What is a guarantor, and what are the alternatives to renting without one?
Short answer: A guarantor is one of the accepted forms of lease security, but not the only one. Regente accepts four options: guarantor, security deposit insurance, capitalization bond, and CredPago — and only one can be used per contract.
What a lease guarantee is
A lease guarantee is required by the owner to cover potential non-payment. The Tenancy Law (Law 8.245/91, art. 37) lists the legal options and establishes that only one guarantee is allowed per contract — you can’t combine a guarantor with security deposit insurance, for example.
How it works in practice
- Guarantor: an individual who owns property free and clear and takes on the debt if the tenant fails to pay. No direct cost to the tenant, but it requires the guarantor’s full documentation and a credit check. An updated property title certificate (matrícula, no more than 30 days old) is mandatory.
- Security deposit insurance (seguro fiança): arranged with a partner insurer. Estimated annual cost between 8% and 12% of the rent. No guarantor needed. Approval follows the insurer’s own criteria.
- Capitalization bond (título de capitalização): a deposit equal to 3 to 6 months’ rent placed into a financial bond. The amount is locked for the duration of the lease and returned at the end, with potential for a small return.
- CredPago: fast digital approval through a simplified credit check. Cost of roughly 7% to 10% of the rent, included in the monthly invoice. Good for tenants who want speed without a guarantor.
- Formalization: once you choose an option, the documentation is gathered, Tatiane completes the credit check, and the contract is sent for digital signature.
Practical example in Florianópolis
A teacher relocating to Florianópolis wants to rent in Córrego Grande (R$ 2,500/month) without a local guarantor. She compared security deposit insurance (~R$ 200–250/month) and CredPago (~R$ 175–250/month, approval in 24 hours). She chose CredPago for the speed: the contract was signed digitally and the keys confirmed within two business days.
Related questions
- What documents are required to rent a property?
- How does the annual rent adjustment work?
- What is the move-in/move-out inspection, and why does it matter?
- Who pays property tax on a rental: landlord or tenant?
Need help? Talk to a Regente agent.