Rent Guarantor Scheme

Due to the cost of living increase, we have increased the rental limit from £700 to £900 per month. If you have been previously rejected from this scheme because your rental amount was over £700, we would encourage you to submit a new application form. 

Priority will be given to

Asylum Seekers

Refugees

Victims of domestic violence

Victims of Global Conflict

Care leavers or estranged students

The University is prepared to act as Rent Guarantor for rent payable under a Short Assured Tenancy or Private Residential Tenancy if you do not have a UK guarantor. This is provided should you:

• be a full-time student matriculated onto a degree programme at the University of Edinburgh and have at least 6 months remaining on your programme of study
• have no debts to the University of Edinburgh
• be progressing academically in your programme of studies. Please note that the University reserves the right to postpone the processing of your application if you have a history of repeat studies or re-sits until such time as we are satisfied that you will be able to progress with your studies.
• be able to demonstrate that you have the finances in place to maintain your rent payments during the tenancy
• be able to provide a satisfactory accommodation reference either from the University's Accommodation Services or the landlord with whom you are currently renting from (not applicable for new students).
• if the tenancy is subject to a 'joint and several' liability contract, then all named tenants must be eligible and applying to the scheme.

For new students, who are not yet fully matriculated at the University, if you meet the eligibility requirements we would be able to provisionally approve your application. This would provide you with a letter from the University that can be used as evidence of a guarantor for landlords/letting agencies. 

We would be unable to provide a final official approval until you have completed the following:

• Completed annual registration
• Confirm your attendance
• Accepted regulations

Further details about registering can be found here: Completing Online Registration.

Please see the ‘Next steps if you do not meet Eligibility Criteria’ section of the webpage for further types of support. 

If you are applying for a property with other tenants, under a joint tenancy, then please note that all named tenants must be eligible and also applying to the scheme. This is because joint tenancies are usually subject to a 'joint and several' liability clause. The term 'joint and several' in a contract means that those who are party to the contract will be liable (responsible) for the rent as individual people and as a group. For example: Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 enter into a joint tenancy, they are responsible to pay the rent together. If Tenant 1 does not pay, then Tenant 2 is also responsible for the rent.

• The guarantee will cover rent only. It will not cover utility bills, if your intended property includes rent and utilities within the tenancy agreement your application will not be approved. 
• The current rental limit is £900 per calendar month.
• The University will only guarantee a tenancy agreement for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months.
• Should you wish to remain in the property after 12 months, you would have to re-apply to the scheme. 

Under this scheme, you will pay rent directly to the landlord or your agent/landlord as instructed by them. If you require the university to pay your rent, you must promptly notify the Scholarships and Student Funding Services Manager by e-mail, stating the reasons for the non-payment along with the amount due and the due date, so that arrangements can be made to pay the rent on your behalf.

Landlords must also notify the Scholarships and Student Funding Services Manager by e-mail if the rent is two months in arrears.

If the University of Edinburgh is required to pay rent on your behalf, the University will invoice you and the debt will be added to your University account.

Please note that all supporting documents are required to enable us to assess your application and so please have these prepared prior to applying.

You should complete the application form and submit it along with the required supporting documents in order to be considered under this scheme. Please note that we do not accept any screenshots as valid documentation. 

You will be required to submit:

• evidence of future funding to demonstrate that you have the funding in place to cover your rent for the coming year e.g. last 2 months parental bank statements/payslips (2 months up until the date of application)
• your last two months bank statements for all bank accounts you hold in your name (2 months up until the date of application)
• an official reference letter from the University's Accommodation Services (if you stayed in University accommodation during the previous year) or the landlord with whom you rented during the previous year
• proposed dates for moving
• terms and conditions of the lease, including the prospective tenant's details (for all tenants) and the property's details (this is a copy of the formal lease but does not need to be signed at the point of applying to the scheme)

We are accepting applications to the scheme. Please note that you would not be able to be fully assessed and approved without finding a property to rent. Please check the list of all the documents you will need as listed in 'Application Procedure' before you apply.

When it has been agreed to support an application, you will be required to pay an annual administration fee of £30. Once this has been received, a rent guarantee agreement will be drawn up which the University will require you to sign confirming your responsibility for rent owed and paid by the University on your behalf.

It can take up to 20 working days from receipt to process a complete application, you will receive an email informing you of the decision.

**PLEASE CHECK WITH THE LETTING AGENCY TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT THE UNIVERSITY AS A GUARANTOR BEFORE STARTING YOUR APPLICATION**

Application Form 

Why was my application rejected?

• Incomplete applications
• Documents missing
• Information not supplied by your room mates
• Not supplying follow up information requested by Scholarships and Student Funding within the set timescale

These timescales are indicative and during periods of high volumes of applications, our processing timescale may be longer.

If your application to be considered under this scheme is rejected and you disagree with this decision, you will be entitled to appeal in writing to studentfunding@ed.ac.uk.  Students will be required to clearly indicate how they believe an incorrect decision has been made. You will be informed of the outcome of your appeal within seven working days.

EUSA Advice Place staff will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have sufficient grounds to request a review.

Thank you for your interest in our Scheme and for assisting our students to obtain private tenancies. We are aware that not all letting agents and landlords are familiar with how the University's Rent Guarantor Scheme works. The process for successful applicants to this scheme is that once an applicant is approved, we would send a letter to the relevant landlord/letting agency to confirm the University was acting as guarantor for rent only for a time limited period; up to a maximum of 1 year*. 

Unfortunately, we cannot complete guarantor forms and/or sign leases and this is because it would be the University acting as guarantor for successful applicants, not an individual member of staff. 

Please note that due to data protection we will not be able to correspond on behalf of and between students and landlords/letting agents.

If you have any questions about the Rent Guarantor Scheme please contact us for further information. 

*with the option for applicants to reapply to the Scheme the following year if they wish to continue in their tenancy and are still eligible.

If you do not meet the eligiblity criteria for the Rent Guarantor Scheme, you can contact the EUSA Advice Place who can provide accommodation advice.

The University also offers accommodation, for further information please visit the University's Accommodation webpage.

Rental amounts in the UK vary widely from city to city and between house types. Most students can expect to pay anything from £70 to £200 per week.

With rent being the biggest student cost to budget for, it's really important to know what you can afford to pay for the whole tenancy.

Please use the rent calculator to help you identify how much you can afford when renting in Edinburgh.