Someone asked you to back them. Here's exactly what that means.
Plain, honest answers — no noise. So you can decide with confidence, and protect both your finances and your relationship.
What happens on your side
Here's how it works. Five simple steps. See how it all fits together.
You're invited
The borrower nominates you, and we send you an invitation by email
See what you'd agree to
Plain information and answers before anything is signed. Read our FAQs for more information.
We complete our checks
We make sure the loan is affordable for you. We also complete a short understanding check to make sure you know what you're committing to.
Confirm & e-sign
If you're happy, you e-sign and the loan is approved.
Pass the money on
The loan lands in your account first, you then send it on to the borrower.
As a built-in safeguard, the money is paid into your bank account. It's a standard guarantor-loan protection, a clear, final moment for you to confirm you understand before passing the funds on.
Can you be a guarantor?
A few simple criteria, if you tick these, you're likely able to back someone. We run our own affordability check before you sign, so you'll only be approved if we believe you can comfortably stand behind them.
Knows the borrower well- A good credit history
- Aged 18 or over & a UK resident
- A regular monthly income of £1,250
- A UK bank account with a debit card
- Ideally a homeowner
What you're agreeing to, and what you're not.
Being a guarantor on a loan isn't the same as taking one out together. It's not a joint loan, the debt stays the borrower's, and you're a safety net. Here's exactly how it works.
If payments are made
Nothing changes for you. Your credit is unaffected and you're never contacted for money.
If payments are missed
We speak to the borrower first and provide them the support they need, but we'll keep you posted. You can step-in at anytime and make a payment.
As a last resort
If they fall badly behind you would be asked to cover the full loan. We'll always keep you updated before this happens.
Your role as a guarantor
- Only agree if you trust the borrower You should have an open and honest relationship and be comfortable to talk about money.
- You know what you are getting into Make sure you understand and are ready for the commitment. If the borrower gets badly behind you will have to cover the loan.
- Stay in the loop You'll have your own view of the loan, through an online account. You can see what payments have been made or missed.
FAQs for guarantors
Someone's asked me to be their guarantor, what should I do?
Take your time with this. Being asked means someone believes you'll help them take a real step forward. It's a big ask, so it's not something to decide on the spot. Before you agree, make sure you understand what's involved, check you're comfortable with the risk if things don't go to plan, and ask us anything you're unsure about. Then it's your choice, and either answer is a fair one. Grab a cuppa and take your time — we'll still be here.
What does it mean to be a guarantor?
Being a guarantor means agreeing to repay the loan if the borrower can't. It's a real, legal commitment, not just a formality, so it's worth taking your time over. If the borrower pays on time every month, you won't need to pay a penny. But if they can't keep up and fall badly behind with their payments, we'll ask you to repay everything that's left on the loan, not just the missed payments. We'll tell you in advance if we think this might be about to happen, to give you time to do something about it. If you don't make this payment, it may make it harder to get credit in the future, and legal action may be taken against you.
Will this affect my credit score?
We run a soft search only when you apply. If the borrower pays on time, there'll be no record on your credit file. If we have to ask you to pay and you do, there'll also be no record on your file. The only time there would be an entry on your credit file is if the borrower gets badly behind with payment, and we ask you to pay, and then you don't pay.
Been invited to be a guarantor?
Review everything before you decide. No obligation.
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