Students will always need somewhere to stay if they’re studying at a university away from home.
If you’re a landlord looking to enter the student market, here’s our guide to renting your property to the student market with advice on rent, furnishings and repairs.
Pros and cons of renting to students
There are advantages and disadvantages to renting to students.
Pros
- The student market is steady and predictable, so you can likely get a consistent income
- Students are generally pretty easy-going
- They’ll usually move on within a year or two, so you’re not tied into any long-term contracts
Cons
- Bills for repairs and maintenance might be higher than usual
- As they’re coming straight from student halls or from their family home, they might not have the best credit references
- If your tenants like to party, you might face noise complaints
What are my responsibilities?
You still have the same responsibility for looking after student renters as you would with any other tenant, including:
- fire and safety obligations
- pest control
- deposit protection
- any structural repairs
Check out our full guide on landlord responsibilities.
Legal responsibilities for renting to students in the UK
Student lettings have a bad reputation when it comes to quality.
The Renter’s Rights Bill legally demands that landlords provide houses that meet the Decent Homes Standard.
It means giving all tenants in the private renting sector the legal right to a safe, warm home. This should mean better, higher-quality housing for students.
Word of mouth between students is very persuasive, and once you get a good reputation within the student community, you should have no trouble filling your property for years to come.
If you’re a first-time landlord, then you can follow our landlord checklist to make sure you’re ready to start letting your property.
What furnishings should I provide?
It’s unlikely that students will have their own furniture, so they’ll expect the house to be fully or part furnished.
Ideally, you should provide:
- white goods – including a washing machine, fridge freezer and cooker
- other kitchen appliances – like a microwave, toaster and a kettle (make sure they’re all PAT tested)
- beds – they'll likely bring their own duvets etc, but usually you’ll need to supply bed frames
If you don’t want to spend too much money on communal furnishings like sofas and chairs, you can pick up bargains or find furniture that’s second-hand.
If you do provide furnishings, you’ll need to make sure you have the right cover to protect the things inside the house. If you just have buildings landlord insurance, they won’t be covered.
What should be included in the tenancy agreement?
Most landlords letting to students choose a joint tenancy agreement where the tenants are equally responsible for all costs (like rent).
This should protect you in case anyone leaves mid-term, as the other tenants will be liable for their share of the rent.
For many students, this will be their first time manging their own money so ask each student to provide a guarantor.
This will usually be their parent or guardian and covers any rent or costs if the student is unable to pay.
Who pays council tax?
If you’re only renting to students, then you won’t have to pay council tax for your property.
Your student tenants will need to get an exemption certificate from their council, so it’s a good idea to ask for a copy of this.
You’ll have to pay any outstanding council tax if you can’t prove that only students live in your property.
What if I receive noise complaints?
With student tenants, there is the possibility they’ll be partying in the house, and you could face noise complaints.
It’s important to deal with this as quickly as you can by speaking to the students in person if possible.
If you keep receiving complaints and decide it’s better to let your property to other types of tenants, make sure you have a clause in the tenancy agreement about noise and nuisance before asking the students to leave or there could be legal consequences.
As a last resort, you can report the students to the council environmental officer and serve a section 8 notice, which will let you end the tenancy.
But you need to make sure you have good reason to evict tenants. Now, Section 21 (‘no-fault’ evictions) is going to be banned, landlords need solid grounds and evidence to evict tenants, so don’t take the decision lightly.
The ban on Section 21 will likely come into force summer 2025.
Landlord insurance
If you’re renting to students, it’s useful to have landlord insurance in place to protect yourself and your property.
It can protect you against damage to your property, and things like loss of rent.
Remember, policy limits and exclusions will apply, so always check your policy book to make sure you’re covered.
