f you’re at fault

Landlords can give you notice to evict at any point in the tenancy if you do something wrong. There are many grounds, but they include:

• Anti-social behaviour
• Damaging the property
• Falling into significant rent arrears

The rules for rent arrears eviction have improved slightly. Previously, landlords could start eviction proceedings if you were two months behind on rent. Now it’s three months, and the notice period increased from two weeks to four weeks. This gives you more time to catch up on rent while ensuring landlords don’t face unsustainable costs.

What this means for you

For the first year of your tenancy, your landlord can’t kick you out just because they want to sell or move back in. After the first year, they can, but they have to give you four months’ notice.

If your landlord tries to evict you

Don’t ignore eviction notices.  Get advice immediately if your landlord serves you with any eviction notice, whether for rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or any other reason. There are strict procedures landlords must follow, and you have rights even if they have grounds to evict you.

Important for students
Being accused of noise or antisocial behaviour is one of the ways landlords can evict you under the new rules. Be mindful of noise complaints from neighbours.

 

From 1 May 2026, all tenancies will be “periodic” rather than “fixed term”.

What’s the difference between fixed-term and periodic?

Fixed-term tenancy

You sign a contract to rent for a specific period – e.g., exactly 12 months from 1 September to 31 August. You’re locked in for that whole period.

Periodic tenancy

Your tenancy runs month-to-month with no set end date. You can usually leave by giving at least two months’ written notice, and that notice normally has to end on your “rent day” – the date you usually pay rent on.

The new Act is abolishing fixed terms for these tenancies, so all new tenancies will be periodic.

This only applies if you live in an HMO – a house let to three or more students.

HMO landlords get special treatment through something called “Ground 4A”. This allows HMO landlords to take back the house between 1 June and 30 September each year to re-let it to the next group of students.

 What is Ground 4A?

Ground 4A allows landlords to evict you during the summer (1 June to 30 September) so they can rent to the next year’s students. It’s designed around the academic calendar so landlords aren’t left with empty houses over summer.

The landlord has to tell you they plan to use this rule when you sign your tenancy, they can’t introduce it later.

How it works:

• The landlord has to tell you when you sign the tenancy that they plan to use Ground 4A
• They have to give you 4 months’ notice
• To avoid having the property sit empty and losing rent, landlords may use Ground 4A to evict you in June, so they can start the next group of students as early as possible

Important rule: If the landlord of a student house wants to use Ground 4A, you can’t sign your tenancy agreement more than six months before you move in.

 What this means for you

If you want to move in on 1 September, you can’t sign your contract before 1 March. This stops landlords pressuring you to sign super early in the year when you don’t have enough information yet.

From 1 May 2026, landlords can only increase rent once per year during a tenancy and must follow a procedure, giving at least two months’ notice. You can challenge any increase you think is too high at a Tribunal (a bit like a court where an independent person makes decisions about rent disputes).

What’s a Tribunal?

A Tribunal is a bit like a court. It’s where an independent person (a bit like a judge) makes decisions about disputes between you and your landlord.

For rent disputes, you can take your case to a Tribunal if you think a rent increase is unfair, and they’ll decide whether it’s reasonable based on similar properties in your area.

Landlords can no longer use “rent review clauses” in contracts to push through increases during a tenancy. These were clauses that said rent would automatically go up by a certain amount.

Important limitation: Landlords can still increase rents between tenancies. So, if you move out and new tenants move in, the landlord can charge them more than they charged you.

From 1 May 2026, landlords offering assured tenancies can no longer demand more than one month’s rent in advance once a tenancy agreement has been entered into. This closes a common loophole that previously allowed landlords to require three, six or even twelve months up front — especially from students without UK guarantors. 

What counts as ‘rent in advance’?

It means any rent payment required after the tenancy agreement is signed but before it falls due under the standard monthly cycle. The law caps that to one month’s rent only.

Where to find the details

Because the effect of this rule depends on when you signed your tenancy – before or after the 1 May 2026 commencement date – we’ve included tailored explanations in each of the three transition scenarios further in this guide.

