Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the end of fixed term tenancies on student accommodation in the private rented sector.

We want all tenants renting privately, including students, to benefit from the increased security and flexibility the Renters’ Rights Bill will provide.

Students will benefit from the removal of fixed term tenancies. Fixed terms mean that renters are obliged to pay rent regardless of whether a property is up to standard, and they reduce renters’ flexibility to move when they need to. The government is clear that there is no place for fixed terms in the future assured tenancy system.

To facilitate the yearly cycle of short-term student tenancies, the Bill introduces a new ground for possession which will allow landlords renting to full-time students in Houses of Multiple Occupation to seek possession ahead of each new academic year.

The department has engaged with a range of stakeholders in the student accommodation market and will continue to do so.