Q.

My husband and I are conservatively worth over $2m. We recently offered to pay a deposit for our son's first home and be guarantors - he is only borrowing $120,000. Our bank, which handles all our finances, told our son we could not be guarantors as we were considered commercial customers. We have two farms, both over 25 acres and we are in another business turning over $1m a year. Our son was also told if we were just residential owners with jobs there would not have been a problem. We don't understand - is this correct, and if so, can you explain why?

It does seem a very strange statement by a bank. I suggest you try another bank or else take out a small loan in your own names to lend to your son as additional deposit.