If you’re unsure what this means for you, check which of the three timelines applies and read that section carefully. If you are still unsure,  please get in touch with us.

A guarantor is someone (usually a parent or family member) who signs a legal agreement promising to pay your rent if you can’t or won’t. Landlords often require guarantors for students because you don’t have a regular income or much rental history.

From 1 May 2026, upfront rent payments will be strictly capped at one month’s rent maximum. Previously, some landlords asked for 3, 6, or even 12 months’ rent upfront.

The problem this creates

This will be a significant issue for students without access to a UK guarantor.

The guarantor usually needs to be UK-based, earn above a certain amount (often 2-3 times the annual rent), and be a homeowner.

This creates problems for international students whose parents live abroad. Previously, international students and others without a UK guarantor could get around this requirement by paying large amounts of rent upfront. Now that’s not possible.

The solution

 Students who need a guarantor can now use a guarantor insurance service. These services charge between 4% and 20% of the total rent, so costs vary significantly between providers.

Important rights

Be aware that letting agents may be “on commission” from particular guarantor services, which could influence their recommendations. While landlords can insist on you having a guarantor, they cannot insist you use a particular guarantor service. This means you need to shop around to find the best deal rather than simply accepting whatever service the letting agent suggests.

Need help with guarantor issues?

There may be alternative options or negotiation strategies. You may be able to access university hardship funds to contribute towards guarantor insurance costs, and you can seek advice on this from the university Money Advice team via 01273 642888,  [email protected], or by visiting the Student Information Desk at your campus.

From 1 May 2026, landlords and letting agents must publish an asking rent and cannot ask for, encourage or accept offers above this price. There are now penalties for landlords if this is breached.

What this means for you

If a property is advertised at £400/month, the landlord cannot accept your offer of £450/month even if you’re desperate to get the place. Everyone competes on equal terms at the advertised price.

From 1 May 2026, you have the right to request permission to keep a pet once you’ve moved in and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. You can challenge unfair decisions through the ombudsman (explained below) or courts.

Important limitations

This only applies once you have moved in, not when you are applying for a property. Landlords can still reject applications from people with pets and can still advertise properties as “no pets”. The government removed provisions that would have allowed landlords to require pet insurance to cover damage.

This is expected to roll out from late 2026. All landlords will need to register their properties on a new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration will be mandatory for all private landlords and they will be required to pay an annual fee.

The database will increase transparency, helping you enforce your rights and seek action from councils or the new ombudsman (expected in 2028) when necessary.

Landlords who do not comply with this will face financial penalties and won’t be able to obtain possession orders (legally evict you) except in cases of antisocial behaviour.

From 27 December 2025, local councils will receive new investigatory and enforcement powers before the main Phase 1 reforms come into force. These powers give councils a stronger ability to:

• Inspect properties

• Demand documents from landlords

• Access third-party data

• Crack down on rogue landlords and enforce housing standards more effectively

Penalties will increase, and there will be new penalties for serious hazards. Local councils will have stronger powers to take action against landlords who fail to maintain safe properties, even before the main reforms come into effect in May 2026.

How the transitional year will work

The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and is now law, but the Phase 1 tenancy reforms will “commence” (come into force) on 1 May 2026. What happens to your tenancy depends on where you are in the renting process when 1 May 2026 arrives.

What happens

On 1 May 2026, your fixed-term contract disappears. If you signed a 12-month contract, that 12-month period no longer locks you in. Your tenancy carries on as a rolling month-to-month tenancy from that day. Clauses in your contract that make it fixed-term stop having effect.

From 1 May 2026, don’t assume your tenancy just stops on the date printed in the old AST. If you want to leave around that date, you will normally need to give at least two months’ written notice, ending on your rent day. Without that notice, the tenancy usually carries on past the printed end date, and the landlord can argue you still owe rent.

