To: Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 

Dear Secretary of State, 

We – students and supporters of students’ rights – urge the government to stand firm in its commitment to students in the Renters’ Reform Bill. 

Landlords are trying to water down students’ rights in the legislation, by arguing that the introduction of rolling tenancies would harm students. 

Rolling tenancies with two-month notice periods as standard would only make student tenancies more secure, giving them more flexibility in where they choose to live and more power to improve their living conditions. 

If students were exempt from parts of the Bill, they would effectively become an underclass of renters with fewer rights to exit a tenancy or have flexibility in their accommodation. 

Ensuring students continue to be tied to 12-month contracts would send a message to students that their rights matter less than tenants across the sector. 

In practical terms, a considerable proportion of students do not even rent with fellow students, which would inevitably lead to situations where individual tenants within properties have different contracts and terms. Not only would an exemption represent a watering down of rights – it would also be unworkable. 

We hope you will maintain the provisions currently in the Bill to protect student renters’ rights and deliver a stronger rental sector for students in England.