Help with renting a home – Rent Guarantor Scheme
If you live outside Somerset, we will still support you. We will visit when we can, although this may not be as often. We will also help make sure you can get the right support from services near where you live.
Sometimes, when you rent a home from a private landlord, they ask for a guarantor. A guarantor is someone who promises to pay the rent if you are unable to. This is often a family member, but it can be someone else you trust.
If you are a care leaver aged 18 to 25, Somerset Council can act as your guarantor through the Corporate Rent Guarantor Scheme. This means the Council can give landlords extra reassurance while you are learning to manage your own tenancy.
The guarantor support will stay in place until your 25th birthday. After that, you will be responsible for paying all of your rent yourself.
To use this scheme, you will need to show that you:
- feel emotionally ready to manage a tenancy
- can manage rent payments
- are unlikely to get into debt
Once you are on the scheme, it is important to tell your Leaving Care Worker as soon as possible if your money situation changes and you are struggling to pay your rent.
To apply, speak to your Leaving Care Worker. They will help you understand the scheme and guide you through the next steps.