than her fair share whilst she was there. He was a nasty piece of work. It's easy to make judgements without knowing the whole story.