Tuesday, 14 July 2026
The Renters’ Rights Act: Supporting and Providing Advice to Students - Training for Student Housing Advisors
The Renters’ Rights Act (2025) was largely implemented on 1st May 2026, and its introduction into the student sector has created a number of predicted, but also some unforeseen, difficulties in this niche part of the wider PRS.
Housing Advisors supporting students have reported an increase in complex enquiries, and this is likely to increase into the new academic year as landlords adapt and student awareness of new rights increases. But with a new Act, providing accurate and credible support is difficult, especially in a niche market where tenant and landlord motivations are distinct from the mainstream PRS.
This low-cost session from the student housing charity Unipol and the ANUK/Unipol National Codes is being offered especially for advisors providing help to students, and will address key issues arising from the RRA.
Spaces Available
Agenda
10.00 - 10.05 Welcome and introductions
10.05 - 10.50 Session 1: Changes to student lettings in the PRS (Sarah Cummins)
Introduce core RRA changes
- Features of assured periodic tenancies (APTs)
- Removal of fixed terms, no more s21 notices
- Rent in advance, rent increases
- Mandatory information, pet requests etc.
- Transition provisions
- Outline of changes that will take effect later (PRS Database, PRS Landlord Ombudsman, housing conditions)
10.50 - 11.00 Comfort break
11.00 - 11.45 Session 2: Ending an assured periodic tenancy (Robin Stewart)
- Understanding how the removal of "no-fault" evictions applies to students.
- What replaces s21/preserving academic cycle – Ground 4A
- Impact of Ground 4A on house hunting timelines
- Other possession grounds affecting students
- Tenant notices to quit
- Challenges with joint tenancies and change of sharers
- Where one joint tenant can end the tenancy for everyone and options when this happens
11.45 - 11.55 Comfort break
11.55 - 12.40 Session 3: How Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) is different (Sarah Cummins)
- The PBSA exemption and transition period
- Features of common law tenancies – how they are different
- Transitional period complexities
12.40 - 13.00 Morning Q&A
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch break
14.00 - 14.55 Session 4: The new regulatory landscape (Robin Stewart)
- New breaches and offences
- Common breaches we expect to see student landlords make
- Sanctions for landlords who don’t comply – understanding the new penalties
- Expansion of rent repayment orders
14.40 - 14:55 Comfort break
14.55 - 15.55 Session 5: How the student sector is responding? (Covering trends in PBSA and PRS student lets) (Robin and Sarah)
- Trends emerging in the student sector
15.55 - 16.05 Comfort break
16.05 - 16.30 Further Q&A and Discussion (Robin and Sarah)
16.30 - 16.35 Final Remarks and Ends
Synopsis
What will the day cover?
This brand new one day event will cover the new Act from a student specific perspective:
- The core aspects of the Act
- Differences between the HMO/Street street sector and PBSA
- The new regulatory framework including enforcement duties
- How is the student landlord sector responding?
- Time for your questions
Who is delivering the training?
- Sarah Cummins is a Partner at Antony Gold Solicitors, specialising in residential landlord and tenant disputes.
- Robin Stewart is also a Partner at Antony Gold, specialising in property litigation, especially landlord and tenant disputes.
Who should attend?
The event is aimed at staff providing housing advice and guidance to students. It assumes some prior knowledge of the Renters' Rights Act and general landlord/tenant matters.
It is suitable for:
- Student union and other advisors working with student tenants
- University student support and advice staff
What does it cost to attend?
This event is being offered on a not for profit basis and prices have been kept affordable to enable the widest possible attendance:
- Student union advisors: £95 per person
- Other not for profit advisors: £95 per person
- University student support staff: £95 per person
To keep a limit on numbers and enable effective participation, attendance at this event is restricted only to housing advisors and other university student support staff.
Submit your questions in advance
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance so that content can be tailored. Please submit these via this form Questions in advance - Renters' Rights Act for Student Housing Advisors (14th July) – Fill in form
Can't attend this date?
If there is demand for a further session, Unipol will replay this event. Please email conferences@unipol.org.uk to register your interest.
Speakers
Sarah Cummins, Partner, Antony Gold Solicitors
Robin Stewart, Partner, Antony Gold Solicitors
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