I'm a student renter — does the new law apply to me?

Yes, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 applies to most student renters in England — but with one important exception that only affects students in shared houses (HMOs).

If you rent privately and your landlord doesn't live with you, you have the same core protections as any other tenant: no Section 21 evictions, a rolling tenancy, rent increase rules, the right to request pets, and protection from discrimination.

The exception is Ground 4A, which applies to students in a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) — a property of three or more unrelated people. A landlord can use Ground 4A to ask the whole group of students to leave at the end of the academic year, to bring in a new group of students. They must give four months' notice, ending between 1 June and 30 September. This only applies if the landlord follows strict conditions and intends to re-let to students.

If you're a student in a standard privately rented flat or house that isn't a qualifying student HMO, Ground 4A doesn't apply to you and your landlord has no special route to move you on at year-end.

If you receive a notice citing Ground 4A and you're not sure it applies to your situation, take it to your university's student housing service or Citizens Advice immediately. The rules around when it can legitimately be used are specific and can be challenged.