The rent guarantor trap

Unknown to many home students, there is an unholy pitfall for those trying to find accommodation without a guarantor.

This not only applies to international students but also home students from low income backgrounds. Without an appropriate guarantor, landlords see fit to demand rent in batches of six months as well as a huge deposit.

The vast amount of money that this adds up to has to be paid upfront in one go, otherwise the unfortunate student will have nowhere to stay. This is completely unacceptable, particularly in the turbulent London housing market, where costs add up to incomprehensible amounts.

Without a UK guarantor, and already paying huge fees, many international students end up taking out loans to afford the ridiculous cost of having a roof over their head. Imperial is the most international university in the UK; surely we should be catering to this need more than anyone else.

But that is not the case – other universities such as SOAS and UCL have successfully implemented schemes where the university acts as a rent guarantor for any student in need. The system works by the university acting as a UK guarantor for the student, taking the uncertainty and risk away from the landlord. Therefore students can pay rent one month at a time, the way it should be. This is clearly a system that works and relives so much stress for so many students. Why then has it not been implemented here at Imperial?

This is not a new issue, this is an ongoing problem. Many students have expressed concern over the inaction of College and their negligence. In an increasingly erratic world, where college life is getting more stressful and tougher, it is the College’s responsibility to ensure life for students is as easy and stress-free as possible without the already stressful year of exams and coursework. Finding accommodation should be simple and financially possible, not a wild gamble and a stab in the dark.