In the UK, university students have long had reputations for being ‘unusual’ tenants.
The ’80s sitcom The Young Ones focused on this:
Neil: Quick, quick, Mike, Mike! Get some boiling towels… er, Rick, clean water. Vyvyan, Vyvyan, sit down, take the weight off your feet.
Rick: What d’you mean “sit down”?! There aren’t any chairs!
Mike: Yeah, and all the towels have been burnt.When considering taking on students as tenants, you might first wonder: are students private tenants, and what implications does this have?
Read on to find out.
Are students private tenants?
Yes, if you rent out private accommodation to students, they count as ‘private tenants’.
They will sign a rental agreement just like any other renter. And they’ll need to adhere to the terms of that contract.
Meanwhile, when students rent university accommodation, they are not considered private tenants. This is because the landlord is the university rather than a private individual.
So, it depends on whether the student lives in private accommodation or university halls of residence (‘halls’).
When do students leave halls to rent privately?
Most students rent privately in the second and third years of their undergraduate program. This often means from the ages 19 – 21.
In their first year, most live in halls.
Post-graduate students also rent privately. Their average ages are typically mid-20s to 30s, but some can be older.
Are there any different rules for student tenants?
Student tenants must follow the terms of their rental agreement. In this sense, the rules are the same as for everyone else.
A landlord may demand certain extra steps before agreeing to rent a house to students.
For example, the landlord might want a guarantor for the rent payments since they don’t have full-time employment. A parent will often be chosen for this.
A landlord may also insist on an ‘assured shorthold tenancy’. This usually means that the contract lasts 1 year, which takes the students to the end of the following academic year.
Some landlords tweak the rental contract before asking for their signature when students live there.
Extra provisions could be made for loud music or smoking.
Will students always live in an HMO?
Not necessarily. It depends on the circumstances.
In towns with major universities, developers will often create households of multiple occupancies (HMOs). This is to rent them to students.
But demand for these property types will be higher in major cities like London or Birmingham.
In other cases, students may choose not to live in an HMO. They could go for a terraced house with several bedrooms.
Or even a semi-detached or detached property, depending on the budget.
Can students be evicted in the middle of the academic year?
Technically, yes. Rental contract will state whether tenants can be evicted and what would prompt this.
If they break the written agreement’s terms, they can be evicted, just like any other private tenant.
Can I be forced to house students if I don’t want to?
Not really. As a private landlord, you can rent your property to anyone. If you want to avoid students, then you can.
Some landlords rent to students out of necessity. This might be if there aren’t many other types of people looking to rent nearby.
Others might prefer the consistency of students looking to rent in University towns.
Landlords considering selling their tenanted property in the medium term also suit student tenants. This is because they know they will have a clear 1-year window (in most cases) in which their property will be empty.
Are student tenants well-behaved?
It varies on a case-by-case basis. Not all students are ‘party animals’ that play loud music. Some are even better behaved than ‘regular’ tenants!
You should interview the applicants and get a sense of their character.
Ask what their hobbies are, and make sure your written contract gives you lots of protection.
Tips for finding replacement tenants
1. Student groups
There will be groups dedicated to students at the university. You can advertise your vacancy in there.
Facebook groups may be dedicated to students at the university. There could also be Reddit or Discord Subforums.
And the university might have a portal you can access with their permission.
2. Speak to the university
You should contact the university directly. They can put you in touch with students who need accommodation.
They may also give you access to their online portal. Or they could grant permission to put printed flyers around their campus.
3. Online platforms
You can use several websites dedicated to finding tenants for a spare room, including:
- SpareRoom
- Gumtree
- Facebook marketplace.
Instagram pages might advertise house vacancies for you – in which case, contact them! Even Twitter (X) and Reddit could be useful as well.
4. Word of mouth
Most student properties are HMOs with multiple students.
So, when students leave, you can ask their housemates. They might know other students looking for a room already or be able to ask around.
5. Speak to other landlords
Tell them about your situation if you’ve got a network of other local landlords.
They might know a student nearby who’s searching for a room.
Especially if a student has only recently moved out of one of their properties. It could be a perfect match.
How long does it take to find a replacement student tenant?
Ideally, it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks.
Word of mouth is arguably the strongest method, so encourage the students in your property to tell their friends.
You don’t want the process to take over a month, as the academic year may already be partly through.
Landlord insurance can sometimes covers this scenario, depending on your policies.
