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If you are renting privately whilst you are studying, you should be aware that the law around private renting is changing on 1st May, 2026, with the Renters’ Rights Act coming into effect. These changes will have an impact on how you rent, what your rights are, and what obligations are placed on landlords.
Please be aware that these changes do not apply if you are living in UCL Halls, or if you are a lodger who lives with their landlord.
If you are currently living in Private Halls (sometimes referred to as Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)), there may be some impact on your tenancy in the coming months due to the transitional period.
Important legal information
This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Your individual situation may be different, and housing law can be complex. This guide cannot cover every scenario or answer every question about your specific circumstances.
You should seek advice if you’re facing eviction, in a dispute with your landlord, unsure about your rights, or making important decisions about your tenancy. Don’t rely solely on this guide for legal matters. Please use this contact form to get in touch with the Students' Union Advice service about your individual circumstances.
What is changing?
Tenancy Agreements
Assured Shorthold tenancies (ASTs) are currently the most common form of tenancy agreements for students. From the 1st May 2026, ASTs will no longer exist. If you have an AST agreement, you will now become an assured tenant under an Assured Periodic Tenancy. It does not matter if your tenancy agreement still states it is an AST. This means that:
- Your tenancy agreement will be a periodic tenancy, on a rolling basis, typically monthly, with no fixed end-date. Fixed-term tenancies will no longer exist.
- To end the agreement, you must serve a valid notice to quit to your landlord. A valid notice to quit must be served two months before the date you would like the tenancy to end, ending on your ‘rent day’ - the date you usually pay rent on.
Paying rent in advance
Right now, it is common for landlords to ask students who do not have a UK based guarantor for a significant amount of rent upfront – usually for 6 to 12 months.
From 1st May it will be unlawful for landlords to demand rent before a tenancy has been entered into. After the tenancy has been signed, a landlord can take a maximum of one month’s rent. Once the tenancy has started, the landlord can only demand one month of rent at a time, but tenants can choose to pay more. For example, you might want to pay your rent in termly lump sums, in line with your student loan payments. But crucially, you do not have to, and if you want to pay monthly, it’s your right to.
You should not pay any rent before you enter into a tenancy agreement.
If a landlord asks for more than one month’s rent in advance or asks for or accepts rent before you have entered into a tenancy agreement, it could be a sign of a scam. You can report them to your local council. Councils will be able to fine landlords who do not follow the rules on rent paid in advance. You can find your local council here.
Evictions
Until 1st May, landlords will be able to use a Section 21 notice to evict tenants. Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict tenants without reason.
After 1st May, landlords will not be able to use Section 21 notices to evict tenants. If a landlord wants to end your tenancy, they will have to give you a reason and typically 4 months’ notice, using a valid Section 8 notice. Once the law changes, they will also not be able to use a break clause to end your tenancy, even if your tenancy agreement contains a break clause.
If you have rent arrears (missed or late rent payments), your landlord may be able to give you less notice, which could be between 2 to 4 weeks.
Landlords may also be able to use Ground 4A (a new ground), under Section 8, to end a tenancy in line with the academic year, provided all tenants in the property are full‑time students. This is so landlords are able to let to a new group of students for the next academic year. This notice should be served to you at least 4 months in advance.
Ending a Tenancy
As tenancy agreements will now be periodic, you will be able to end your agreement by providing your landlord with 2 months’ notice.
If you and your housemates have a joint tenancy, one tenant giving the landlord notice will end the tenancy for all tenants.
If your fixed term is due to end on or after 1st May, it will become a periodic tenancy. If you want to move out when your fixed term ends, you must give your landlord notice two months before the date you would like to move out.
Rent Increases
At present, your landlord can pressure you to agree to a rent increase at any time.
From 1st May, your landlord will only be able to increase your rent once a year, and you should receive at least 2 months’ notice of any increase. This is the case even if your tenancy agreement states otherwise.
If you think the proposed rent increase is too high, you will be able to go to a tribunal to contest the new rent. The tribunal can set a lower rent if they agree that the rent increase is too high, or they may agree that the proposed rent increase is appropriate, but they will not be able to increase your rent to higher than what your landlord wants.
Pets in your rental home
Currently, landlords can refuse a request to keep a pet for any reason. However, when the law changes, tenants will have a right to request a pet which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. Landlords will have 4 weeks to reply to your request in writing. Any tenancy clauses prohibiting pets will no longer be enforceable, but you must make a request to your landlord if you wish to keep a pet.
Rental Bidding
Rental bidding is a common practice where prospective tenants compete for a property by offering to pay more than the advertised rent, often encouraged by agents or landlords in high-demand areas, like London. From 1st May, rental bidding will be banned, and properties must be advertised to let at a fixed rent. Landlords or letting agents who encourage or accept bids higher than the fixed rent advertised could be fined by your local council.
If you are currently in a tenancy agreement that continues into 1st May or you have signed a tenancy agreement which starts on or after 1st May, these changes will still apply.
What this means for you now:
- If your tenancy is due to end before July 1st and you would like to leave on the date that your fixed-term contract was due to end
- You should contact your landlord and ask for them to accept a shorter notice so your tenancy can end on the same date as your fixed term. Please note, they do not have to agree to this, but it is worth asking. If they do not agree to this, you should serve a notice to quit ending on your ‘rent day’ (the day you normally pay rent on), and your tenancy will end two months after the day you serve that notice.
Tenants currently in ASTs can only serve notice from 1st May, as this is when your tenancy becomes a periodic agreement, but you can still contact your landlord to agree for your tenancy to end on the same date. - If your tenancy is due to end on or after 1st July and you would like to leave on the date that your fixed-term contract was due to end
- You should serve a notice to quit to your landlord two months before the date you would like for your tenancy to end, ending on your ‘rent day’ - the date you normally pay rent on.
- If you have been served a Section 21 notice
- - If it was served before 1st May, it can still be valid, provided it meets existing legal requirements for Section 21 notices
- If it was served on or after 1st May, it will not be valid, and to end the tenancy, your landlord will need to serve a Section 8 notice under valid grounds. - If you have a joint tenancy and one of your housemates serves a notice to quit on or after 1st May
- The tenancy will end for all tenants two months after the day the notice to quit was served. You can negotiate a new contract with your landlord if you and other tenants want to stay in the property .
- If your landlord serves a Section 8 notice under Grounds 4A on or after May 1st, but before or on 31st July 2026
- Landlords can serve just two months’ notice during this period (rather than the standard four months) to evict you
After 31st July 2026, the four months’ notice period applies.
This notice is only valid if all tenants in the household are students . - If you are already living in a PBSA/Private Hall under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement
- On 1st May, it's expected that your AST will be change to a periodic Assured Tenancy and you will be able to give 2 months notice, ending on your rent day to terminate your agreement. Please see here.
Please note that rent paid in advance does not have to be refunded. You may negotiate with your landlord for a partial refund if you leave early, but they do not have an obligation to give this.
For advice around your specific circumstances, please use this contact form to get in touch with the Students' Union Advice service.
For more information on the Renters’ Rights Act and how it will affect students who privately rent:
- UniPol have an article here outlining the impact of Renters’ Rights Act on student renting, including a helpful FAQs section
- Shelter explains here how the Renters’ Rights Act impacts private tenants
- For private renters in Camden, Camden Council is running a series of events for Camden Private Renters' Week to explain what the changes mean for you