We're hoping to rent for a whilewhen our flat sale goes through, have found a place we like but the agent insists on a UK home-owning guarantor. All well and good & we were going to ask my Dad, but they've just sent through the depth of detail they need. They want him to provide 6 mths of bank statement, annual income (gross & net figures) and to top it all, his debit card details (including security code etc). I seem to remember from being in the rental market as a student that guarantors just needed to provide a letter! Does this sound right to you?
I can understand the principle that they want to be able to take money from him if we don't pay up but I can't imagine my Dad being at all willing to hand over this kind of personal information, especially in these times of identity theft etc. Does anyone know if the agents have any legal basis for demanding this kind of personal detail? And if so what kind of safeguards we can ask for to keep my Dad's information safe?
