Advice on new shorthold tenancy

My daughter has signed an agreement to let a house for 11 months with other student friends via a letting agent, I signed a guarantor form and will be paying the rent.

I just noticed that the agreement calls for 3 post-dated cheques for termly rent amounts to be handed in before keys will be released.

I have already paid the deposit, but this approach seems quite unfair to me, I have offered to pay monthly in advance but the agent said they will not release keys to my daughter without the cheques.

Most of the other parents have caved in.

Is this type of agreement normal? What should I do next? What is the letting agent likely to do then?

I want to make sure that my daughter gets the house but I'm irritated at what appears to be unfair terms and want to stand up to them.