A new legal act is coming into force from May 2026, which will change your rights for future tenancies. Our latest podcast took into account questions submitted by other students about the impact this will have on the student body.
How is renting student accommodation changing?
New rules are coming into force in England. These new changes mean that in some cases you will be able to leave your accommodation by giving two months’ notice.
What will change if I’m living in halls?
The new rules won’t really have a significant impact on student halls as halls will still be able to offer fixed term contracts.
The majority of the impact will be upon shared houses and apartments instead.
What happens if I've already signed a tenancy agreement for 2026?
If you have already signed a tenancy agreement for 2026 then the new rules will still apply (in England.)
However, the changes depend on your accommodation type. For example, if you have signed for a student hall, then there will be no changes to your agreement. On the other hand, if your tenancy agreement is for a house, you will be able to give two months’ notice.
What are the differences between tenancy and license agreements?
The new changes from May will only apply to tenancy agreements in England, as this is where the rules like 2 months’ notice and monthly payments are allowed.
License agreements are not affected by the changes and if you do sign a license agreement it is quite likely that it will be a fixed term contract.
It is vital to know before you sign if it is a license or tenancy agreement – your landlord should explain this to you, but if not, then ask them more about the agreement.
What are the potential pitfalls of the new rules?
Be careful in a joint contract – one student giving two months’ notice will end the tenancy agreement for everyone in the property.
In one or two-bed shared houses (and some larger properties) you will need to serve two months’ notice to end the tenancy – otherwise it will continue and you will need to keep paying rent.
