Renters Rights Bill will limit access to higher education

Reforms to the private rented sector will make it harder to access university – limiting social mobility for swathes of students.

The NRLA is leading a coalition of student housing providers and property portals issuing the warning as members of the House of Lords prepare to debate Renters’ Rights Bill today.

In a letter to the Higher Education Minister, Baroness Smith, the organisations warn that unless changes are made, many students will be unable to access the housing they need, limiting their higher education options.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will end fixed term tenancy agreements, threatening the annual cycle of the student housing market, which follows the academic year.

Under the Government reforms, all one- and two-bedroom student homes will fall outside of measures introduced to protect the yearly cycle.

These properties form a fifth of the student market, with landlords left with no guarantee they will be available for rent at the start of each academic year.

Alongside this, plans to restrict the payment of rent in advance will make it near impossible for international students without a UK credit history to prove their ability to sustain a tenancy and pay their rents.

Many students in the UK pay their rent on a term-by-term basis, which will also be banned under the rent in advance rules – causing considerable stress for those who rely on paying this way to manage their finances.

In a joint statement the coalition, made up of the NRLA, Accommodation for Students, Homes for Students, StuRents and the Young Group, said: “It is staggering that there is no guarantee that at least one fifth of all student housing will be available to rent at the start of each academic year.

“The changes will ultimately prove to be counterproductive, increasing uncertainty and financial anxiety amongst student tenants. All it will lead to is chaos and confusion for students, making it harder for them to secure housing and ultimately restricting options for higher education.

“We call on the Government and Peers to act to protect the availability of all student housing.”

Threat to supply

With a number of universities already struggling to accommodate their student populations in recent years, there also fears the changes could hit the overall supply of student lets as landlords, put off by the increased risk, move into other areas of the market, or sell off properties.

This will not only make it harder for students to find homes, but is likely to force rents up creating more barriers to education, not least for those of reduced means.

In Scotland, when similar changes were made, there was a noticeably higher rate of exit from the student market than from the wider PRS, with a BBC report into the issue finding some students were left using hostels and sleeping on common room floors, with NUS Scotland reporting the crisis was forcing students to quit courses.

More information

• For more on the NRLA's approach to the Bill and our campaigns work read a blog by our policy director Chris Norris here.

• You can keep up to date with all the developments of the Renters Rights Bill, by accessing our exclusive member Hub here.   

• Extra dates have been added for our new Renters’ Rights course, after training sessions sold out in record time. For more information and to book click here.  

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