From 1 May 2026, there are important changes coming into action for people that rent in England. With a lot of students at UWE Bristol renting from the private market, these could affect you now and in the future.
This is guidance, not legal advice. If you’re ever in doubt about your tenancy, you can contact the Students’ Union Advice Centre.
Who will these changes affect?
These changes will affect anyone who has an assured tenancy, or an assured shorthold tenancy (AST). ASTs are a type of tenancy that run for a fixed term, such as twelve months. If you are renting your student house privately from a landlord, you likely have an AST.
If you live in social housing, in university housing, or as a lodger, the new rules will not apply.
University housing and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) that is covered by an approved code of practice, have common law tenancies or licences to occupy, not an AST. You will still need to follow the processes laid out in the terms and conditions of your agreement.
What key changes are happening?
In short, these are the key changes that are coming into place on 1 May 2026:
- Landlords will need a legal reason to evict you. The Act will end Section 21 eviction notices, aka ‘no fault evictions’. For student renters, there will be a new way for landlords to give notice to their tenants called a Ground 4A notice.
- Your landlord can only put your rent up once a year, and they must give two months’ notice. You will also be able to dispute it at a tribunal and cannot be evicted for challenging it.
- Fixed term contracts will end, and everyone will move to a ‘periodic’ or ‘rolling’ contract.
- You will need to give at least two months’ to end your tenancy unless an alternative is pre-arranged.
- You can request to keep a pet in your home, and your landlord will only be able to say no if they have a good reason.
- Deposits or rent in advance payments will be capped at one month’s rent.
- Bidding wars will be banned for rental properties.
Can my landlord still end my contract?
While Section 21 evictions won’t be allowed anymore, landlords can still ask you to leave the property in certain situations using a Section 8 notice:
- Your landlord is selling or wants to move back into the property.
- If you or your housemates have committed anti-social behaviour.
For students, there are also Ground 4A notices. These are designed to let students living in houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) leave at the end of the academic year. There are still rules they will need to follow to put this into place:
- All tenants will be, or will become, full-time students during the tenancy.
- The landlord must be re-renting to a new cohort of students in the new academic year.
- The notice must be given four months in advance and specify a date in June to September for when the landlord wants the students to move out.
If you are not issued with a Ground 4A notice, you’ll need to give two months’ notice before you move out. You might be able to arrange a shorter notice period with your landlord, but two months’ is the new standard. So, if you want to move out in June, you’ll need to give your notice in April.
How will this affect my current tenancy?
Because the changes are coming in during most students’ tenancies, your landlord will send you information about the Renters’ Rights Act. These will go into effect from 1 May 2026 so will likely impact the end of your tenancy.
The key thing is to plan in advance and do not assume your old fixed-term end date still applies. You will need to give your two months’ notice yourselves unless an agreement has already been reached. To make sure your notice is valid:
- Put it in writing with the date you intend to end the tenancy and vacate the property.
- Give at least two months’ advance notice.
- End it on the last day of a rent period. This will be the day before monthly rent is due.
I’ve already signed my contract for next year. What will happen now?
If you already signed an assured tenancy or AST for the next academic year, it will still be valid. Your landlord will need to provide you with a written statement by 31 May 2026 detailing the changes to your rights and how it will affect your tenancy.
Will I still need a guarantor?
Because of the cap, it is likely that landlords will rely more on guarantors. The rules around guarantors won’t be changing.
For international students, getting a guarantor can be tricky because of the requirements. There are guarantor agencies that will act on your behalf. These services charge between 4% and 20% of the total rent, so it can vary significantly between agencies. It’s well worth shopping around to get the best deal to suit you and your needs.
I want to leave my shared house. How should I end my tenancy?
Everyone who signs the agreement will enter a joint tenancy. This means if one person wants to leave it will end the agreement for everyone.
Now, before you panic, this doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will need to move out. Discuss this with your housemates and landlord to explore options for continuing with a replacement tenant and a fresh tenancy agreement for those staying.
Can I bring my pet?
Yes, under the new Act you can ask to have a pet once you have moved in. Your landlord will need to give a good excuse, with evidence, why they are refusing your request.
However, there are still things need to be considered. Can you fit caring for your pet around your studies and lifestyle? How do your other housemates feel about having a pet? Are the house, garden and neighbourhood appropriate for your pet? Having a pet is a big commitment and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
How will this affect renting in the future?
We’re not sure how this will affect the rental market just yet, but these changes will help strengthen tenants’ rights overall.
The Renters’ Rights Act also means that HMO landlords will not be able to require students to leave the property if they sign students up more than six months before the moving in date. This means that the searching and signing part of finding your student house will likely move to the spring months so landlords can issue Ground 4A notices. This will hopefully stop landlords and agencies pressurising students to make a commitment too early, before they have had a proper chance to look at the market and get to know potential housemates.
