Guarantor application
1 template
Free
Guarantor application form template
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Fillable PDF
Complete on screen or print and sign
Information and consent for checks
Checked October 2026
Before you use it
A guarantee is a serious commitment. The guarantor may have to pay rent arrears, damage costs or other sums for as long as the guarantee lasts, which may continue if the tenancy becomes periodic. Give the guarantor a copy of the tenancy agreement and the proposed guarantee before they sign anything, and suggest they get independent advice. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, most new tenancies in England are periodic, so the guarantee should state the maximum liability, how long it lasts and when liability ends. In England, statutory rules may also limit a guarantor’s liability, including for rent becoming payable after the death of the sole tenant or the last surviving joint tenant. The guarantee must reflect the law.
What this is
Application
Information and consent for checks, not a binding guarantee.
The guarantee
Documented
A written agreement, deed or tenancy clause, ideally drafted or checked by a solicitor.
Advice
Independent
Encourage the guarantor to take advice before signing.
What the form covers
1
The tenancy: who and what is being guaranteed
2
About you: the guarantor
3
Employment and income: to check you can meet the guarantee
4
Credit and insolvency history: disclose relevant information
5
Before you agree: please read
6
Consent and declaration: signed by the guarantor
Guarantor form or guarantee agreement?
They do different jobs. The guarantor form is the application: it helps you decide whether the person can stand behind the rent. The guarantee is the binding promise to pay if the tenant doesn’t. A guarantee must be in writing and signed by the guarantor to be enforceable, and one given after the tenancy has started may need extra formalities, such as signing it as a deed. Our article on the guarantor agreement covers the guarantee itself, and our definition of a guarantor explains the role.
What’s changed for guarantors in 2026
Periodic tenancies (England): most new tenancies in England are now periodic, so a guarantee can run far longer than a fixed term would have. The guarantee should state the maximum liability, how long it lasts and how the guarantor can end it.
Liability after a tenant’s death (England): under section 16N of the Housing Act 1988, added by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, a guarantee of an assured tenancy entered into from 1 May 2026 doesn’t cover rent after the death of the sole tenant or the last surviving joint tenant. It also ends liability where the guarantor is a family member of a joint tenant who dies.
No referencing fees: you can’t charge a tenant or guarantor for referencing in England or Wales.
Using the form well
Give the guarantor a copy of the tenancy agreement and the proposed guarantee before they sign anything, and suggest independent advice. Track three stages separately: application received, checks completed, guarantee signed. An accepted application is not evidence that an enforceable guarantee exists. Give the guarantor a landlord privacy notice with the form. If the applicant has no one to ask, our guide to rent guarantor services covers the alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
What is a guarantor form?
It is an application a proposed guarantor completes so the landlord can check their identity, income and credit before accepting them. It doesn’t create a guarantee. That needs a separate, properly documented agreement or clause.
Who can be a guarantor for renting?
Usually a UK-based adult with enough income or assets to cover the rent if the tenant doesn’t pay, often a parent or relative. Some landlords accept overseas guarantors, subject to their own checks.
Can I charge a guarantor for referencing?
No, not in England, Wales or Scotland. In England and Wales, the ban on referencing fees covers guarantors as well as tenants. In Scotland, any charge made as a condition of a tenancy, other than rent and a refundable deposit, is an illegal premium, and that includes credit checks. Northern Ireland has no statutory ban yet, but a court has ruled that letting agents can’t charge tenants for work done for the landlord, so take advice before charging anyone.
Is a guarantor liable after the tenant dies?
In England, for guarantees of assured tenancies entered into from 1 May 2026, the guarantor isn’t liable for rent after the death of the sole tenant or the last surviving joint tenant.
Templates checked against legislation in October 2026. They are provided for general information and are not legal advice.
