In England, most student house shares have been rolling tenancies since 1 May 2026, with no fixed end date, two months' notice from you and no more than one month's rent required upfront. Landlords can still recover many student houses each summer through Ground 4A, but only if the rules are met. Halls and approved-code private halls mostly stay on fixed contracts, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own laws.
What is in force in England now
This Act covers England for tenancy reform. The dates below come from the commencement regulations and government guidance.
A 12-month house contract with an end date is no longer how an assured tenancy runs. This is general information, not legal advice, and a students' union adviser can check your own contract.
| Change | Status in November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Fixed-term and shorthold tenancies abolished, section 21 ended | In force from 1 May 2026 |
| Tenant notice of up to two months | In force from 1 May 2026 |
| Limit on rent in advance and no rental bidding | In force from 1 May 2026 |
| Ground 4A for student HMOs | In force, with four months' notice from 2027 |
| Right to request a pet | In force from 1 May 2026 for assured tenants |
| Landlord database and Ombudsman | Still to come. We could not confirm a public start date |
Rolling tenancies and notice
Your tenancy keeps going until you, the landlord or a court ends it.
GOV.UK says a landlord cannot ask you for more than two months' notice. It must be in writing, which can be a letter, email or text, and must end on a rent due day or the day before one. Shorter notice needs written agreement. If you change your mind, you can stay only if the landlord agrees in writing, and Unipol adds that any joint tenants must agree too.
Moving out does not stop the rent. Leeds University Union's example: if rent is due on the 1st, an email sent before 4.20 on 1 May could end the tenancy on 1 July, while later notice or post could push it to 31 July. Check your own dates.
Landlords now need a legal ground and, if you stay, a court order. Rent can rise once a year with two months' notice and be challenged at a tribunal. Unipol says you can also challenge a new tenancy's starting rent within six months.
Ground 4A: the student let ground
It lets a landlord recover a student HMO for the next academic year. Every condition must be met.
The six-month limit is the one that changes when you sign. Unipol says signing early is not illegal, but the landlord then cannot require you to leave between June and September under this ground. So expect agents to take a holding deposit early and ask you to sign later.
A Ground 4A notice does not end your tenancy by itself. If you stay after the date, the landlord must apply to court. Leeds University Union advises against signing an early notice to quit that a landlord offers you, and Unipol says landlords should not be asking for one before the tenancy starts.
- The home is an HMOOr it is within one. Typically this means three or more sharers. Most non-HMO one and two bed lets do not qualify.
- All tenants meet the student testEach must be a full-time student, or the landlord must reasonably believe they will become one during the tenancy.
- You had a written warningThe landlord must give a written statement before you enter into the tenancy.
- You signed within six monthsThe period from signing to your right to move in must be six months or less.
- Four months' notice, ending 1 June to 30 SeptemberThe landlord uses Form 3A and must intend to let to full-time students next.
Worked dates: when to sign for September 2027
These follow Unipol's example of a 1 July start and a 1 January signing date. A few days' margin is sensible, because the statute counts both the first and last day.
Sign in November 2026 for a September 2027 start and the landlord cannot use Ground 4A next summer. Ask whether that is what they intend. At the other end, a landlord wanting you out on 1 June 2028 must serve notice by about 1 February 2028.
| Tenancy start date | Sign on or after about this date to keep Ground 4A |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2027 | 1 January 2027 |
| 1 August 2027 | 1 February 2027 |
| 1 September 2027 | 1 March 2027 |
Rent in advance and bidding
This is the change most likely to save you cash at the start.
GOV.UK says a landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before you sign, and that you can be asked to pay a maximum of one month's rent in advance afterwards. The government's guide says the limit is 28 days for shorter rent periods. Councils can order repayment and issue a penalty of up to £5,000.
Unipol says you can still choose to pay more if you ask in writing, for example to match a stipend.
Landlords and agents must publish an asking rent and cannot ask for or accept more. Your landlord can still ask for a guarantor.
Halls and purpose-built student accommodation
Who runs the building decides which rules apply, not what the contract is called.
Regulations made in 2026 name the approved codes, and you can check membership at the National Code website. Unipol warns that some agreements labelled common law may in fact be assured tenancies, so ask for advice if unsure.
| Where you live in England | Your position |
|---|---|
| University halls or university-run housing | Usually a licence or common law tenancy. Fixed contract, and the new rights do not apply |
| Private PBSA in an approved code, signed on or after 1 May 2026 | Most likely a common law tenancy or licence. Fixed term, with early exit limited to the code and contract |
| Private PBSA not in an approved code | Not covered by this exemption, so it looks likely to be assured. Ask for advice |
| Private PBSA on a tenancy from before 1 May 2026 | Converted to rolling, with transitional differences |
| House share or flat from a private landlord | Assured periodic tenancy with the rights on this page |
Joint tenants: one notice can end it for everyone
This is the trap for friends sharing a house.
GOV.UK says one tenant can usually end a joint tenancy without the agreement of the others. Unipol says that person has technically given notice for the whole house. If you want to stay, you and your housemates need a new agreement or the landlord's written agreement. Shorter notice needs every joint tenant to agree. On individual room contracts, only the person giving notice leaves.