Information from your landlord

If you already have a written tenancy agreement, your landlord doesn’t need to issue a new one. Instead, they must provide you with a government-published ‘Information Sheet’ explaining the changes by 31 May 2026. This Information Sheet will be published by the government in March 2026.

If you have a verbal tenancy agreement (no written contract), your landlord must provide you with a written summary of the main terms by 31 May 2026.

Special rule for student houses (HMOs):

If your home is an HMO student let and the landlord wants to use the summer eviction rule (Ground 4A) in future, they get a one-month grace period after 1 May 2026 to give you written notice of this. To actually evict you, they can only do that between 1 June and 30 September, and will have to give you four months‘ notice.

Joint tenancies

From May 1st, individuals in a joint tenancy will gain the right to bring it to an end if they tell the landlord giving the landlord 2 months’ notice. The landlord will then have the option to negotiate with the remaining tenants.

Rent in advance

If you paid several months’ rent in advance under a contract signed before 1 May 2026, the landlord does not have to refund any of that. However, once your tenancy converts to a monthly periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026, the landlord cannot ask you to pay more than one month’s rent in advance going forward. Any clause in your original contract requiring future advance payments above this is now unenforceable.

What this means for you

If you are living in an HMO and have a fixed term contract, you now have the right to stay in the property until the end of August, as long as the landlord serves the notice on May 1st. You also will gain the right to exit the contract at the end of June if you tell the landlord you want to on June 1st.

If you are living in an HMO and had a fixed term contract, that fixed term no longer forces you to leave on the printed end date. Unless and until a valid Ground 4A notice expires, you can stay – for example, if the landlord serves Ground 4A notice on 1 May 2026, the earliest they can usually require you to leave under that route is 1 September 2026.

You also gain the right to bring the tenancy to an end yourself by giving at least two months’ written notice that ends on your rent day. So if your rent is due on the 1st of each month and you want to leave at the end of June, you should tell the landlord in writing no later than 1 May. If you only tell them on 1 June, in strict law your notice is more likely to end at the end of July and you could be asked to pay rent for July too.

What happens: If you’ve signed but not moved in when 1 May 2026 arrives, your situation is treated as an existing tenancy. When you move in, the fixed end date will not lock you in. The agreement runs as a month-to-month tenancy.

Even if your agreement shows an end date in June or July, it will not end automatically on that date. From 1 May 2026 it behaves as a rolling monthly tenancy, so you will usually need to give at least two months’ written notice ending on a rent day if you want to leave around that date.

Good news: The six-month limit on how far in advance a student tenancy can be signed doesn’t apply to these agreements.

Joint tenancies: From May 1st, individuals in a joint tenancy will gain the right to bring it to an end if they tell the landlord giving the landlord 2 months’ notice. The landlord will then have the option to negotiate with the remaining tenants.

Rent in advance: Because you signed before 1 May 2026, the new rent-in-advance cap doesn’t affect the agreement you’ve already entered into — even though you haven’t moved in yet. If your contract required several months’ rent upfront, the landlord can still enforce that. But once your tenancy begins and converts into a periodic tenancy (as it will automatically after 1 May), the landlord cannot ask for any further rent in advance beyond one month at a time.

Everything else: Everything else: All the rules from Scenario 1 above apply to you once you move in. If you are living in an HMO and have a fixed term contract, its fixed term nature disappears. As long as the landlord writes to you and says they intend to use “Ground 4A”, the landlord will have to give you four months notice to evict you between June and September. You also gain the right to end the tenancy yourself by giving at least two months’ written notice that ends on a rent day – the same rule as in Scenario 1.

What happens: Everything you sign on or after 1 May 2026 has to be a new, monthly “periodic” tenancy. There are no fixed terms – it runs month-to-month from the start. Your landlord will need to provide certain information about the tenancy to you in writing. This should be through a written tenancy agreement.

