Disputes with landlords and rental accommodation

Going to college or university is an exciting time, with lots of new experiences from living away from home for the first time to making new friends. One cause of unnecessary stress is rental accommodation, whether that is student halls of residence or private landlords.

Navigating disputes with landlords is an all too common challenge for students living in rental accommodation. Whether it’s disagreements over deposit returns, unresolved maintenance issues or unclear tenancy agreements, these conflicts can lead to unnecessary stress to an already demanding academic life.

Understanding your rights as a tenant and knowing how to handle disputes effectively is crucial for maintaining a safe, comfortable living environment.

We’ll explore common problems that students face in rental accommodation, provide practical tips for resolving conflicts and highlight resources that are there to help protect your rights.

What should students know about renting

Renting accommodation as a student can be an exciting step toward independence and for some, this will be the first time that the student has lived away from home. It is important to approach renting with a clear understanding of what your rights and responsibilities are. Some details of the areas that you need to understand before renting:

Tenancy agreements and contracts

Understand the contract: The tenancy agreement is a legally binding document which will outline the terms of your rental.

Key terms to check: Look through the contract for details on the rent amount, payment dates, the length of the tenancy, break clause and maintenance responsibilities.

Joint tenancies: If you are renting a shared house, a joint tenancy may be the type of tenancy used. A joint tenancy means that you are equally responsible for the rent and any damages caused. If there is a housemate that hasn’t paid their part of the rent, a joint tenancy means you are liable with the other tenants.

What should students know about renting

Renting accommodation as a student can be an exciting step toward independence and for some, this will be the first time that the student has lived away from home. It is important to approach renting with a clear understanding of what your rights and responsibilities are. Some details of the areas that you need to understand before renting:

Tenancy agreements and contracts

Understand the contract: The tenancy agreement is a legally binding document which will outline the terms of your rental.

Key terms to check: Look through the contract for details on the rent amount, payment dates, the length of the tenancy, break clause and maintenance responsibilities.

Joint tenancies: If you are renting a shared house, a joint tenancy may be the type of tenancy used. A joint tenancy means that you are equally responsible for the rent and any damages caused. If there is a housemate that hasn’t paid their part of the rent, a joint tenancy means you are liable with the other tenants.

Ending your tenancy

Notice periods: You need to check your tenancy agreement for the length of notice that you must give if you want to end your tenancy early.

Cleaning and inspections: You should be cleaning your rental accommodation thoroughly and document the properties condition when you leave. This will help to ensure you get your deposit back.

Dealing with disputes

Know who to contact: If you do experience issues with your landlord, you can seek advice from the student’s union, the local council or even from one of the legal specialists at Health Assured.

Mediation service: Some disputes can be resolved through mediation. Some colleges and universities offer free legal aid for students.

Additional tips

Beware of scams: Don’t pay the deposit before viewing the property or signing the contract, if you are not able to view the property, consider other options. You need to conduct research on the landlord or letting agent. You can get support from Health Assured via the Wisdom app or from your student’s union.
Budget: You need to make sure you can afford to live in the rental accommodation and afford to pay your other bills such as utilities, Wi-Fi, travelling and food.

What happens if a landlord or letting agent will not make repairs?

If a landlord or letting agent refuses to make repairs, it can cause significant stress, and this will impact your quality of living. However, as a tenant, you have legal rights and options to address the situation.

Understand the landlords' responsibilities

Landlords are legally required to maintain the property in a safe and habitable condition.

• Ensuring that heating, electricity, water and gas are all working correctly

• Landlords must fix any structural issues such as leaks and damp

• Maintain smoke alarms and door locks

• Any additional repairs which are outlined in your contract,

Report the issue in writing

Notify the landlord or letting agent: Report the issue to the landlord or letting agent as soon as possible and preferably in writing (email), so that there is a record. In the communication, you need to state the details of the problem, any photos and if applicable, a reasonable deadline for the problem to be fixed.

Follow up: If you don’t receive a response, you need to follow this up and reference your first email.

Escalate the issue

If the landlord or letting agent doesn’t respond or take action, you can escalate the problem.

Contact the local council: In the UK, councils have private sector housing teas who are responsible for ensuring rental properties meet the legal standards. They can come to the property to inspect it and issue an enforcement notice to the landlord.

