I don't know what to do...

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I love my house.

We rent - it is a decent price, a nice sized terrace with garden.

But (despite us having a good credit rating) they insist on a guarantor. My mum is currently guarantor, but she worries - in 8 years of renting we have never let a payment slip - a roof comes before food or any other bills for me... food can always be found somewhere for us.

We have just spent out £52 to be re-checked desperately hoping to stop the guarantor need... but no, they say we still need one. I don't know if it is down to me being self employed or us getting a small amount of housing benefit - it is NOT our credit report as that is perfect for me, and very very good for DH. If I ask the agent they just tell me that they use an external company and don't know the reasons - just a yay or nay.

I now have to phone my mum and tell her I hate putting that much worry on her.

DH is talking about moving - there is a company that we know will take us with no guarantor - but we would need a deposit, moving money, and the chances of them having anywhere vaguely as nice as this place are slim.

I gave birth in this house, if I had the money I would buy this house. But am I just being selfish and giving my mum extra stress when we don't need to.

If we were to move it needs to be NOW - contract expires in a couple of weeks.

I am so confused.

To what level of liability is your Mum a guarantor? Would it help if you could possibly, somehow, put money in an acuont held jointly with her so that in effect your own money is the guarantee - but in her name? Why is she so worried if she knows you are responsible, pay your rent and will not trash the place and do a runner? That is when she would become liable.

Mums do worry - it's their job! Is she still prepared to be guarantor?

Is so, then stay where you are, definitely.

She has to cover the rent for the full contract term if we were to default. She earns about half of what DH does, so would lose her house to pay for it.

I'd be scared sh*tless if I could lose my home based on someone else's life (no matter how much I trusted them).

We have no spare money - it would take a couple of years to siphon off that much, and I know that she wouldn't let us take out a loan to do it.

I haven't told her yet

Mmm, but if you did take out a loan, and paid it back over 2 or 3 years, it would be like a form of savings and all it would cost you would be the interest.

I realise that the repayments would probably stretch you a lot, but it doesn't sound as if moving would be ideal.

Right - have spoken to my mum... and she was fine She says that pretty much her mum is standby guarantor, so we are all covered.

Thank you for trying to help

Glad it's all sorted.