The Government has been criticised for ignoring warnings about the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill on student accommodation.

The controversial legislation has reached the House of Lords committee state this week.

The Student Accredited Private Rental Sector (SAPRS) has released a statement repeating its warnings about the consequences of the controversial legislation for university accommodation.

SAPRS describes itself as a coalition of second- and third-year student accommodation providers.

The group claims that student housing relies on fixed-term tenancy agreements that have successfully balanced student and landlord needs by aligning with university term times and ensuring landlords have security of tenure each year. 

It warns that by dismantling this model, the Bill risks reducing housing availability, creating uncertainty for students and disrupting a well-functioning rental market.

Calum MacInnes, chair at SAPRS, said: “The Government continues to ignore warnings from the higher education sector about the risks the Renters’ Rights Bill poses to UK student housing. Students are already bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, facing rising expenses for both accommodation and tuition fees.

“Yet a straightforward solution remains – retaining the fixed-term tenancy system for the private student housing sector. This approach offers security to student renters and ensures landlords can make their properties available to new students at the start of each academic year.

“If the Bill remains unchanged, the student housing system – and with it, access to higher education – faces the risk of being irreparably damaged.”