We would write a short house agreement before signing: talk first, allow time to find a replacement, and agree who pays bills in any gap. It will not override the law, but it can stop a falling-out becoming a surprise.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are different
The tenancy changes on this page do not apply here, though the government says its rental discrimination provisions extend to Wales and Scotland.
| Nation | Contract type | Your notice | Landlord and halls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | Standard occupation contract, fixed term or periodic | At least four weeks on a rolling contract, or a calendar month if monthly, says Shelter Cymru. Fixed terms need a break clause or surrender | Usually six months' no-fault notice on a periodic contract, but two months if you rent from your university |
| Scotland | Private residential tenancy, open-ended | 28 days. From 1 April 2027 a new process lets one joint tenant leave after a two to three month pre-notice | Halls and PBSA use common law tenancies, says Shelter Scotland |
| Northern Ireland | Private tenancy, can be fixed term | At least four weeks in writing. Early exit from a fixed term can leave you owing rent | Landlord gives at least four weeks in the first 12 months. University halls are not private tenancies, says nidirect |
What to do if you are signing for September 2027
For an English house share.
- View now, but do not rushCheck the asking rent and pick housemates you would trust with a joint notice.
- Identify the contractIs it assured, common law or a licence? Joint or individual? Is the house an HMO?
- Reserve properlyA holding deposit is capped at one week's rent and one can be held at a time. Unipol says landlords should get your written agreement to go past the usual 15 days. Get a receipt.
- Ask about the signing dateFor a 1 September start, signing on or after 1 March 2027 keeps Ground 4A available. Signing earlier means it should not apply.
- Read the written statementLook for the Ground 4A warning. Do not sign a notice to quit at the same time.
- Pay only what is allowedNo rent before signing, then one month at most. Deposits are capped at five weeks' rent where annual rent is under £50,000, and must be protected within 30 days.
- Limit the guarantor's riskAsk whether your guarantor covers your share or the whole house, and for how long.
- Get it checkedYour students' union or Unipol can advise on contracts and Form 3A notices.
- Diary spring 2028Watch for a Form 3A. If you plan to leave, tell your housemates first and time your two months' notice.
of the 500 UK students in our 2026 Student Experience Survey had hit at least one housing issue. Housemates (34%), the property itself (32%) and Wi-Fi (29%) came up most.
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FAQs
Does the Renters' Rights Act apply to students?
Yes, if you rent an ordinary house or flat from a private landlord in England, as most tenancies there are now rolling. It does not change tenancy law in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. University halls and private halls under an approved code generally stay on fixed contracts, with rights set by your agreement and the code.
Can I still sign a 12-month student house contract in England?
Not as a true fixed term on an assured tenancy. Since 1 May 2026, the tenancy runs on with no end date until you, the landlord or a court ends it. Your paperwork may mention expected dates, but they do not bind you in the old way. You leave with notice of up to two months.
Can my landlord make us leave at the end of the academic year?
Possibly, under Ground 4A, if it is a student HMO, you all meet the student test, you had a written warning before signing, you signed within six months of your move-in right, and you get four months' notice ending between 1 June and 30 September. If you stay on, the landlord must apply to court.
What happens if one housemate gives notice on a joint tenancy?
GOV.UK says one tenant can usually end a joint tenancy without the others agreeing, which ends it for the whole house. If you want to stay, you will need a new arrangement with the landlord. So talk to each other first. Scotland and Wales handle this differently, and individual room contracts affect only the person leaving.
Does the Act apply to my private halls?
It depends who manages the building and when you signed. If the provider is a member of an approved code and your tenancy began on or after 1 May 2026, you most likely have a common law tenancy or licence with a fixed term. If it started earlier or the provider is not in a code, ask for advice.
Should I sign a house more than six months before moving in?
It is not illegal, but the landlord then cannot use Ground 4A to recover the house next summer, so many may refuse or use a holding deposit instead. We would not rush: choose housemates carefully, because one notice can end a joint tenancy. In very competitive areas, ask which arrangement the landlord offers, then get it in writing.
Sources and official resources
- Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (GOV.UK) Rent in advance and student HMO summary
- Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK) Grounds, notice and penalties
- Grounds for possession: guidance for tenants (GOV.UK) Ground 4 and Ground 4A wording
- If your tenant wants to leave (GOV.UK) Notice length, dates and joint tenants
- Renting is changing (Housing Hub) Government summary including student landlords
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, Schedule 1 Statutory text of Ground 4A
- Commencement Regulations 2026 What started on 1 May 2026
- Student Accommodation Regulations 2026 Approved codes and PBSA exemption
- Unipol house hunting and the Act Six-month rule and holding deposits
- Unipol Form 3A and Ground 4A guide What a valid notice needs
- Unipol rent payments advice Paying more upfront and rent challenges
- Unipol PBSA advice Code membership and contract types
- Leeds University Union: ending your tenancy Worked notice dates and early notices
- National Code website Check PBSA code membership
- Shelter Cymru: ending your contract Wales notice rules
- Shelter Cymru: different eviction rules Wales rules for university tenants
- Shelter Scotland: student housing options Scotland halls and PBSA contracts
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, section 44 New joint tenancy exit process
- Scottish commencement regulations 2026 1 April 2027 start date
- nidirect: private rent and tenancies Northern Ireland notice and halls
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How we built this guide: facts come from the sources listed above, checked November 2026. It is general information rather than legal or financial advice, and rules and prices change, so confirm with the provider or an adviser before you commit. How we compare student accommodation.