Tenant makes unusual crowdfunding plea to pay £12,000 ‘upfront’ rent

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A mature international student has turned to a crowdfunding site to raise £12,000 after his landlord demanded a year’s rent upfront.

Mohamed Elsawwah, who lives in Birmingham with his wife and three children, has been studying international business in the UK for the last eight months and is trying to raise the cash in an appeal on Crowdfunder. He has yet to attract any donors.

“I moved here to pursue higher education, but due to visa restrictions, I am not allowed to work to support my family,” says Elsawwah.

Dire need

“Unfortunately, our landlord has asked us to pay 12 months’ rent in advance, which we cannot afford at the moment. We are in dire need of your support to help us raise the required funds and avoid becoming homeless.”

He adds that as well as applying for grants and scholarships, he’s looking for fundraising ideas to help reach his goal.

Adds Elsawwah: “We understand that these are challenging times, and many people are facing their own financial difficulties. However, we are grateful for any support that you can provide and promise to pay it forward once we are in a more stable financial position.”

Graham Hayward, COO at rent guarantor service Housing Hand, says it’s clearly a ridiculous situation and exactly why his company was formed in the first place – more than 10 years ago.

“If he can share his student credentials and provide a co-signer we would be happy to assist,” he tells LandlordZONE. “Occasionally landlords are fussy on who the guarantor is, but we have a 100% pay-out record and are backed by a highly rated insurance company.”

Read more about rent guarantors.

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