A Student’s Guide to Renting: Your Rights and Responsibilities

Understanding Your Tenancy Agreement#

Understanding your tenancy agreement is key to making sure you aren’t met by any nasty surprises further down the line. As this document outlines not only your rights, but your responsibilities too, it is essential that you read thoroughly before signing.

Below are a few key elements of a tenancy agreement and what you need to know about each one:

Type of Tenancy - With an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), you sign an individual agreement between you and the landlord, and are therefore only accountable for paying your portion of the rent. It is important to understand how this differentiates from joint tenancy agreements, where you and your housemates would sign one contract together, and if someone doesn’t pay, you’ll all be jointly responsible. Luckily, ASTs are much more common in the student rental market.

Deposit - How much do you have to pay, will it be stored in a reputable deposit protection scheme, and under what circumstances could you lose it? These are all questions that should be answered within your tenancy agreement. It is a good idea to document the condition of the property upon arrival—this could be by taking a video or a set of photos. This will help you dispute and deposit issues at the end of your tenancy. 

Contract Length - Whilst some student contracts run for a full 12 months, others may be shorter, meaning you may have to vacate before the end of your last university term. It is important to check that the contract length aligns with your university term dates and helps facilitate a smooth transition into your next property should you be studying for a further year. 

Notice Periods - Whilst you may not have any plans to leave your property or tenancy early, it is still a good idea to be clued up on how this would work. Most contracts require a month or two notice should you want to move out, but there may be a clause that states you can leave sooner if you find a suitable replacement tenant. 

Your Rights as a Student Tenant#

Just like with standard rental agreements, you have certain rights that protect you from unfair treatment by your landlord or letting agent. Be sure to familiarise yourself with these when you begin your tenancy:

The right to a safe and well-maintained property #

This is one of the most important rights you will have as a tenant, and one that many students have found they need to exercise. Your landlord or letting agent needs to adhere to health and safety standards, for example ensuring that the property is free from severe leaks or damp, has a gas safety certificate, and a working smoke alarm on each floor. As a student tenant, your rights regarding heating and hot water may be particularly important during the winter months—make sure you document any issues or requests in writing and raise them as early as possible. Under both the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, any repairs to a boiler system should be carried out within a reasonable timeframe—usually 24-48 hours. Your landlord is legally responsible for repairing and maintaining the heating system, hot water system, pipes, and radiators. 

The Right to Have Your Deposit Protected#

We briefly covered this above, but key points you need to know are that if you have an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, your landlord needs to place your deposit in a government-approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme within 30 days of receiving it. This protects you as a student from having your deposit unfairly withheld at the end of your tenancy. Instead of asking them if they have protected your deposit, ask them which scheme they have used—this will give you extra reassurance that everything is above board.

The Right to Not Be Unfairly Evicted#

The last thing you need whilst studying your degree is to be thrown out of your house through no fault of your own. This is why under the Housing Act 1988, a landlord cannot evict you without following the legal process.

If you are on a fixed term contract: Your landlord cannot evict you unless you break the terms of your tenancy, for example not paying rent.

If you are on a rolling contract: Your landlord can give two months’ notice of eviction by following a Section 21 No-Fault Eviction. 

If your landlord tries to illegally evict you: If they change your locks or try to harass you into leaving, you can contact an agency such as Shelter or Citizens Advice for help and support.

The Right to Privacy (And Proper Notice for Visits)#

It is important that your landlord or letting agents follow the correct protocol when arranging visits to your property. If they have a valid reason for visiting, such as carrying out a repair or showing potential future tenants around the property, they need to give at least 24 hours’ notice in writing. Do not tolerate your landlord turning up unannounced.

The Right to Challenge Unfair Increases in Rent#

If you are on a fixed-term contract (which as a student tenant, you’ll likely be) your rent cannot be increased unless this is outlined in the tenancy agreement. If you are on a rolling contract, any increase must be fair and in-line with market rates. You can challenge unfair increases in rent at a tribunal.

How to Communicate Problems or Issues Effectively#

Whether it’s a leak in your ceiling, an issue with the boiler, or a temperamental lock on the front door, you need to know who to contact if you want a speedy resolution.

Before reaching out, check whether you should contact:

The landlord directly – If you rent from a private landlord, their contact details should be in your tenancy agreement.

The letting agent – If an agency manages the property, they handle most issues (repairs, rent payments, contract questions).

Your accommodation provider – If you're in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), report issues through their official system.

Always report issues in writing where possible, and if a phone call is needed, make sure you follow up with an email confirming what has been discussed. Take photos or videos of any visual issues and keep a log of everything in case this is needed to back you up further down the line.

How to Handle Common Issues#

Even with the best planning, problems can arise during your tenancy—whether it’s a delayed repair, unexpected visits from your landlord, or disputes over your deposit. Knowing how to handle these situations calmly and effectively can make all the difference. Below are some common issues student tenants face and the steps you can take to resolve them.

If you get no response to a repair request:#

Send a follow-up email after 48 hours for an urgent repair, or 7 days for matters that are non-urgent.

Copy the letting agent or someone else who might be able to assist into your chaser email.

If this goes ignored, you can look at escalating to your local council’s environmental health team.

If the landlord or agent refuses to fix an issue:#

Remind them of their legal obligations in regards to heating, plumbing and safety, and reference the tenancy agreement where needed.

If necessary, seek support from your university or Citizen’s Advice.

If your landlord repeatedly turns up without notice:#

Remind them that non-emergency visits require at least 24 hours’ notice.

If it continues, you can report them to your local council for harassment.

If you think a deduction from your deposit is unfair:#

Ask for a breakdown of deductions in writing

If you still believe the deductions to be unfair, raise a dispute with the deposit holding scheme.