A student accommodation platform has raised urgent concerns regarding the Renters’ Rights Bill, warning it could endanger 32% of student properties, particularly one and two bedroom houses and flats. These smaller properties form a significant portion of the student rental market, and their exclusion from the Bill’s protections could result in a severe housing shortage for students by 2026.

According to Accommodation For Students, 32% of the listings on their platform consist of these smaller properties, which have gained popularity since the Covid-19 pandemic. The platform cautions that if the Bill passes unchanged, many landlords might pull these properties from the student rental market, creating a housing shortfall.

A key issue is the proposed ban on fixed-term tenancies, which landlords rely on to synchronize with the academic calendar. Under the new legislation, fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies will be replaced by rolling tenancies, allowing tenants to leave with just two months’ notice. This change introduces significant uncertainty for landlords, who may no longer be guaranteed that properties will be vacated at the end of the academic year.

While Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) will receive special dispensation to reclaim properties in the summer for the next student intake, this protection will not extend to smaller one- and two-bedroom properties, which are not typically classified as HMOs. This could lead to landlords of smaller properties exiting the student rental market, reducing available housing options for students, particularly postgraduates, international students, and smaller groups.

The platform warns that this exclusion could drive up rents, exacerbating financial pressures on students who are already grappling with rising living costs.

The platform is urging the government to amend the Renters’ Rights Bill to extend the summer possession protections to smaller student properties. Without this change, students could face fewer housing options, increased competition, and higher rent prices, worsening the student housing crisis.