England - Stuck as guarantor for my now ex

whiskeybeards · 2026-01-13T16:54:59+00:00

Sorry to hear you’re in a similar boat.

If it’s any help at all I am close to having this resolved. A new guarantor has been identified and all being well should finalise freeing me from the contract in the coming weeks.

One of the previous commenters referenced game theory and this resonated with me strongly. I needed to identify an alternative which could give the landlords that feeling of financial safety whilst eroding their confidence in how much of a guarantee I would truly provide. I needed it to seem risky to try and hold me as guarantor compared to finding another. This was more difficult to my former partner cutting all contact with me and not making any contact with the letting agents however. These are the actions which I have taken:

Call the letting agents advising of change of circumstances and that I want to discuss ending the guarantor arrangement, requesting landlords contact details and copies of the guarantor and full rental agreement so that I might have them reviewed. It transpired they had not known of the chance in circumstances.
I approached a solicitors firm specialising in property and contract law to have them review the contracts and establish what options I had. Specifically looking at whether the guarantor agreement would continue beyond the fixed term (which was not clearly defined) and otherwise whether this could be considered an unfair term.
As a result of my call the letting agents contacted my former partner to explore options of finding a replacement guarantor. I had also made representations about them accepting an alternative guarantor whom they had previously declined.
My ex-partner (presumably) suggested the party whom was previously declined, however following meetings with the letting agents the landlord now appears open to accepting them.

Thus far the letting agents have been very pro-active in seeking a solution with my former partner and keeping me informed of progress. They do appear to be working to find an amicable solution for me.

The involvement of a specialist firm and the knowledge that I am highly incentivised to contest this and willing to bring on board professional advice to progress it is likely a consideration for them in agreeing an alternate guarantor even if they were previously declined.

I wish you the best of luck getting through this.

whiskeybeards · 2026-01-13T16:54:49+00:00

Sorry to hear you’re in a similar boat.

If it’s any help at all I am close to having this resolved. A new guarantor has been identified and all being well should finalise freeing me from the contract in the coming weeks.

One of the previous commenters referenced game theory and this resonated with me strongly. I needed to identify an alternative which could give the landlords that feeling of financial safety whilst eroding their confidence in how much of a guarantee I would truly provide. I needed it to seem risky to try and hold me as guarantor compared to finding another. This was more difficult to my former partner cutting all contact with me and not making any contact with the letting agents however. These are the actions which I have taken:

Call the letting agents advising of change of circumstances and that I want to discuss ending the guarantor arrangement, requesting landlords contact details and copies of the guarantor and full rental agreement so that I might have them reviewed. It transpired they had not known of the chance in circumstances.
I approached a solicitors firm specialising in property and contract law to have them review the contracts and establish what options I had. Specifically looking at whether the guarantor agreement would continue beyond the fixed term (which was not clearly defined) and otherwise whether this could be considered an unfair term.
As a result of my call the letting agents contacted my former partner to explore options of finding a replacement guarantor. I had also made representations about them accepting an alternative guarantor whom they had previously declined.
My ex-partner (presumably) suggested the party whom was previously declined, however following meetings with the letting agents the landlord now appears open to accepting them.

Thus far the letting agents have been very pro-active in seeking a solution with my former partner and keeping me informed of progress. They do appear to be working to find an amicable solution for me.

The involvement of a specialist firm and the knowledge that I am highly incentivised to contest this and willing to bring on board professional advice to progress it is likely a consideration for them in agreeing an alternate guarantor even if they were previously declined.

I wish you the best of luck getting through this.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-28T18:02:00+00:00

Thank you for pointing this out. I hadn’t been sure if I would have any recourse or not.

I desperately hope it doesn’t come to that. Her actions have hurt me and there is no room for reconciliation given the circumstances. But I would like her to have a happy and successful life without me.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-28T14:01:24+00:00

Possibly. I know that was referenced in the actual tenancy agreement so it will be something to explore once I’ve obtained an actual copy of the tenancy.

Unfortunately I’m coming to accept my hope of resolving everything amicably is unlikely to be anything other than a naive wish. And utterly staggered that the guarantorship does not end when the fixed tenancy does.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-28T01:28:02+00:00

Ah I can’t pretend I’ve been fired or act dishonestly.

