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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the abolition of Assured Shorthold Tenancies on university students in cases where previous fixed-term tenancies were due to end within two months of the date of abolition.

From 1 May 2026, the new tenancy system provided for by the Renters’ Rights Act applies to all private tenancies.

As such, all tenancies are now periodic and it will no longer be possible to agree a fixed rental term or create a tenancy with an end date or break clause, and any existing terms of these types no longer apply.

Students renting private accommodation, like other tenants, will be able to stay in their home until they decide to end the tenancy by giving two months’ notice. Landlords will be able to end the tenancy using a possession ground if they have a valid reason.

The Act introduces new mandatory ground 4A which will allow landlords renting HMOs to full-time students who occupy on either joint or individual tenancy agreements to seek possession ahead of each new academic year, facilitating the ongoing yearly cycle of short-term student tenancies.

My Department introduced transitional arrangements for landlords seeking to end student tenancies at the end of the 2025/26 academic year. To do so landlords must serve a possession notice between 1 May and 30 July 2026 and provide at least 2 months’ notice.