Student lettings – key changes under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and an important 31 May deadline

• 26 May 2026
• News
• Real estate disputes

Traditionally, the student letting market has (unsurprisingly) operated by reference to the academic year. Landlords would typically secure tenants in the latter part of the autumn term for occupation in the following academic year, granting assured shorthold tenancies for fixed terms ending at the close of the summer term. Where tenants failed to vacate, landlords were able to rely on section 21 “no fault” notices to recover possession through the courts if required.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 significantly alters this position. In particular, the abolition of fixed-term tenancies and section 21 notices means that tenancies will no longer come to an end on a specified date. Instead, they will continue on a periodic basis (typically monthly) unless brought to an end by the tenant or by the landlord establishing a statutory ground for possession. While the legislation recognises the challenges this creates for the student letting market, and introduces some targeted measures intended to assist landlords with forward planning, those measures are limited in scope and subject to strict conditions and tight notice requirements.

The key dates relevant to the current academic year are set out below.

Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) under the Renters’ Rights Act

Prior to the Act coming into force, accommodation let by specified educational institutions fell outside the assured tenancy regime, with the result that those occupancies were not subject to the statutory framework governing assured tenancies.

Under the new rules, this position is extended to certain purpose-built student accommodation. However, the exemption will only apply to tenancies granted after 1 May 2026 and where the landlord or managing agent is a member of a government‑approved code of practice. The relevant approved codes are currently:

• the ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for student accommodation managed and controlled by educational establishments (dated 5 September 2024); and
• the Universities UK/GuildHE Accommodation Code of Practice for Student Housing (dated 11 March 2025).

Where the exemption applies, tenant protections will derive from the relevant code of practice and the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

Private sector student HMOs and the new Ground 4A

The new Ground 4A

Students renting in the private sector (for example, HMOs shared in typically in a second or third year) will generally fall within the new assured periodic tenancy model. To address this, in addition to the ground available to all landlords, the Act introduces a new mandatory possession ground (Ground 4A) for student HMOs.

Ground 4A is designed to allow landlords to recover possession at the end of the academic year, provided that:

• the property is an HMO;
• all tenants meet the “student test” when the tenancy is granted (read more);
• tenants are given advance written notice (before the tenancy starts) that the landlord may rely on Ground 4A;
• the tenancy is not granted more than six months before the student moves in;
• at least four months’ notice is served; and
• the notice expires between 1 June and 30 September, with the landlord intending to re‑let to students for the next academic year.

Ground 4A is likely to be a useful tool for landlords seeking to recover possession in time for the start of the next academic year. However, it introduces a more structured and administratively demanding process than many landlords will be used to.

In particular, landlords must:

• serve advance written notice of their intention to rely on Ground 4A; and
• serve a possession notice within the prescribed time window.

In addition, if the tenant does not vacate voluntarily, a court order will be required. Landlords may therefore wish to factor likely court timescales into the timing of their possession notice.

Ground 4A also has implications for established letting practices. The current market norm is to secure tenants in November/December for the following academic year. However, Ground 4A is only available where the tenancy is entered into less than six months before the tenant’s occupation begins. Landlords wishing to rely on this ground will therefore need to adjust their letting cycles and plan for a significantly later sign-up date.

Tenants’ notice

Another important consideration for student landlords is the tenant’s ability to terminate. Under the new regime, tenants can bring a tenancy to an end at any time by giving at least two months’ notice.

This is particularly significant in the context of joint tenancies, which are common in the student market. Notice served by a single joint tenant will be sufficient to terminate the tenancy as a whole. This increases the risk of tenancies ending earlier than anticipated and may lead to practical difficulties where remaining occupiers have not secured alternative accommodation and are unwilling to absorb any additional costs associated with continuing occupation.

Transitional arrangements – action required by 31 May 2026

To help avoid disruption for the 2025/2026 academic year, the Act introduces temporary, more flexible transitional arrangements, but these are only available if landlords act promptly.

• PBSA providers who expect to qualify for the exemption after 1 May 2026 can rely on a transitional version of Ground 4A in respect of any pre -1 May 2026 tenancies. This allows for two months’ notice, expiring on any date, provided tenants are notified of the landlord’s intention to rely on this ground by 31 May 2026.
• Student HMO landlords can also use a relaxed transitional Ground 4A, with a two‑month notice period expiring between 1 June and 30 September 2026, again subject to notifying tenants by 31 May 2026.

Failure to meet this deadline means these transitional rights will not be available.

Please note that landlords of student tenants who were occupying under assured shorthold tenancies prior to 1 May 2026 will also have to serve the Information Sheet on their tenants by 31 May 2026. Our update here considers this in more detail.

If you’d like to discuss how these changes affect your student accommodation portfolio, or need help preparing notices and updated tenancy documents ahead of 31 May 2026, please get in touch.