Posted on Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 15:12 by
Natasha Moscuzza Ahh, the age-old tale of student housing… we’ve all heard horror stories. Mould, silverfish, and slug infestations, and landlords that simply don’t uphold their end of the bargain.
As a recent victim of a rental agency that unfortunately I cannot name here, I thought I’d do a blog on how you can champion your own housing rights as students.
Moved in, what now?
- Check out the inventory and challenge any damage that’s not recorded
- Photograph EVERYTHING yourself– this will help your case if you have any deposit disputes at the end of your tenancy
- Check that the deposit protection is legitimate and a recognised government approved scheme
- Hopefully you’ll have sorted your bills already – take a reading or photo of your meters (e.g., water, gas, electric) to make sure you don’t get charged for any use before your move in
- Understand whether you qualify for council tax exemptions, and apply for one if you do (full-time students qualify)!
Got problems?
Every time I get on a train, I hear the phrase “See it. Say it. Sorted.” And I think it applies to student renting too.
See it.
Check out the reasonable timeframes for different sorts of repair:
- Emergency repairs which affect health or safety – 24 hours
- E.g., major electrical fault, blocked toilet
- Urgent repairs which affect comfort – 5 working days
- E.g., hot water, heating or fridge failure, serious roof leaks
- Other non-urgent repairs – within 20 working days (e.g., shower breaking when you can still take a bath)
Say it.
First things first. Report, report, report. If they’ve got a portal for you to report maintenance issues put ‘em on there, if not then first inform the landlord/property manager in writing via an email (an email chain is super helpful evidence if further escalation is needed).
Send them a follow-up or give them a call if you’ve had no response.
Sorted.
If the repairs aren’t carried out by the landlord within the reasonable timeframe for the specific type of issue/damage, or they refuse, report it to B&NES via their online form.
There’s a helpful letter linked on the same page which you can use to tell your landlord that you’ve involved the council, as well as further info on what steps they could take to get your problem sorted and hold your landlord accountable.
Need to speak to someone?
Our amazing Advice and Support team can give you housing advice!
They can help you:
- Review your tenancy agreement before you sign anything
- Understand your rights as a tenant
- Write letters or emails to landlords or agents
- Access support if you’re at risk of homelessness
- Navigate housing related complaints/disputes
- Take a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
There’s this perception that as students that we should just put up with housing problems, but if you take anything from this blog, I hope it gives you the knowledge that you can, and should, champion your own rights.
I hope this helps!
Lots of love,
Tash x