Rental guarantor concerns

[mungo55]

My son has been asked for a guarantor for his new flat. I have happily done this previously and simply signed a form saying I would pay his rent if he couldn’t. This time I have been asked to sign up to portal, give all my personal data, bank account details, access to my HMRC page to prove what I earn, previous addresses, drivers licence, passport and bank statements!! Oh and credit checks will be done and my data will be used for marketing preferences!!
This feels completely invasive and I do not want every bit of my identity and data put out there. Is this typical for a tenancy agreement? He earns above what they asked for too.
I will be contacting the letting agency to ask if there is a simpler route to be a guarantor as I don’t want to scupper my son’s chances for his potential new flat.

this sounds utterly ridiculous. I agree push back.

Student or non student?

student was just a signature. Never done it for a non student.

I agree you are right to be wary, in case people are harvesting data to sell on, on the dark web.
I d walk away. And find another option.
Though mine are too young for flats yet, so I ve no experience of it.

They’ll be checking you like the check a tenant because uk they need to know you’d be good for the money

a guarantor will a string off cjj’s and unemployed isn’t any use as a guarantor

Non student. Moved area due to new job so has the issue of being newly employed. He has references and has been in full time employment for years.
I’m glad you all agree and feel the same as me. Thanks for your responses

I was asked for a huge amount of information but it was waived by showing them by bank balance plus passport. (I had the proceeds of the former marital home in my account, 6 figures plural

Yes is typical.
He could live on expensive airbnb or be a lodger til he has 3 months of pay checks?

I’ve already signed a form that I thought was the only requirement to be a guarantor. I gave address, salary, employment and had to tick or cross boxes about checks etc. That’s all I’ve done previously

Dh had t do this having offered to guarantee one of dc overseas friends, even though they were working. It was overly invasive especially since he is early retired so no regular income. He also guaranteed dc with just a signature, just different agent,

Yep. Getting a rental is about as arduous as getting a mortgage these days. I feel for you.

@mungo55 thank the Renters Reform Act. Landlords will now leave no stone unturned to try to avoid non paying tenants that will take months or years to evict.

Thanks to Labour government and their new rules. It is literally easier to get a sodding mortgage than be a guarantor. It’s normal now which is a f-ing joke.

This is quite normal. I’m a letting agent and this is standard practice.

It’s excessive.