The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) has now received Royal Assent, marking one of the most significant shifts in England’s private rented sector for a generation. Although the full implementation timeline—especially the abolition of Section 21—is expected from Spring 2026, one part of the market faces immediate and profound disruption: student housing.
For landlords operating in the student sector, especially those invested in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), the RRA is not merely an administrative change. It fundamentally reshapes risk, income stability, and operational models. Only landlords who fully understand the new compliance landscape will protect their cashflow and long- term viability.
1. The End of Certainty: Periodic Tenancies Replace Fixed-Term ASTs
The single most disruptive reform for student landlords is the abolition of fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies. Under the RRA, all tenancies become rolling periodic contracts, regardless of the academic cycle.
Traditionally, student landlords could rely on 10-, 11-, or 12-month fixed agreements that guaranteed stable income and predictable turnover. The RRA removes that certainty entirely.
New Void Risks
Because tenants may now end their tenancy at any time with two months’ notice, landlords must prepare for:
• Mid-Year Vacancies – If a student leaves in November or February, the landlord may be left with a room empty until the next academic cycle—an expensive void in a market where mid-year replacements are rare.
• Summer Voids – Students finishing exams in May could give notice earlier, leaving HMOs empty over the summer months. Landlords then become fully liable for Council Tax on vacant properties.
• Tenancy-ending-by-one-tenant – In a joint HMO tenancy, one student serving notice ends the tenancy for all, creating instability for the entire household.
To mitigate this, some landlords may shift tenancy start dates to June, encouraging continuity over summer. Others may adjust their business model entirely. But the era of predictable, locked-in student income is over.
