The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently progressing through Parliament, and is predicted to pass by the summer, having passed the House of Commons on 14th January. There are a number of ways in which the Bill will positively affect you as international students, so we’ve gone through the new Renters’ Rights Bill so you can see how the changes will impact you.
An end to ‘no fault’ evictions
Section 21, or ‘no fault’, evictions allow landlords to evict you with two months notice for no stated reason*. This is different to a Section 8 eviction, which relates to you breaching the terms of your tenancy. Under the Bill’s proposed changes, no fault evictions will be banned, meaning you can only be evicted in certain circumstances where you have broken the terms of your tenancy agreement (such as not paying rent). Landlords will likely also have to give you more notice if they do still evict you, with the notice period doubling from two months to four months.
Limits to rent charged in advance
More than half of you who responded to our survey who didn’t have a guarantor were asked to pay higher rent in advance – for most of you this was three to six months but one of you was asked to pay seven to twelve months rent at once. We know that this significantly disadvantages lower income students. However, the Bill proposes limiting the amount of rent that landlords can request you pay in advance to one month.
No more bidding wars
As many of you will be aware, it has become common, especially in London, to be asked by a letting agent to propose paying a higher amount of rent than is advertised for a property to increase your chances of securing a tenancy. The Bill could see a ban on landlords charging you above the advertised rent for a property, meaning an end to ‘bidding wars’ between tenants.
Targeting discrimination against low income tenants
Some of you will receive benefits, such as housing credit, and/or have children with you during your course. The Renters’ Rights Bill proposes a ban on discrimination against prospective tenants who are in receipt of benefits and/or have children.
Limiting rent increases
Under proposals, landlords will only be able to increase rent once per year during your tenancy, which will be limited to the market rate and require the landlord to inform you at least two months in advance. You will also be able to challenge the amount of this increase.
While these changes have not yet been passed by both Houses or put into effect, it is important to be aware of likely changes to your rights. We will continue to update you on developments in your rights, including the Renters’ Rights Bill.
In the meantime, if you are affected by any issues while renting, listed here or otherwise, please see our Guide to Private Renting for International Students made with London renters Union (LRU) here, or reach out to MRN. You can also consider joining a tenants’ union, such as LRU if you are in London, Living Rent if you are in Scotland, or ACORN nationwide.
You can also seek advice from Shelter and Shelter Scotland. Besides advice on their websites, they run a free helpline for urgent problems on 0808 800 4444, open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm at weekends. In Wales, Shelter Cymru have advice on their website. They also offer advice by telephone on 0345 075 5005 and can answer email enquiries via the website.
Notes
*“Section 21” refers to the part of the Housing Act 1988, which that made it possible for renters to be evicted without being given any reason; a Section 21 notice is what a landlord gives to their tenant to evict them in this way. For more info on what a section 21 notice is, see https://www.glassdoor.org.uk/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-section-21-evictions. For more info on what you can do if you get a notice, see https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/section_21_eviction
The Migrants’ Rights Network is a UK charity standing in solidarity with all migrants in their fights for rights and justice. We have been campaigning on international students’ issues since 2020, including explaining policy and legal updates that could affect you. You can find more of our work on international students here and our Know Your Rights guide here.