For student HMO lets: The summer eviction rule (Ground 4A) applies on the normal terms:

• The landlord must give you a written statement before you sign saying it’s a student let and that they intend to re-let to students
• They can’t make you sign more than 6 months before the tenancy starts (so if you’re moving in September, you can’t sign before March)
• Any future eviction claim using Ground 4A has to be timed so the notice falls between 1 June and 30 September

Rent in advance: For all new tenancy agreements signed on or after 1 May 2026, the law now caps rent in advance to a maximum of one month’s rent once the tenancy is entered into. Landlords or agents cannot legally require larger upfront payments – even if you don’t have a UK guarantor. Any attempt to demand three, six, or twelve months’ rent in advance would break the law.

Confused about how the transition affects you?

The transitional rules are complex and depend on your specific timing. If you’re unsure whether your existing tenancy or planned tenancy is affected, or what the commencement date means for you, seek advice from us by completing a case form via this page.

Most of the changes in the Renters’ Rights Act don’t apply if you live in purpose-built student accommodation that belongs to one of three approved codes, but you still have rights.

What is PBSA (Purpose-Built Student Accommodation)?

PBSA stands for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. These are buildings specifically designed and built to house students – think modern blocks of student flats or halls of residence run by private companies (like Unite Students or iQ Student Accommodation) or by universities.

PBSA is different from renting a normal house or flat. You typically get an en-suite bedroom in a shared flat with a communal kitchen, and the building has features like study spaces, gyms, and on-site management.

Key difference: PBSA usually operates under a “licence agreement” rather than a standard tenancy, which means you have different rights to students renting normal houses or flats.

 What are these codes?

The codes are accreditation schemes for large student buildings. Think of them as quality marks that show the building meets certain standards. The three codes are:

3. The Universities UK/GuildHE Code of Practice for University Managed Student Accommodation. This is the code that University of Brighton Halls are managed by.

4. The ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for private sector accommodation

Properties in these codes are already subject to rules and have their own complaints procedures. If your accommodation is in one of these codes, many of the Act’s new protections will not apply to you because these buildings are exempt from standard tenancy law and operate under different agreements called “licence agreements” rather than “assured tenancies”.

Important

While most of the Renters’ Rights Act doesn’t apply to PBSA covered by approved codes, some provisions like Awaab’s Law (setting timeframes for fixing serious hazards) will eventually apply to all rented accommodation, including PBSA. Implementation timescales for Awaab’s Law are yet to be confirmed following consultation.

What’s the difference between a tenancy and a licence?

A tenancy (or “assured tenancy”) is what you get when renting a normal house or flat – it gives you strong legal rights under the Renters’ Rights Act.

A licence agreement is what you get in halls and purpose-built student accommodation – it gives you different rights under the building’s code rather than under the Act.

Think of it this way: tenancies have legal rights from the government, licences have contractual rights from the building’s code.

What is this? The Universities UK/Guild HE Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing is a regulatory framework for some of the student accommodation managed by higher and further education institutions. The code has been recently revised and significantly strengthened and applies to university-owned or university-controlled accommodation.

What doesn’t apply to you

If your accommodation is in this code:

• The Renters’ Rights Act does not apply to you
• You have a licence agreement rather than a tenancy
• Your accommodation is governed by the Protection from Eviction Act 1977
• Your university can continue to offer fixed-term agreements linked to the academic year
• You will not benefit from the rent in advance cap, meaning universities can still require large upfront payments
• You will not have access to the new ombudsman or the landlord database
• The Section 21 abolition does not apply as you do not have an assured tenancy
  

What protections you do have

You have protections under the code itself. Your university must meet standards for health and safety, management, repairs, equality and inclusion, and complaints handling.

