The Renters' Rights Act has been in force since 1 May 2026, but understanding of its implications remains limited. Research from UK rental services provider Housing Hand found that 78% of renters do not know how it affects them.
Among student renters specifically, Housing Hand's Understanding Renters in 2026 report found that only 27% understand how their rights differ between property types. Sentiment is also notably negative: 65% of student renters report negative feelings about renting in the UK, with 24% feeling overwhelmed, 17% uncertain, 14% anxious, 6% scared and 4% out of their depth.
Those findings led Housing Hand to examine the five most common questions student renters are directing to the company in its role as a rental guarantor provider.
1. When and how do I give notice if I want to end my tenancy?
In a private shared house (a house in multiple occupation, or HMO), most student renters can now give two months' notice to end an assured periodic tenancy. Notice must be in writing, by letter, email or text, and served on a rent payment day or just before it. Rent remains payable throughout the notice period, meaning the two months can run from two months and one day to two months and 30 days depending on when notice is served. Landlords can agree to shorten or end the tenancy early, but any such agreement must be in writing.
If a tenant changes their mind during the notice period, the landlord must agree in writing to revoke it. Without that agreement, the tenant must leave on the date originally set. Where rent has been paid in advance or termly, a refund may be due depending on when notice was given.
In purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), the process differs. Tenancies typically end at the conclusion of the academic year, so formal notice is not usually required. However, contracts that commenced before 1 May 2026, whether signed or entered into tenancy, have converted to monthly rolling contracts under the Act. Students on those contracts can give two months' notice at any point. PBSA providers also have the option to serve a Ground 4A notice if they choose to do so.
2. I've signed a tenancy agreement for September 2026. Can I give notice now so that it doesn't go ahead?
Any tenancy, whether HMO or PBSA, entered into before 1 May 2026 will have become periodic, meaning two months' notice can be given at any time. Rent remains payable throughout the notice period. For those in shared accommodation on a joint and several contract, serving notice would also end the tenancy for all other housemates.
For PBSA, tenancies entered into after 1 May 2026 remain fixed-term and can only conclude before the stated end date with the landlord's agreement, typically where a suitable replacement tenant is found.
3. What is the difference between renting a PBSA room and a room in an HMO?
An HMO is a property where a private landlord rents rooms to individual tenants. PBSA schemes are typically larger, with students renting from a company rather than a private landlord, and usually include shared facilities alongside individual rooms.
Each type carries different rules under the Renters' Rights Act. In an HMO, students will generally now be on a periodic tenancy with no fixed expiry date, though some HMOs may be exempt if they meet certain criteria. Student renters in HMOs must give two months' notice to leave. Landlords in turn have the option to serve a Ground 4A notice, which gives student renters four months to vacate, allowing the landlord to re-let the property to a new group of students for the following academic year.
In PBSA, tenancies typically carry a fixed end date aligned to the academic year. For the current year, however, PBSA contracts will have moved to monthly rolling arrangements unless the provider has served a Ground 4A notice or the contract was entered into after 1 May 2026.
4. What is a Ground 4A notice, and what does it mean for me?
Ground 4A is a possession notice available to landlords of student HMOs under the Renters' Rights Act. It gives student renters notice that the landlord intends to take back possession of the property for the next academic cycle, typically to re-let to a new group of students. It is a legal process HMO landlords must follow if they require their tenants to vacate at the end of an academic year.
5. What if I want to stay in my accommodation for another academic year?
In a joint tenancy, one person giving notice can end the tenancy for all occupants. If one housemate decides to leave and serves notice, the tenancy ends for everyone.
Where remaining tenants want to stay on, one option is to negotiate directly with the landlord. In that situation, the landlord may choose to issue a new contract for the existing occupants.
"The Renters' Rights Act has fundamentally changed the UK rental market, meaning student renters now need to understand the different rights that apply to them in relation to different types of properties," said Dani Smith, sales manager at Housing Hand.
"The Housing Hand team is working closely with student renters and landlords during this period of adjustment, providing clear information and advice to ensure positive, productive renting relationships for all."
