To not want parents as guarantors

[Ella1980]

Long story short, my finance and I have found a house we'd like to rent. We've been renting five years but wanting to move from two to three bed as I have two sons age 9 and 11.

I'm a teacher but have been poorly so not in work. Currently looking to return asap either as teacher or TA. My fiance works ft in social care. I have considerable savings from my divorce as ex had to buy me out of marital 5 bed exec home. Savings have not been touched, we have been managing on one salary for 4 months so far.

Bizarrely enough, landlord knows my parents who are now both retired. We have paid deposit on new rental. However, landlord is now saying she wants my parents to act as guarantors. AIBU to be fuming?!!

Mum says just to agree but it's the principal. She says she can see it from landlord's pov because, despite the fact we're getting married next year, we "might split up".

I'm a 38 yo independent divorcee ffs not a child but from my pov I'm being made to feel like one!

Thank you so much for your advice all x

I would find somewhere else if possible.

And don't tell anyone about your savings!

My landlord required a guarantor as well. The kicker was that they had to live in the UK and my family doesn't who would have been willing to sign. I offered 6 month rent in advance and it wasn't good enough. Mine and my bfs (moving there together) income was not enough of proof but thankfully the accepted in the end due to him being a homeowner.

I don't think you should agree since it was not agreed beforehand. They are changing the rules. Maybe compromise with 3 months rent or look for somewhere else. It sounds like the landlord might be willing to push boundaries.

If you want to not have guarantors then buy your own place. Its perfectly reasonable for a LL to want protection. Otherwise if you have plenty of savings then pay 12 months rent in advance, I am sure that would be protection enough for the LL.

The formula is 30 x rent in income. So say your rent is 2k a month, to pass referencing without guarantors you'd need to show earnings of 60k. This can be reduced by paying bigger deposit or fee months upfront.

The guarantor request is perfectly normal if you earn under a certain threshold (usually around 30k or sometimes 30 x rent). Yes you could offer to pay a larger deposit or 6 months rent upfront if you have substantial savings. However, I would seriously consider whether you really want to rent from a landlord that calls your Mum to enquire about your relationship.

I would buy rather than pay LL mortgage.

Thats great for you @Bookworm4. But why dont you consider the fact that not everyone is fortunate to be able to buy a house? 🙄

You don't have to be earning as in working to be a guarantor.

I'm retired (early, I'm 52) and am guarantor for my son and his girlfriend for their rented house.

I was going to be guarantor as well for my daughter but the letting agency said I could pay her rent three months in advance instead of being guarantor.

Maybe suggest paying rent in advance instead of having a guarantor.

I think people are missing the point.

The LL only asked OP's parents to be guarantor AFTER OP paid the deposit. LL should have made her requirements BEFORE agreeing to the tenancy.

And to then grill OP's parents about the state of OP's relationship

I wouldn't want this person as my LL.

Did you sign the AST yet? If so, your ll is just being a twat after finding out who you are.

I would step away from the property- the landlord has overstepped and is only asking for a garuntor as just happens to know your parents.

I have rented all my life even when on less than £20k in Surrey and never needed a garuntor just need the deposit.

To ask about your relationship stability is pretty disgusting!

It's prying with your parents about your relationship which would put me off

Thanks all. My fiance has spoken with the LL and explained that we are not happy about parents being guarantors when they don't need to be. He understands and has agreed to go ahead without. I think they are just anxious because I'm not currently in work, just fiance.
I think it is out of order though to question someone's relationship stability because they are unmarried. Both my fiance and I had first marriages of over a decade and they didn't work out!

I think you are setting yourself up to have very interfering landlords tbh. The fact that she contacted your DM was very unprofessional and that's the approach he's likely to take in the future. I'd look elsewhere.

I see what you're saying but we're desperate to move and houses we can afford very rarely come up in our area. Can't move area as share custody with ex and he won't allow kids to move school. Currently in a very unsuitable two bed (with mould issues) and boys now 9 and 11 so moving is a priority.

Yeah I would be bloody annoyed. How dare she ring your parents to ask about your relationship?! She couldnt do that if it was a stranger, but she thinks she has the right to do that beause she knows them?! I would be telling her to stick her rental up her arse quite honestly.

Sorry, just seen your comment about struggling to find somewhere but I really wouldnt want to rent from her, I suspect that this kind of gossiping/nosiness will only get worse.

Yes, she called my mum the other day to ask re my "relationship stability" which made me cross. I found it somewhat insulting tbh!

That was the point at which any potential concern about protecting her asset morphed into seriously creepy and totally unacceptable. I'd understand if she was letting you live rent-free in her property BECAUSE she was good friends with your Mum, but it's a commercial contract at standard market rates. If you're both young, helpless dependent children, she can't expect to charge you any rent; if you're a financially-independent adult couple who can sign an agreement and pay her from your own earnings/savings, she needs to deal directly with you.

She seems to lack boundaries and I'm guessing she's the sort who would not only fuss about trivial issues but would bypass you and call your Mum every time to ask her to 'have a word with you' about bolting the gate or mowing the lawn.

I may be misinterpreting, but her attitude reminds me a bit of certain men who, when called out on outrageous behaviour by a woman, ignore her, approach her husband (or even brother or adult son) and tell him to 'sort your woman out, mate' - or the odious, ignorant people who routinely ignore wheelchair users and then talk about them to the able-bodied person who happens to be accompanying them.