Particularly strong protections if your building isn’t ready:

• No rent can be charged until accommodation is fit for occupation
• Alternative accommodation cannot cost more than your original rent and the university must cover any rent differential
• The university must cover laundry costs if facilities are unavailable for more than seven days
• The university must cover removal costs
• You can cancel your contract without charge if suitable alternative accommodation cannot be provided or if you remain in temporary accommodation for more than four weeks after the contracted start date

Other important protections:

• Your university cannot charge more for adapted rooms for disabled students than comparable standard rooms
• Accommodation contracts cannot impose fines for rule violations and can only claim for actual losses or reasonable expenses incurred (they cannot use financial claims as punishment or deterrent)
• Your university must conduct annual satisfaction surveys and publish the results
• All repairs and maintenance must be carried out within published timescales
• Your university must provide references within three weeks if requested by future landlords
• Your deposit must be protected in a government scheme
• Your occupancy agreement cannot contain unfair terms and must comply with the Tenant Fees Act 2019

Student involvement: The code requires your university to regularly consult your Students’ Union on accommodation matters and involve them in audits, complaints and compensation arrangements.

Making complaints: If you have a complaint about a breach of the code, you can use your university’s internal complaints process and escalate to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator if unresolved.

If that doesn’t work: You can take unresolved complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which handles student complaints about university landlords in England and Wales.

What the OIA has ruled: The OIA’s case summaries show that:

• Universities must provide clear information about accommodation availability and contract terms, particularly for international students
• Universities must provide compensatory payments (money back to make up for problems) where their actions or failure to act has caused distress
• Accommodation issues should be kept separate from academic progression, meaning universities cannot withhold degrees or prevent you from studying because of accommodation debts

Need help with accommodation complaints?

If you’re having problems with university accommodation covered by this code, get advice before making a formal complaint. Advisers can help you understand whether your issue is a breach of the code and how to escalate it effectively.  Find out more about how to contact our Advice team here.

What is this? The ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for Student Accommodation Not Managed and Controlled by Educational Establishments is a regulatory framework for purpose-built student accommodation operated by private providers rather than universities. The code was approved in 2022 and is currently undergoing an interim review. It applies to buildings with at least 15 bed spaces.

How to find out if this applies to you: Check the members directory at  www.nationalcode.org or look at your landlord’s letting and marketing materials, which must state if they are signed up to the code.

What doesn’t apply to you

If your accommodation is in this code:

• The Renters’ Rights Act does not apply to you
• You have a licence agreement rather than a tenancy
• Your accommodation is governed by the Protection from Eviction Act 1977
• Your landlord can continue to offer fixed-term agreements linked to the academic year
• You will not benefit from the rent in advance cap, meaning landlords can still require large upfront payments
• You will not have access to the new ombudsman or the landlord database
• The Section 21 abolition does not apply as you do not have an assured tenancy
• Unlike students in university-managed accommodation, you cannot take complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator

What protections you do have

You have protections under the code itself:

• Your landlord must meet standards for health and safety, management, repairs, equality and inclusion, and complaints handling
• The code includes protections if your building is not ready on time, including requirements that no rent can be charged until accommodation is fit for occupation and that you receive compensation for any additional costs
• Your landlord cannot charge more for adapted rooms for disabled students than comparable standard rooms in their portfolio for that local authority area
• All repairs and maintenance must be carried out within published timescales
• Your university must provide references within three weeks if requested by future landlords
• Your deposit must be protected in a government scheme
• Your occupancy agreement cannot contain unfair terms and must comply with the Tenant Fees Act 2019

Student involvement: The code requires your university to regularly consult your Students’ Union on accommodation matters and involve them in audits, complaints and compensation arrangements.

Making complaints: If you have a complaint about a breach of the code, you can use your university’s internal complaints process and escalate to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator if unresolved.

If that doesn’t work: You can take unresolved complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which handles student complaints about university landlords in England and Wales.

What the OIA has ruled: The OIA’s case summaries show that:

• Universities must provide clear information about accommodation availability and contract terms, particularly for international students
• Universities must provide compensatory payments (money back to make up for problems) where their actions or failure to act has caused distress
• Accommodation issues should be kept separate from academic progression, meaning universities cannot withhold degrees or prevent you from studying because of accommodation debts

Need help with accommodation complaints?

If you’re having problems with university accommodation covered by this code, get advice before making a formal complaint. Advisers can help you understand whether your issue is a breach of the code and how to escalate it effectively.  Find out more about how to contact our Advice team here.