Accommodation for Students has joined a coalition of leading student housing organisations, including the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), to issue an urgent call to MPs to protect the student housing sector.
As young people have celebrated their A-level results and prepare for university, the coalition warns that government plans could severely restrict access to higher education by disrupting the student housing market.
MPs must protect student housing
The NRLA's chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: "A level results day should be the start of an exciting new chapter for thousands of young people.
"But unless MPs act, future students could find their ambitions blocked – not by grades, but by a lack of somewhere to live.
"Without this change, the Renters' Rights Bill will make it harder for landlords to offer one- and two-bedroom properties to students."
He added: "This would break the student housing cycle, restrict choice, and risk undermining social mobility by limiting opportunities for students from all backgrounds.
"MPs have a final chance in September to protect the homes that make higher education possible – they must take it."
Student landlords may leave the sector
The warning comes as MPs will begin debating the Renters' Rights Bill, which is set to return to the House of Commons on 8th September.
A House of Lords amendment, supported by the coalition, seeks to ensure that landlords of one- and two-bedroom properties can re-let their homes to new student cohorts each academic year.
Currently, the government's proposals only allow landlords of properties with three or more tenants to regain possession for this purpose, excluding smaller homes that make up roughly a third of off-street student accommodation.
Without this amendment, the coalition fears that landlords may abandon the student market, reduce available housing and driving up rents.
Student choose university on accommodation supply
Research from Knight Frank also reveals that 65% of first-time university applicants consider accommodation availability when choosing where to study.
Nearly half of students already express concerns about finding suitable homes.
If the annual letting cycle is disrupted, students may be forced to prioritise housing availability over their preferred universities, undermining access to higher education and social mobility.
The House of Lords has already backed the amendment to include smaller properties, recognising the potential crisis.
Coalition has written to Ministers
The coalition, which also includes the Young Group, has written to the Housing Minister and Higher Education Minister, urging them to support the change.
It proposes tweaking the Bill's Ground 4A to apply to 'occupants' rather than 'tenants', ensuring protections for part-time students and those with dependants while preserving the student housing cycle.
With many university towns already grappling with housing shortages, the coalition warns that excluding smaller properties could exacerbate the situation, potentially leading to housing emergencies.
The coalition warns that the government's current stance risks overturning the Lords' amendment, given its Commons majority, but the coalition insists MPs must seize this final opportunity to protect the homes that make higher education possible.
Student landlords will exit
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said: "Student landlords don't need telling that without the proposed amendment, the viability of renting one- and two-bedroom properties to students could crumble as landlords exit the market entirely.”
He added: "MPs must see sense and back this amendment, or we'll face a future where students are left scrambling for homes, and landlords are forced to turn their backs on them.
"The coalition's call to action also underscores the need for landlords to rally behind the Lords' amendment to secure the future of student housing and preserve opportunities for the next generation."
