How to renew student tenancy agreements

As a student property manager, renewal of tenancy agreements is an important part of ensuring maximum occupancy. If you have existing student tenants currently living in your properties, you should assess whether they would be interested in renewing their tenancy for the next year. If not, you will need to advertise it on listings platforms. 

To help you make the tenancy contract renewal process as efficient and streamlined as possible, we’re running through everything you need to know.

Why are tenancy agreements important? 

A tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract that outlines the responsibilities of the tenant, the landlord, and the property manager during a tenancy and protects the interests of all parties. If any disputes arise, the tenancy agreement can be used to help resolve them. 

Do you need to renew all tenancy agreements?

There is no legal requirement to renew a fixed-term tenancy. According to the Housing Act 1998, if the tenant chooses to stay in the property after the end of a fixed term and the tenancy agreement is not renewed then the tenancy will automatically become periodic (or rolling). This means that the terms of the old tenancy agreement will roll from one period to the next, until either the tenant or landlord gives notice.

Currently, Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill is in the process of passing through Parliament and is expected to become law as early as summer 2025. The Renters’ Rights Bill intends to abolish fixed-term tenancies and make all tenancies periodic. If the Bill passes, you may not need to renew tenancies as they will all be rolling from the outset and will continue until either party serves notice. However, at the moment, there is no real clarity about whether this will affect existing tenancy agreements.

What are the benefits of renewing a tenancy agreement? 

If you have had a good experience with your current tenants then you may want them to renew their tenancy agreement so you can ensure you have reliable occupants who will look after your property and pay on time. Renewing a tenancy agreement confirms that your tenants will be staying for another fixed period, providing you with the financial security that goes along with this. This approach tends to suit the student market too as students typically want accommodation for the whole academic year.

How to renew a tenancy agreement 

Renewal of tenancy agreements is usually straightforward. You should contact your tenants at least two months before the tenancy agreement expires to see if they want to stay in the property. If they do want to stay then you can draw up a new contract for another fixed term and have all parties sign it. If you want to amend or negotiate any new terms, such as a rent increase, you need to discuss this with the tenants before presenting them with a new contract to sign. 

If you want to make the contract signing process more efficient, you can use Concurrent’s digital contract signing solution. You can create, edit, and sign contracts within the platform and provide tenants with a seamless contract-signing experience. 

What to do if student tenants don’t want to renew their tenancy 

If your current tenants don’t want to renew their tenancy, you’ll need to advertise your property to other prospective tenants as quickly as possible. Listing on StuRents, the UK’s leading student accommodation platform, allows you to get your properties in front of student tenants at the exact time they are looking. Attracting more than 3.5 million annual views, StuRents is the perfect place to showcase your student rooms. Find out more about marketing on StuRents today.

Make tenancy agreement renewal more efficient with Concurrent 

Want to streamline and simplify the renewal of tenancy agreements? Find out more about how Concurrent’s digital contract signing solution could help you navigate the busy student booking season.