Raise a formal complaint: If you’re renting through a letting agent, you can file a complaint with their redress scheme. A redress scheme is an independent service that helps resolve disputes between you and the letting agents, two property redress schemes are The Property Ombudsmen Service and the Property Redress Scheme.

Seek repairs yourself

Getting repairs done and deducting costs: If the landlord continues to ignore the issue, you may be allowed to arrange the repairs yourself and deduct the cost from the future rent. However, you must have:

• Notified your landlord in writing of your intention

• Obtained multiple quotes from professional contractors – get these in writing

• Share quotes with the landlord and give them the opportunity to act

• Keep all receipts and invoices and provide them as proof

This option is risky is you don’t follow the process correctly. It is best to obtain legal advice which you can get from your Student Assistance Programme and speaking to a legal specialist.

Legal action

If the problem with your landlord or letting agent persists and affects your health or safety, you can take legal action against the landlord or letting agent.

There is an organisation called the Housing Disrepair Team, where you can claim compensation for unaddressed repairs that have caused inconvenience, financial loss or health problems. There is no guarantee that you are entitled or will get compensation, so take legal advice before you pursue this.

Withholding rent

While this option might sound like a good option to promote a reaction from the landlord or letting agent, you should not withhold rent, as this puts you in break of your tenancy contract. This could result in legal action against you or even eviction. The only time you should withhold rent is when instructed by a legal authority.

What to do if my landlord is ignoring me

If your landlord is ignoring you, it can be very stressful, especially of you need an urgent repair or have concerns about your tenancy. As a tenant, you have rights and there are steps that you need to take to resolve the situation effectively.

Keep a record

Document your attempts: Write down dates, times and details of any emails, text, calls or letters that you’ve sent to your landlord.

Follow up: Make sure that you follow up any contact with your landlord in writing, make sure you are sending your communication in a formal manner and refer to the previous attempts to contact them.

Check your tenancy: Make sure you’ve checked your tenancy agreement, so you know what is the responsibility of the landlord and what is your responsibility.
File a complaint: If you are renting through a letting agent, you can file a formal complaint via a redress scheme.

How to report a landlord

If a landlord is part of an accredited scheme, you can file a complaint against the landlord via that scheme. This could be National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) or local council schemes.

How to get out of student accommodation contract 

Getting out of a student accommodation contract can be challenging, as the agreements are legally binding. However, there are steps you can take depending on your circumstances.

Review your contract

Check the terms: Carefully read the terms of your tenancy agreement for the clause related to ending of the contract early, such as break clause or conditions for early termination.

Fixed-term contracts: If you’re on a fixed-term agreement, you are usually obligated to pay rent for the full term unless a specific clause allows early exit.

Speak to your provider

Contact your provider: You need to explain your situation in as much detail as you can, some providers may allow you to end the contract if you can provide a replacement tenant.

College / University accommodation: If you live in college or university accommodation, speak to the accommodation office. They may have procedures for early termination in cases of financial hardship, health reasons or being withdrawn from your course.

Exceptional circumstances

Unforeseen events: If you’re experiencing financial hardship, serious illness or other extenuating circumstances, discuss this with your landlord or letting agent, they may agree to release you from the contract as a goodwill gesture.

Legal exceptions: If the accommodation is unsafe or inhabitable due to the failure of the landlord by not maintaining the property. This could be grounds to terminate the contract early.

Student Assistance Programme (SAP)

The SAP is a confidential support service designed to help students manage challenges relating to mental health, wellbeing, personal and academic life. The SAP provides you with professional advice from counsellors and legal professionals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As well as being a hub for resources from stress management, financial wellbeing advice, mental health and so much more.

The SAP is a lifeline for students who are struggling to balance academic and personal responsibilities. If you haven’t downloaded the Wisdom app, then this is the place to start.

Conclusion

Disputes with landlords and lettings agents are a common challenge for students that live in rented accommodation, often arising from issues such as withheld deposits, unresolved maintenance problems or breach of tenancy agreements.

Students must understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants to effectively navigate these situations. As a tenancy agreement is a legally binding document, students should carefully review the agreement to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities and those of the landlord.

If a landlord or letting agent fails to address the concerns, they have a right to escalate this by contacting the local council, a redress scheme or organisation such as the Citizens Advise Bureau. Ultimately knowing how to handle these situations is paramount for all students and knowing how to access the resources and services that help to protect their rights.