More landlords are offering room-only tenancies and fewer flatsharers are being allowed to choose who they live with, risking upset to shared household dynamics.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, which applies to tenants in England, valid notice from one person named on a joint assured tenancy will usually end the tenancy for everyone named on the agreement.
Some report landlords using this to remove existing tenants and re-list properties at a higher price. SpareRoom data shows it has also prompted more landlords to offer room-only tenancies, which reduce their risk of expensive void periods.
Room-only tenancies gain ground
A September 2026 survey of 668 landlords with a majority of their rental properties in England found that around one in seven (14%) of those letting to flatsharers had changed to room-only tenancies since the Act came into effect. A further 12% were considering the move.
SpareRoom user data points the same way. In the third quarter of 2026, rooms advertised by existing and outgoing flatmates made up 26% of total rooms available to rent, down from 30% the previous year. Rooms advertised by landlords and agents rose from 42% to 44%.
A separate September 2026 SpareRoom survey of 3,928 tenants in England found almost three times as many renters were renting by the room (39.3%) as were in a joint tenancy (14.1%). Another 14.9% had neither arrangement, and 31.8% said they do not flatshare.
However, 71% of those renting by the room who had seen housemates leave reported that their landlords had not let them choose replacements.
“Under the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants now have greater protections from eviction,” said Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare site SpareRoom. “There must be valid grounds for possession and proper process must be followed. A problem tenant can’t be made to leave because over a personality clash with other housemates, so it’s all the more important to choose wisely and consider household dynamics.
“When flatsharing, who you live with is arguably a far bigger deal than where you live, or what sort of place you live in. Flatmates want to feel comfortable and safe in their homes. They don’t want to feel anxious about who might be moving in next, or unhappy with a decision that’s been taken out of their hands.
“There’s no perfect flatshare; they all look a bit different. Whatever the vibe, it’s important anyone hoping to move in understands the household dynamics, or it could be a recipe for disappointment.
“It’s understandable that more landlords are offering room-only tenancies under the new rules. They know void periods are costly, and one empty room is a far smaller financial hit than an empty house or flat. But if one person’s behaviour prompts other tenants to give notice, it defeats the whole object of room-only lets.
“Landlords should find tenant turnover reduces if they offer the existing flatmates a say in who moves in when someone leaves.”
