TL;DR
When you need a guarantor to rent in Europe, what alternatives exist, and how guarantee systems work in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK.
Many European landlords require a guarantor, especially for tenants who are students, self-employed, newly arrived in the country, or earning below the typical 3x rent income threshold. If you don't have a local guarantor, the options are not obvious. This guide explains when guarantors are required, what alternatives exist, and how guarantee services work across major European markets.
What a Guarantor Does
A guarantor (Buerge in German, garant in French, avalista in Spanish, garante in Italian) is a person or entity that agrees to pay the rent if the tenant cannot. The guarantor signs a separate document, usually an acte de cautionnement or Buergschaftserklaerung, committing to cover unpaid rent, damages, and sometimes utility arrears. The guarantor's liability can be capped (caution simple) or unlimited (caution solidaire, where the landlord can pursue the guarantor immediately without first pursuing the tenant).
Country-Specific Requirements
France
France has the most developed guarantor culture in Europe. Most private landlords require a garant who earns at least 3x the monthly rent and is a French tax resident. For tenants who cannot provide a personal guarantor, the government-backed Visale guarantee (administered by Action Logement) covers tenants under 30 and employees in certain categories. Visale is free, covers up to 36 months of unpaid rent, and is accepted by most landlords. For those who don't qualify for Visale, private guarantee services (Garantme, Unkle, SmartGarant) charge 3-4% of annual rent and act as the institutional guarantor. Since the Loi ALUR, a landlord who has already obtained rent guarantee insurance (GLI) cannot also require a personal guarantor (except from students).
Germany
Guarantors (Buergen) are common for students, trainees, and recent immigrants. The Mietbuergschaft is typically provided by a parent and is often a self-limiting guarantee (Buergschaft auf erstes Anfordern is rare; most are standard Buergschaften). German law (BGB 551) caps the total security the landlord can demand at 3 months' cold rent, and the Bundesgerichtshof has ruled that the deposit and guarantee combined should not exceed this cap, though interpretations vary. Institutional guarantee services (Kautionsfrei, Moneyfix) offer Mietkautionsbuergschaften that replace the cash deposit with a guarantee certificate, typically costing 3-5% of the deposit amount per year. These do not replace a personal guarantor but eliminate the upfront deposit.
Spain
Personal guarantors (avalistas) are common in Spain, particularly for young tenants and foreigners. The avalista typically needs to demonstrate income of at least 3-4x the monthly rent and provide a copy of their most recent tax declaration (Declaracion de la Renta). An alternative to a personal guarantor is paying additional months of rent upfront (6-12 months is not uncommon for foreign tenants without Spanish credit history). Some agencies accept a bank guarantee (aval bancario), where the tenant's bank issues a guarantee letter; this typically requires the full guarantee amount to be frozen in the account.
Italy
Guarantors (garanti or fideiussori) are less systematically required in Italy than in France, but landlords in competitive markets (Milan, Rome) increasingly ask for them. The fideiussione can be personal or institutional (from a bank or insurance company). Bank guarantees (fideiussione bancaria) are common for corporate tenants and cost 1-3% of the guaranteed amount per year. For individuals, the typical guarantor is a parent or employer. Some agencies in Italy arrange corporate guarantees for employees relocating to Italy.
Netherlands
Guarantors are less common in the Netherlands for standard rentals. Landlords focus more on income verification (typically requiring proof of income at least 3-4x the monthly rent). For international tenants who cannot provide Dutch income proof, some landlords accept a guarantee from the employer, an international bank guarantee, or several months' rent paid upfront. The concept of borgtocht (guarantee) exists in Dutch civil law but is used more in commercial than residential contexts. Agencies specialising in expat relocation can advise on alternatives.
United Kingdom
UK guarantors must typically be UK residents with sufficient income. Landlords commonly require a guarantor for students, tenants on benefits, and those with poor credit history. The guarantor is usually jointly and severally liable for the full tenancy. For tenants without a UK-based guarantor, services like Housing Hand and UK Guarantor provide institutional guarantees for a fee (typically one week's rent or a percentage of annual rent). Some landlords accept 6 months' rent upfront as an alternative. Guarantor requirements have increased since the Tenant Fees Act limited the deposit landlords can take.
Alternatives When You Have No Guarantor
If a personal guarantor is not available, consider: government-backed schemes (Visale in France), institutional guarantee services (available in France, Germany, UK, and increasingly Spain and Italy), paying several months' rent upfront (effective everywhere, but ties up significant capital), employer guarantees (common for corporate relocations), larger security deposits where legally permitted, rent guarantee insurance paid by the tenant (the landlord is the beneficiary), or working with an agency that has relationships with flexible landlords.