The government's long-debated Renters' Rights Bill has now become law, marking one of the biggest shake-ups to England's private rented sector in a generation.
It will also have far-reaching consequences for landlords in the student accommodation sector.
For England's 11 million private renters, ministers say the Act brings greater stability and fairness.
However, the reforms may lead many student landlords to question how they can manage tenancies that depend on fixed dates and predictable turnover.
Families deserve dignity
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "Every family deserves the dignity of a safe and secure home.
"For too long, millions of renters have lived at the mercy of rogue landlords or insecure contracts, with their futures hanging in the balance.
"We're putting an end to that."
He added: "A secure home isn't just bricks and mortar – it's the foundation for opportunity, safety and a better life.
"No child should grow up without one."
No date for S21 abolition
While there's no date yet for the abolition of Assured Shorthold Tenancies for open-ended, periodic tenancies, student landlords will be worried since the ability to guarantee vacant possession each summer will need careful planning.
Under the Act, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can use specific grounds for possession to regain control for new academic intakes.
But those provisions do not extend to one or two-bedroom student flats.
International students affected
There are also fears the that new limits on taking rent upfront may deter landlords from accepting international students or those without a UK guarantor.
Many overseas renters, as well as students with limited credit histories, have traditionally secured accommodation by paying in advance.
Removing this option could make access to student housing even harder for them.
Landlords not prepared
The government insists the Act will 'rebalance' the relationship between England's 2.3 million landlords and 11 million tenants.
However, research from Rightmove suggests that only 43% of landlords say they understood the Act and are ready for the changes.
One in five said they knew little or nothing about the new law, while a third said they are considering selling up and leaving the PRS.
Nearly two-thirds of landlords say they feel unsupported by government policy.
Most landlords want to stay
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, said: "The majority of landlords are looking to stay in the market and even grow their portfolios which is positive for tenants, but there are clearly challenges for those looking to invest in rental property.
"Continued high mortgage costs mean that landlords need to make sure that the numbers still add up when investing."
She adds: "Landlords who were considering selling up over the next year told us that legislation changes were their biggest source of frustration."
Six-month transition plea
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is urging ministers to consider a six-month transition for the law's implementation.
Its chief executive, Ben Beadle, warned: "With the Renters' Rights Act on the statute book, the sector needs certainty about the way forward.
"This is the most significant shake-up of the rental market in almost 40 years, and it is imperative that the new systems work for both tenants and responsible landlords.
"The NRLA stands ready to work with the government to ensure the reforms are implemented in a way that is fair, proportionate and deliverable."
He added: "At a minimum, the sector needs six months' notice before implementation to ensure a smooth and seamless transition, and the government must provide certainty on this as soon as possible."
Student landlords need to act
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said: "The Renters' Rights Act marks a turning point for student landlords.
"This will be a complete reset of how tenancies will operate in the student market.”
He added: "The traditional fixed-term model has underpinned the entire academic rental cycle for decades, and moving to periodic tenancies could make planning and cashflow far more complex."
Key features of the Renters' Rights Act include:
- Abolition of Section 21 evictions and all tenancies converted into periodic ones
- Stronger possession grounds allowing landlords to recover properties where justified
- A ban on rent bidding so landlords cannot accept offers above the advertised rent
- Creation of a PRS Ombudsman and a central database of private landlords
- Legal protections for tenants with pets
- Extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector
- Application of Awaab's Law to enforce prompt action on serious housing hazards
- Measures to prevent discrimination against families or tenants receiving benefits
- More council enforcement powers with stronger penalties for repeat landlord offenders.
The government says that detailed plans on implementing the Act will be announced in the coming weeks.
Property sector reaction to the Renters' Rights Act
Kate Butler, an assistant director at the British Property Federation, said: “The Renters’ Rights Bill will see a significant overhaul of the private rented sector, but despite Royal Assent there are still too many unanswered questions.
“The government needs to iron out a myriad of issues to ensure the sector has sufficient clarity to prepare for its implementation.
“Most of the Bill’s reforms will rely on secondary legislation, and a lack of clarity on timings risks destabilising the market and deterring landlord investment.”
Isobel Thomson, chief executive of safeagent, the UK’s largest not-for-profit accreditation scheme for lettings and management agents, said: “Landlords will inevitably be concerned about the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act and the effect the reforms will have on their property portfolios.
“As long as landlords engage the support and services of a professional agent who is fully up to speed with compliance and processes, they will be well supported through the implementation phase.
“There is a lot of detail still to come as well as a clear timeline for the introduction of the measures contained in the Act.”
Marc von Grundherr, a director of Benham and Reeves, said: “The Renters’ Rights Act brings to an end years of uncertainty, but in doing so it opens a new chapter of compliance and complexity for landlords.
“While it’s positive that we now have clarity, the path to full implementation will not be a straightforward one.
“Many landlords will be wary of further administrative burden and reduced flexibility, but at least they now know where they stand and can begin to plan accordingly.”
Dr Neil Cobbold, the commercial director at Reapit, said: "The latest English Private Landlord Survey shows that only 4% of landlords are engaged in that role full-time, while around 45% own just one rental property.
“What that tells you is that many landlords are small-scale, part-time or self-managing.
“They will need professional support from agents more than ever to adapt to what is the biggest change to the private rented sector in decades.”
