The Renters' Rights Act 2025: Your Questions Answered

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and comes into full effect on 1 May 2026. It is the most significant reform to residential tenancy law in England since 1988, and if you own or manage student property, it affects you directly.

We have put together this Q&A to answer the questions we are hearing most often from landlords across Lincoln, Nottingham, and Hull. Each answer links through to a dedicated post in our full eight-part series, where you can read the detail, the context, and exactly what we at Student Housing are doing in response.

What actually changes on 1 May 2026?

From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies are abolished. Every existing AST in England converts automatically to an assured periodic tenancy on that date, with no fixed end date and no requirement for either party to do anything to trigger the change. New tenancies created after 1 May must be periodic from the outset. The fixed term, which has been the legal backbone of student lettings for decades, is gone. Tenants can leave on two months' notice at any point. Landlords can no longer end a tenancy without a specific legal reason.

Read more: The End of Fixed Terms — What Periodic Tenancies Mean for Student Lets

Can I still get my property back at the end of the academic year?

Yes, but the mechanism has changed. Ground 4A is the new mandatory possession ground specifically designed for student HMOs. It allows landlords to serve notice requiring students to leave between 1 June and 30 September each year, provided the property is an HMO, all tenants are full-time students, a written statement was served at the start of the tenancy, and at least four months' notice is given. If all the conditions are met, the court must grant possession. The ground replaces Section 21 for this purpose, but it has conditions that Section 21 never had.

Read more: Ground 4A Explained — The New Possession Right for Student HMOs

My tenants signed last November for a July start. Does Ground 4A apply to them?

This is the question that catches the most landlords off guard. Ground 4A cannot be used where the tenancy was signed more than six months before the tenant was entitled to take possession. A tenancy signed in November for a July start is eight or nine months in advance, which puts it outside the ground entirely for new tenancies created after 1 May 2026. For existing tenancies converting on 1 May, there is a transitional concession that disapplies the six-month rule, but only if the written Ground 4A statement is served by 31 May 2026. Understanding this restriction is critical to planning your letting calendar correctly going forward.

Read more: The Six-Month Trap — Why Signing Early Could Cost Landlords Their Rights

Can I still serve a Section 21 notice?

Only until 30 April 2026. The last date on which a valid Section 21 notice can be served is 30 April 2026. Any notice served on or after 1 May 2026 is invalid and could result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Where a valid Section 21 has already been served before 1 May, court proceedings must be issued by the earlier of six months from the date of service or 31 July 2026, whichever arrives first. For landlords whose current tenants fall outside the Ground 4A conditions, acting now is critical.

Read more: Section 21 Is Gone — The Transitional Window and Why It Matters Now

When will students start signing tenancies under the new system?

We think the letting calendar will shift earlier. The logic of Ground 4A, combined with the six-month signing restriction, makes June the most efficient tenancy start date under the new regime. A June start allows the Ground 4A notice window to operate cleanly, aligns naturally with the end of the exam period, and gives students the option to use the property for storage through the summer before fully moving in come September. At Student Housing we are already orienting our letting calendar around June starts and adjusting our signing windows accordingly.

Read more: The New Letting Calendar — Why We Think Tenancies Will Start in June

What happens if a student decides to leave mid-year?

From 1 May 2026, any student on a periodic tenancy can serve two months' written notice at any point and leave lawfully. There is no financial penalty, no minimum period, and no requirement for the landlord's agreement. In our experience, the students most likely to leave early are those who are unhappy with the property or feel their maintenance requests are being ignored. The Act has removed the fixed-term safety net that previously kept dissatisfied tenants in place. The most effective protection against mid-year departures is a well-maintained property with responsive management.

Read more: Why Students Can Leave When They Like — and How to Make Sure They Don't

If one student in a joint tenancy serves notice, what happens to the rest of the group?

This is one of the most significant and least-discussed risks of the new regime. Under a joint periodic tenancy, notice served by one tenant brings the entire tenancy to an end, not just that tenant's share. The other members of the group have no power to prevent it, even if they want to stay. The landlord must then work quickly with the remaining students to establish a new tenancy, or risk losing the group entirely. For some landlords, letting by the room rather than on a joint tenancy may be worth considering as a way to reduce this risk, though it comes with its own complications.

Read more: Joint Tenancies Under the New Rules — One Tenant Leaves, the Whole Tenancy Ends

Has anything stayed the same?

More than the headlines suggest. Deposit protection remains a legal requirement and a prerequisite for obtaining a possession order under most Section 8 grounds. HMO licensing obligations are unchanged. Ground 8, the mandatory rent arrears ground, still applies, though the threshold has increased from two months to three. Anti-social behaviour grounds remain in force. And crucially, the underlying demand for well-managed student property in university cities has not changed at all. The Act has raised the floor on what acceptable practice looks like. Landlords who were already operating above that floor are well placed.

Read more: What Hasn't Changed — and Why Good Management Still Wins

The Full Series

If you want to go deeper on any of these topics, our full eight-part series covers every aspect of the Act in detail, including what the rules actually say, what they mean in practice, and exactly how we are responding at Student Housing.

• Post 1: The End of Fixed Terms — What Periodic Tenancies Mean for Student Lets

• Post 2: Ground 4A Explained — The New Possession Right for Student HMOs

• Post 3: The Six-Month Trap — Why Signing Early Could Cost Landlords Their Rights

• Post 4: Section 21 Is Gone — The Transitional Window and Why It Matters Now

• Post 5: The New Letting Calendar — Why We Think Tenancies Will Start in June

• Post 6: Why Students Can Leave When They Like — and How to Make Sure They Don't

• Post 7: Joint Tenancies Under the New Rules — One Tenant Leaves, the Whole Tenancy Ends

• Post 8: What Hasn't Changed — and Why Good Management Still Wins

If you have questions about how the Renters' Rights Act affects your specific properties, speak to your local Student Housing branch in Lincoln, Nottingham, or Hull. We are actively advising all managed landlords through the transition ahead of the 1 May 2026 commencement date.

This post is written for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Landlords with specific questions about their circumstances should seek independent legal guidance.