Any advice on second year housing contract?

[dauntlesscrusader]

I know I've seen variations on this question before, but does anyone have any advice on how to deal with the horrors of the private housing contract? DD will be sharing a house with 3 others. The contract says that if any one pulls out or fails to pay the rent, the others are responsible for covering.

I don't mind guaranteeing my own child's payment, but I don't want to be on the hook for anyone else's offspring. Is there any way of insisting on a different contract? Do they even exist? If four contracts are being issued as I believe they are shouldn't each individual be responsible for either paying their own rent or finding a replacement?

Help!

We haven't yet finalised the guarantors' contract, but DD does need someplace to live.

For the housemates, we know that one is totally reliable; the second also seems to be; the third decided last month not to return so they have filled the spot with someone none of them know.

All thoughts very welcome.

Each will be jointly and severally liable, pretty standard terms for sharers. It just means they need to find a substitute or pay up.

Depending on which area the house is in definitely go for one that doesn't need a parental guarantee.

Once I pointed out that each parent would be in for (worst case scenario) £27,000 and therefore I would not sign up another parent declined too. The students all then sourced another house that did not require a guarantee.

Yes my DS would have remained jointly and severally liable but at least we didn't too!

Our DD signed for her room only and that was common in her university town (thank goodness!)

Over the two years, two of the four did get behind with their rent, finally sorting it at the end of tenancy but I reckon they could gave easily fallen out over it and we could have been hassled for payment as we would have been an easier touch than the girls themselves.

I'd avoid signing a contract like that at all costs but I guess some uni towns require it.

Thanks LIZS, Allthebest and Kez.

It seems that this contract is pretty standard for where she is, sadly. It's a lovely house, and definitely not a market where the students have much bargaining power, so I'll just have to hope that she has chosen her housemates wisely!

An alternative, used a lot in London and with overseas students, is to pay six month tranches in advance.

I assume the problem is that a landlord cannot get insurance unless they have guarantors who will pass referencing.

Another tip might be to pick flat mates whose ambitions mean they will be keen to avoid a CCJ or a poor credit record. These are so easy to check and a poor record impacts on a lot of things so it is not worth any student defaulting on a rental contract.