Why Guarantors Don’t Always Work for Broken Leases
Broken Lease Team helps renters across Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio pair the right institutional guarantor with communities that actually accept one for a broken lease. With 15+ years of apartment locating experience and NAAL membership, our TREC-licensed agents (Broker License #9006179) track which properties accept which providers. A third-party guarantor company co-signs your lease for a fee - typically 5%-12% of annual rent, on top of your deposit and first month. On the community’s side, the guarantor covers the financial risk of the lease. On your side, you get a shot at communities that otherwise wouldn’t approve you.
The catch: guarantors solve financial risk, not behavioral risk. Some communities won’t accept a guarantor for a broken lease because they view the break itself as a pattern concern, not just a money problem. Those communities will happily take a guarantor from a renter with thin credit or short employment - but not from a renter with a broken lease flagged on NCAC, RealPage LeasingDesk, or SafeRent/CoreLogic screening.
Which communities fall on which side of that line is the thing our TREC-licensed agents track.
Six Guarantor Providers Accepted in Texas
Insurent is one of the oldest and most widely accepted. Fee typically 6%-13% of annual rent. Underwriting around 27.5x monthly rent in income.
TheGuarantors offers different tiers with fees usually 5%-10% of annual rent. Slightly more flexible underwriting; sometimes uses employment history and credit together.
Jetty covers guarantor plus renter-friendly financial products. Fee typically 5%-10%. Popular at newer, larger PMC portfolios.
RentWithCosign targets renters who wouldn’t qualify at the majors. Higher fee, more flexible underwriting. Not accepted everywhere.
Liberty Rent offers guarantor plus lease-insurance products. Underwriting varies by community relationship.
OneApp Guarantee is a newer entrant with more flexible income thresholds and a growing acceptance list.
Every provider has its own underwriting, so the same renter may qualify at one and not another. Every community has its own accepted-provider list, so the same institutional guarantor may be accepted at one property and rejected at another. A personal guarantor - a friend or family member who co-signs - is a different arrangement and most PMCs in Texas won’t accept one for a broken lease. Our list to you matches provider and community on both sides.
Here’s how the three most widely accepted providers compare:
| Provider | Typical Fee (of annual rent) | Income Underwriting |
|---|---|---|
| Insurent | 6%-13% | Around 27.5x monthly rent |
| TheGuarantors | 5%-10% | More flexible; credit + employment |
| Jetty | 5%-10% | Common at larger PMC portfolios |
How Much Does a Guarantor Cost?
Before you pay a guarantor fee, run the full move-in math. Here is a representative example on $1,500 monthly rent (2026 rates):
- First month’s rent: $1,500
- Security deposit (usually one month): $1,500
- Risk fee (if a broken-lease community also charges one): $500
- Guarantor fee (8% of annual rent): $1,440
Total move-in: ~$4,940. It’s a lot. If a community you can access without a guarantor is available in your target metro - whether that’s Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio - you often save two grand by taking that route. Some renters also look at surety bond or security deposit replacement products as alternatives, but those typically don’t cover the broken-lease approval gap the way a full guarantor does. We do this math with you before you commit.
Confirm Community Acceptance Before You Pay
| Feature | Typical Apartment Locator | Broken Lease Team |
|---|---|---|
| Confirms guarantor acceptance for broken leases | Rarely | Yes - before you apply |
| Tracks provider-to-community matching | No | Property-by-property across 5 TX metros |
| Cost to renter | Varies | 100% free |
| Named provider guidance (Insurent, TheGuarantors, Jetty, etc.) | Generic referral | Matched to your income and community |
We never send a client to a community with a guarantor without confirming first that the community accepts that specific provider for a broken-lease application. Getting denied after paying a $1,500 guarantor fee is the worst outcome we can prevent - and it’s entirely preventable if you check before you commit. Across Austin, Fort Worth, and every metro we cover, we confirm acceptance before you apply. It’s part of how we find apartments that accept broken leases that will actually honor a guarantor for your scenario.