How will Renters’ Rights Bill change logistics of student rental market?

I would be very interested in hearing from other student landlords. I have not come up with much. My current thoughts are to prioritise 1st and second year undergrads, post grads, and international students. To commence tenancies on 1st September as standard or maybe earlier. I have one student property in Birmingham and the tenancies there are mostly 12 months starting in July with July and August at half rent unless students want to move in when it is full rent. I will talk to my agent about that model but it would need to become the norm. I was thinking of continuing tenancies if/when one decides to move. I may say the whole tenancy has to end to see if peer pressure will keep things rolling for longer. Of course we are actively looking at selling up because we are not optimistic about the visibility of student rentals in the light of RR and EPC legislation.

When I first started as a student property landlord in 1999 most houses were let around the end of January. The university held its housing fair the week after exams. It meant everyone had had a few months to meet people and decide who they wanted to live with. Second year students had experienced the reality of living with their chosen group of housemates and could decide if they wanted to live with them again the following year.
In the intervening years the letting agents have got earlier and earlier with kick starting the letting season. This year it was pretty much September. It was a case of new students arrived and within days were put under pressure to sign up for a house with people they had only just met for next September.

In my opinion late January or early February is the ideal time for house hunting for students. They have had chance to settle, get to know people and make rational decisions. Before Christmas is too early. Leaving it until 1st March is too close to the Easter holidays. Quite a few students don't come back straight after the Easter holidays or have placements away from their home university.

The most important aspect of student housing that could be legislated is a consistent format for advertising. It's currently incredibly hard for prospective tenants to compare like with like. The cheapest properties often appear a very long way down the list on Rightmove purely because some companies will allow per person per week pricing while others insist on per property per month. If bills are included this should be highlighted. Also which bills? Some companies allow landlords to advertise bills inclusive even if it's only the broadband. Others won't allow it to state bills inclusive unless it's gas, electric, water and broadband.

Reply to the comment left by Marlena Topple at 21/01/2025 - 09:31
International students Marlena? If accepting more than a months rent in advance is banned then they won't be able to get anywhere - you need payment up front. I've been caught (many years ago) by Chinese students who have just disappeared back to China. There's no way of chasing them - so you need rent paid up front.

Not a student issue but on the same topic...I've just let a flat to a couple who have just moved from South Africa. Lovely mature people, but no credit history or guarantor. They understood that and were happy to pay 12 months up front. Without that security I'm not sure they'd have found anywhere to stay. Crazy times.

“In many cases,” Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck famously said, “rent control appears to be the most efficient technique presently known to destroy a city — except for bombing.”

This was of course written before the Renters Rights Bill.

I started in this market in the early 90s. Most tenants pay in advance, that’s how they get their grant. We regularly get advance payment from foreign students. Doubtless, some who hold onto the money will spent it. Without the security of advance payment, why take a chance? This is a recipe for arrears. The changes appear to be based on a complete misunderstanding of the market. They’re asking what tenants want in a perfect world, but not if it can be delivered by landlords. No one is looking at the practical reality. If my property falls out of the student cycle, I’ll probably shift it to being a regular let, at least in the short term. Long-term, I don’t see myself continuing, I don’t see how it will be possible.

Reply to the comment left by Marlena Topple at 21/01/2025 - 09:31If you want to help the situation of the RRB then it's best to start the tenancy as near to 1st June as possible or as near to the end of the summer term. If they give notice to leave immediately their summer term has ended then this could lessen the void period. That's if the provision in the bill enabling us to give them four months notice to preserve the academic year stays in the bill.
I let my student houses for 52 weeks and have no deductions for the summer. One could work out how much to expect for a year then charge the full amount for the lesser number of weeks occupied anticipating they will give notice at the end of their term.  Student houses in the PRS are cheaper so it would be feasible to increase the weekly rent.
One can't take more than five weeks' deposit, and or, one weeks rent in advance: then that leaves out international students. 
I've taken students for the next academic year, and given them an eleven month lease. When I let for the following year 2026-2027 I will have brought forward the start date. I know next time I will not be able to sign up students so early but I don't yet know if one can advertise so early. I guess one will have to wait and see.
All said and done I think the RRB is a complete disaster for student lets. I would let to professionals if I was younger but at my age one needs familiarity so I may continue.

Reply to the comment left by Andrew Morris at 21/01/2025 - 12:28I doubt they've consulted any students let alone Landlords. What student would want an indefinite tenancy and lack of certainty for a new tenancy?

Reply to the comment left by Andrew Morris at 21/01/2025 - 12:28If one of my student properties was vacated mid-term I think I'd just sell it. Once you get into standard long term lets it's difficult to get back in and costly if in a licensed area (impossible if the density is too high).

Reply to the comment left by Yvonne Francis at 21/01/2025 - 12:431st June seems a bit early for me (I'm doing mid-July on a 11.5 month tenancy). I'd feel at risk of early cancellation with 1st June as a result of them finding a cheaper property (Landlords start panicking if they haven't secured the tenancy by the summer and drop prices sharply to try and avoid a void period).

Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 21/01/2025 - 13:35
This is going to be a problem. Landlords and agents wanting earlier and earlier start dates. A few years ago student tenancies were for 43 weeks. Now they are 11 or even 12 months.
Maintenance needs to be done at some point. We have always been able to confidently book trades people well in advance for our planned void. Now it's going to be chaos.

Personally I would prefer to see undergrad tenancies starting no earlier than 1st September and advertising no earlier than 1st February. All adverts to clearly state per person per week cost, length of contract, exactly what is included, if it's a joint tenancy or several individual tenancy agreements. Level the playing field and let us compete equally and let students make informed decisions.