A coalition of student housing providers along with the NRLA have warned the government that the Renters Rights Bill will threaten students’ access to higher education.
A letter has been penned to the higher education minister, Baroness Smith, by Homes for Students, Accommodation for Students, StuRents, the Young Group and the NRLA.
With the bill having progressed to the House of Lords, this letter claims that ending fixed term tenancy agreements poses a threat to the annual cycle of the student housing market.
The government’s reforms will mean all one- and two-bedroom student homes will fall outside of measures to protect the yearly cycle of the rest of the market.
Alongside this, it is argued that the bill’s plans to restrict the payment of rent in advance will make it harder for international students without a UK credit history to prove their ability to sustain a tenancy and pay their rents.
In a joint statement accompanying the letter, the coalition has stated: “It is staggering that there is no guarantee that at least one fifth of all student housing will be available to rent at the start of each academic year.
“The changes will ultimately prove to be counterproductive, increasing uncertainty and financial anxiety amongst student tenants. All it will lead to is chaos and confusion for students, making it harder for them to secure housing and ultimately restricting options for higher education.
“We call on the Government and Peers to act to protect the availability of all student housing.”
