Renters Rights Act 2025: New tenancy freedoms for students
The Renters Rights Act shakes up England's student rental market, allowing tenants to leave with two months' notice while landlords warn of rent hikes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Renters Rights Act came into force in May, giving English students freedom to leave tenancies early.
- Fixed-term contracts ended, replaced by rolling tenancies requiring two-month notice periods.
- NUS says students can save money on summer rent by moving home earlier.
- Landlords warn that vacant summer properties could force rent increases or market exits.
The Renters Rights Act, which came into force in May, represents one of the most significant overhauls for tenants in England in a generation, aiming to provide greater stability and security for millions renting from private landlords. The legislation has simultaneously triggered a major shake-up in the student rental market, introducing fresh challenges for property owners by allowing students to terminate tenancy agreements rather than remaining locked in for the full academic year.
Eddie Lever, a 20-year-old student at the University of Exeter, found himself impacted after realizing his course was not the right fit and deciding to switch to international relations at the University of York. Although he had already arranged his housing for the upcoming year, the legislative changes meant Eddie only needed to provide two months' notice before ending his tenancy and stopping rental payments.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The legislation officially ended fixed-term tenancies, under which renters were previously bound by contracts spanning a specific number of months, typically covering the full academic year for students. Properties are now rented on a rolling basis, meaning tenants pay rent weekly or monthly with no fixed termination date. University-owned halls of residence and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation remain exempt, continuing to offer fixed-term contracts primarily affecting private sector student rentals.
The abolition of fixed-term contracts marks a structural turning point in the UK housing market. Historically, student rental demand surged predictably around academic calendars. Injecting this level of flexibility into tenant rights fundamentally alters risk management for landlords, shifting the balance of power and forcing property operators to adapt pricing strategies to account for potential vacancy gaps.
Lewis Wilson, vice president for higher education at the National Union of Students (NUS), noted that this flexibility enables students to reduce living costs by moving back home for the summer months once courses conclude. Furthermore, Wilson emphasized that students benefit from broader provisions within the act, including a ban on private landlords evicting tenants without valid justification, which campaigners argue grants renters enhanced security to request necessary property repairs without fear of retaliatory eviction.
However, heightened flexibility for student tenants translates to reduced certainty for landlords. Chris Norris, chief policy officer at the National Residential Landlords Association, argued that the primary threat involves tenants departing prematurely due to dropped courses or flatmate disputes, presenting higher volatility compared to family renters who rarely relocate after just a few months.
"If you were to fall out with your flatmates or if you decide that university is not for you, being locked into a full-term contract can be really prohibitive financially."
Eddie Lever
Norris cautioned that eliminating fixed contracts could leave student houses empty over the summer or even earlier, making it difficult for landlords to secure short-term occupants without autumn guarantees. Although the act includes specific grounds for landlords to reclaim student properties at the end of the academic year, Norris warned that some providers might raise monthly rents to hedge against summer vacancies, sell up entirely, or abandon the student housing sector altogether, ultimately restricting supply and driving prices upward.
Source: BBC Politics
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