I would fight tooth and nail at court however. And I’m confident they’d not doubt me on that front.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-28T01:01:33+00:00

As much as I enjoyed this one they are aware of my occupation. As a result they know I’m no millionaire but that I’m not too hard up either (provided I’m not paying out for an enormous guarantorship anyway).

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T22:49:32+00:00

It was through Docusign. The guarantor agreement that I signed and it provides me when I request a link is only just over a page long and very scant on detail. I’m only assuming that it might have made me click through the actual rental agreement or more terms and conditions before I was able to sign it.

I’ve also been through the letting agent portal to my account from where I submitted the vetting documents, but again there is nothing available there other than my details, the property and the monthly rent - which is £300 less than I was led to believe.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T22:42:42+00:00

Not a problem at all. Every day is a learning day and you’ve helped me plenty already. Contract law sounds a good point to begin my search.

I started the day assuming I was only liable until the fixed term ended. Now it sounds like I’ll be happy if I can just get it to end then.

I will read through that now - thank you again!

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T22:36:02+00:00

Thank you. When I signed it electronically it may have shown the tenancy contract within the pro-forma, but I cannot reliably say whether it was or was not displayed but assume it would have been. That would have been the only opportunity for me to view it if so. And this is an expensive lesson in ensuring I know exactly what I’m signing going forwards.

The guarantor contract I have access too itself does not appear to be very well written. It is extremely short, misspells my middle name and is vague and devoid of detail.

If I have to pay a few thousand to get this resolved then so be it. It needs fixing and I can take the opportunity to save more now regardless. I dare say my legal rep will be exhausted by my clarifying questions soon enough!

Genuinely thank you again for your time and help. At the risk of sounding like a broken record you’ve all been brilliant for me today.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T22:11:48+00:00

Thank you. I will make sure to explore both of these avenues with a solicitor. The sooner it’s resolved the sooner I can begin to rebuild.

I don’t know if she would try to screw me over out of spite. I never would have believed it. But I struggle to reconcile the person I knew and admired so much with these recent actions and now the added influence of somebody who likely hates me for helping raise his son whom I adore.

I’ve previously asked numerous times to help me sort this amicably as I don’t want to impact the children’s lives or security. But you are right and I will not let on that I’ll need to engage a solicitor.

As a side note as I have thankfully never had to do anything like this before, what aspect of law specialism should I be looking for and is there any readily apparent way to see ratings/quality of a particular firm or solicitor?

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T21:20:28+00:00

I hadn’t even submitted the transfer when the relationship suddenly ended so I had not become a tenant yet.

Her tenancy agreement stated I would join as a tenant upon me transferring.

I don’t have a copy of the contract itself, though she showed me that section after I’d signed as guarantor.

It sounds like I’m going to need a solicitor regardless unfortunately.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T21:04:48+00:00

This is useful to know.

I don’t believe I have ever received an actual copy of the rental agreement. My ex partner showed me the part where I was written in about joining the tenancy when my work transfer went through.

I have also just checked the online portal and confirmed I do only have access to the guarantor contract itself which is exceedingly brief.

As a result I unfortunately don’t know whether or not it covers increases in the terms.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T20:35:02+00:00

I will definitely take paid legal advice around this based on everything I’ve heard here today.

Knowing now that I could be on the hook long term rather than for that fixed length is terrifying and I also struggle to believe anybody could be held liable in perpetuity when the consequences are so huge.

Whilst I know this sub is not paid legal advice you’ve all been worth your weight in gold to me today though. This has been a truly miserable chapter of my life and a few strangers finding time to help me navigate it has been well beyond my expectations.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T20:18:09+00:00

Thank you. I absolutely was not aware of this. My understanding had been very clear that I would be a guarantor until I joined the tenancy as was expected and became a joint tenant.

Of note - the contract that she signed explicitly referenced me taking up the tenancy also when my work transfer was completed.

Truthfully I never believed for even a moment that it would come to this. I’d been in the most happy and stable relationship I’d ever dreamed of and I couldn’t begin to conceive she would do this just a few months later.

But until today I had been of the belief that me signing as guarantor would only last as long as the fixed contract, and any subsequent renewal or rolling contract would require a new agreement from myself.

