Rent guarantor scheme
The ICR Rent Guarantor Scheme is a way of us helping eligible students to obtain rented accommodation in London, which we recognise can be particularly difficult for people who haven’t previously lived in the UK.
Many landlords ask for a larger deposit if individuals are unable to provide a rent guarantor—such as by asking for payment of six months’ rent in advance. For those students who meet the eligibility criteria, the ICR may, at its discretion, be able to act as their rent guarantor so they can more easily secure affordable accommodation during their PhD studies.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the scheme, an individual must be:
- a full-time registered PhD student in receipt of a stipend paid by the ICR (or have accepted a formal offer for the same);
- free of debt with the ICR; and
- the sole named renter on a proposed tenancy agreement that requires a UK-based rent guarantor for no more than £1,200 per month in rent and for a maximum of 52 weeks.
Further detail is available in the terms and conditions.
Where the ICR is not able to act as guarantor, other schemes are available via external third party providers, such as:
Applicants should note that any arrangements made with external providers are at their own risk and the ICR will not pay for any associated costs.
The guarantee
The ICR will usually act as rent guarantor for up to 20 students at any time. Places will be offered on a first come, first served basis.
The guarantee will be strictly in respect of rent only—bills are excluded from this arrangement. Applicants to the scheme will also remain responsible for the payment of any deposit required by the landlord.
How to apply
In order to apply, students should find an appropriate property and complete the online rent guarantor application form. Please apply as early as possible—applications may take several days to be approved.
Immediately upon completion of the form, a copy of the tenancy agreement should be emailed to [email protected]. Applicants must also read the Rent Guarantor Scheme terms and conditions before they apply.
Once all of the required information has been submitted, applicants will be informed of the ICR’s decision as soon as possible. Successful applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable £60 fee and will receive a formal confirmation letter stating that the ICR will act as their rent guarantor.
Rent guarantor terms and conditions
What happens if a student is unable to pay their rent?
Where the ICR has acted as guarantor, in the event that a student is unable to pay their rent, they should immediately contact their landlord and the rent guarantor scheme administrator at [email protected] to discuss their situation.
They may also seek advice and support from the ICR’s Employee & Student Assistance Programme (details are on the ICR’s intranet site, Nexus). If all avenues of support have been exhausted, the ICR will pay the individual’s rent for an agreed period of time.
The student will then be invoiced for any rent paid by the ICR.
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