Since 1 May 2026, most private tenancies are periodic, meaning you can give 2 months' notice at any time. But if you're on a joint tenancy with housemates, leaving early isn't automatic: you and your guarantor typically stay liable for rent until a replacement tenant is found and accepted by both your landlord and your remaining housemates. University halls and purpose-built student accommodation usually keep fixed terms instead.

Capped at 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if annual rent is over £50,000) and must sit in a government-backed scheme. Once you and your landlord agree the amount, they have 10 days to pay it back. If you disagree, the deposit stays protected until the scheme's free adjudication service decides, so take dated photos and keep your check-in inventory.

Structure, exterior, heating, hot water, and sanitary fittings are your landlord's legal responsibility, they must act within a reasonable time of being told. Day-to-day upkeep, like changing lightbulbs, is generally yours. Put repair requests in writing and keep a record of when you asked.

Allowed: rent, deposit, a holding fee capped at 1 week's rent, late-rent and lost-key default fees, and costs if you ask to leave early or change the contract. Banned: admin fees, mandatory cleaning fees, reference-check fees, and guarantor fees. Since 1 May 2026, landlords also cannot ask for more than 1 month's rent upfront.

If you're sharing with several other tenants, your landlord may legally need an HMO licence from the council. You can check your address against your council's public HMO register, free, in a couple of minutes. No licence when one's required is something you can report.

No. Since Section 21 "no-fault" evictions were abolished, a landlord can't remove you simply for reporting a problem or asking for something to be fixed. If an eviction attempt follows soon after a complaint, that timing itself counts as evidence.

Since the switch to eVisas, a physical BRP card no longer proves your right to rent, even if it hasn't expired. Landlords should check this using an online share code from gov.uk or a digital identity check instead. If a landlord insists on an outdated document, raise it with your university's international student office.

If everyone in your household is a full-time student, you're exempt, but you need to request a certificate from your university and register it with the council yourself, it isn't automatic for private housing. Watch the gap between your course end date and your tenancy end date: you're liable for council tax from the day your course ends, even if you're still living there.