We expect the Renters' Rights Act will change different elements of the student experience when it comes to renting privately. We'll outline some the expected changes below - please remember that this information is subject to change. 

A lot of students currently have 'fixed term' assured shorthold tenancies (AST) when renting privately. This type of tenancy runs for either 6 or 12 months. After this, it becomes a 'rolling' tenancy - which usually runs from month to month.

Current housing legislation means that, in an assured shorthold tenancy, a landlord can issue a section 21 eviction notice without a specific reason, as long as the fixed term has ended - this is called a 'no fault' eviction.

After the Renters' Rights Act comes in, section 21 notices and assured shorthold tenancies will be abolished.All tenancies will be rolling contracts - this means tenants can decide when they want to end the contract. 

It's important to understand that joint contracts can be cancelled at any time. This means you need to think carefully about who you want to live with, and have a clear discussion about when you all want to end your tenancy. 

When the law changes, private landlords will need to give a reason for evicting you - for instance, if you owe them rent or if the landlord is selling the property.

There may be an exception to this rule for students - landlords can give a notice requiring students to leave the property at the end of the academic year (a Ground 4A notice) if they intend to rent the property to a new set of students in the next academic year. This notice must be given four months in advance, and will specify a date between June and September for when the students should move out.

Currently, we expect this to only impact students living in an HMO (house of multiple occupancy) but things could change.

The Renters' Rights Bill also suggested a limit to how much rent a landlord can ask for upfront.

Landlords will only be able to ask for one month's rent (and the deposit) in advance, which should make it easier for students to afford renting privately, particularly if they do not have references or a UK guarantor. 

Purpose-built student accommodation may be exempt from this rule.

We also expect rent payment dates to become monthly, which is an important change for students to be aware of when budgeting. 

The Renters' Rights Act will make the rule that tenancies can only be signed within 6 months of the start date. This means that students can't be pressured into signing tenancies right away, and we expect most of the properties and house-hunting will take place from January each year. 

Students living in UEA campus accommodation will not be impacted by these changes because students living in university halls have licence agreements, not assured shorthold tenancies.

Private student halls, or PBSAs, will be exempt from the new tenancy rules and will be able to give fixed term contracts - meaning students can be asked to leave at the end of their tenancy without a specific reason.

However, these accommodation providers will be expected to follow a code of practice, giving students the right to terminate their contracts in certain circumstances and to make complaints. 

The new legislation is not currently operational, meaning most student tenancies for this academic year will be assured shorthold tenancies. When the law comes into effect, we expect that all tenancy agreements covered by the Renters' Rights Bill will be impacted - your tenancy will still be vali but your landlord will need to provide guidance and any information on changes to your rights.

Please remember that landlords only have access to the same information as the rest of us, so may not be able to answer many questions at this stage. 

If you would like to read more about the Renters' Rights Bill and current understanding of the proposed changes, the below links can be helpful:

Shelter's guide to the Renters' Rights Bill

The full Renters' Rights Bill

The Government Guide to the Renters' Rights Bill