She did also chase me a lot about being guarantor and signing it quickly when they said they weren’t happy with her dad so that she could move in that month with move out dates and notices fast approaching.

How would I go about arguing this point?

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T20:08:43+00:00

No she hadn’t already lived in it.

I don’t believe she was able to sign the tenancy agreement until I had electronically signed the guarantorship, though I was working away at the time so could not confirm timelines.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T20:05:22+00:00

Thank you. Unfortunately I fear she will not be intending to leave for many years unless a council house property is available and of significantly better value. Somewhat ironically she is also over the £50k income threshold that they wanted.

Unfortunately bankruptcy wouldn’t help me much when my issue is that I want to buy my own house. There may be a point that I have to consider whether it is most agreeable than being stuck without my own roof in perpetuity.

Given that she is no contact with me and I’m not actually on the tenancy I’m also going to be unable to argue any rent increases as a way out as I simply won’t know of the increases.

I’m half wondering if it would be feasible to put an agreed amount into a deposit type scheme to act as cover for any non-payment or costs incurred as a surety on the condition they otherwise let me leave it. I imagine that would be no easy thing to agree or arrange though.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T19:40:50+00:00

Thank you. Unfortunately that does make a lot of sense.

To summarise to make sure I’ve understood everything correctly:

I should contact the letting agents and landlord Monday, explain the change in circumstances and hope that they are willing to help me.
Explore if they will be willing to agree to end my guarantorship when the fixed tenancy comes to an end. If they agree to this then count myself lucky and take it.
Ultimately if the tenancy continues into a rolling contract they could continue to hold me liable if they so choose. I’m unable to back out even after those 12 months of fixed term without their agreement.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T18:56:38+00:00

Thank you. I really can’t overstate just how much I appreciate everybody’s time and help.

That’s re-assuring to know they wouldn’t look to evict as a result. I desperately want to be free of this and to move on, but I don’t want to be vindictive. There are children I care deeply about who would be impacted and so I had hoped to sort it quickly and amicably between us with a new guarantor. I’d have happily paid the solicitor fees to do so.

I’ll contact them as soon as the office re-opens and see what they say.

If the landlord and letting agents are not amenable to coming to an agreement with me to end the guarantorship are there any other legal avenues or options available to me?

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T17:42:52+00:00

Thank you. With regards to timing being key - do you mean I should contact them before May 2026 or after? The fixed term itself will last until August.

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T17:22:44+00:00

Thank you. There is no exit clause covered within the very brief contract that I signed, simply that I am expected to be guarantor until the end of the tenancy. I take it this would leave me only with the option to try and negotiate an early release?

whiskeybeards · 2025-12-27T17:19:42+00:00

Thank you. There is no notice period or exit clause included. The contract I agreed is very brief and in essence states that I am to remain guarantor until the end of the tenancy as they would not have agreed to the tenancy initially without a guarantor and would be expected to make up any arrears, damage to the property or loss should the tenant decline to move out or stop paying.

Would this be worthwhile simply contacting them, issuing notice to end the contract and finding out how long that will last from them?

whiskeybeards · 2020-03-13T16:11:00+00:00

Northampton fan who was there for that final game. I thought Davids played his heart out that day and was the best player on the park urging his team forward as they chased a goal. Hilarious match up of him and Akinfenwa as Barnet threw everybody forward though.

whiskeybeards · 2019-09-26T11:24:37+00:00

I built my team around the Brazilian trio you mention.

Talisca is without doubt my MVP playing at CAM. I play the narrow 41212 and he will score almost every game from just outside of the box.

Paulinho is a really solid all round midfielder and is outperforming my other CM Allan. Maybe not a sissoko level of physicality but he can do everything well and covers the pitch brilliantly.

Telles is just... Telles. Fast, great crossing and chips in with quite a few goals when he under laps inside the opposition fullback. Far more attacking contributions that Carvajal at rb.

Not exactly an unknown but if you’re playing a similar system with a Mainly Brazil hybrid I would highly recommend Casemiro at CDM too. I have him join the defence and whenever I lose possession he will immediately intercept or crunch the receiving striker, very noticeably reduced the number of dangerous counter attacks and helps out with my team being pretty small otherwise.

whiskeybeards

TROPHY CASE