Students like new tenancy freedoms - but landlords warn of higher rents

The Renters Rights Act, implemented in May, has introduced significant changes to the student rental market, offering greater flexibility for tenants to leave their tenancies. This has raised concerns among landlords who fear higher rents due to vacant properties during the summer months. Eddie Lever, a student at the University of Exeter, highlights the newfound ability to vacate a tenancy with just two months' notice, allowing him to switch to studying international relations at the University of York without being tied to a full academic year contract.

While this flexibility benefits students like Eddie, who can avoid financial strain, it poses challenges for landlords like Sue Lawes, who rents student properties in Norwich. Sue worries about the potential for vacancies over the summer if students decide to leave before the academic year ends. Chris Norris, chief policy officer at the National Residential Landlords Association, explains that landlords face increased risks due to the Act's changes, as they cannot guarantee tenants will stay for the full summer.

Norris suggests that landlords may resort to raising rents or even selling their properties to manage the increased risk of empty houses. Sue Lawes supports the Act's goal of giving tenants greater security, but she argues that landlords should be allowed to offer fixed-term contracts aligned with the academic year to prevent property vacancies during the summer.