What is a guarantor?

A guarantor is someone - usually a parent, family member, or close friend with a stable income - who agrees in writing to be legally responsible for your rent (and sometimes damages) if you're unable to pay.

When you're likely to need one: if you're a student, new to the UK without an established credit history, self-employed with variable income, or new to renting.

What a guarantor is agreeing to: this isn't a small commitment - they're signing a legal agreement that can leave them liable for the full remaining rent, not just a token amount.

If you don't have anyone who can act as a guarantor, paid guarantor services exist as an alternative - compare the cost carefully against a zero deposit scheme.