On 1st May 2026, the UK’s Renters’ Rights Act will come into force, introducing significant changes for private renters. Some of these changes include “no-fault” evictions and the elimination of rental bidding wars.
York has a very competitive and ruthless rental market, which becomes a total nightmare for students who need to rent private accommodations. York SU has recently dubbed it a “housing hell” for students, demanding changes from the City of York Council and MPs to work alongside students for better on-campus accommodation prices.
With these changes comes one particular law that will completely change the market: landlords can no longer ask for more than one month’s rent in advance.
On paper, this should be an amazing improvement for all private renters, who often find themselves needing to bid more and more in order to secure housing in York. Yet, there is a key demographic of students who may be negatively affected by this: international students.
International students already face significant hardship coming to the UK to study. They are used as economic bargaining agents for universities, and are often put at the forefront of blame if a university’s budget falls short.
This happened this year with the University of York— a steep decline in enrolment from international students became the headline reason as to why there are severe budget constraints for the institution.
A University spokesperson said: “International students are a vital part of our diverse community here at York and their success and wellbeing is extremely important to us.
“We know finding the right place to live is a priority for our students, and we are aware that many are under increased financial strain.
“While we can’t control the private rental market, we do have support systems in place for students who need help to find accommodation or are facing hardship – whether UK or international – ranging from personalised information and advice to hardship funding.
“We are also working closely with our partners in the City to advocate for planning that takes the needs and budgets of our student community into account.”
I think the current system of relying on international students’ money is one implemented by universities across the country, and is one that, in recent years, given the rise of strengthening immigration policies, is doomed to fail.
Due to the volatile market that is the visa process, many international students truly don’t have a secure place at university.
This can change month to month, with announcements in November highlighting that incoming international students will now need to maintain a monthly maintenance of £1,171 (up to nine months) from a previous £1,136. In 2020, the monthly maintenance was £1,023 per month.
These numbers are for studying courses outside of London, where the monthly cost hikes up by an (almost) additional £400. This monthly fee does not apply to every international student, as shown by UK Visas and Immigration. But it still affects a great number of students coming to the University of York. This £10,539 is the expected minimum students should have, on top of paying for their tuition (which increases every year) and for housing accommodation.
Depending on the students’ circumstances, private housing may be the best option for them. Through this, international students must navigate the chaotic York rental market.
Many international students will not have a UK-based guarantor, so they are then expected to pay the full lease of rent up front.
If an international student wanted to rent privately and the monthly rent was £850, that is an additional £7,650 they must have to secure housing. And let’s be real, who in York is renting private accommodation for only £850?
Ideally, this new law should take a significant weight off international students’ shoulders. However, I grow increasingly concerned that this will become a hotbed of discrimination towards international students.
It does not take much to figure out if someone is an international student, considering that we need to send identifiable information to landlords and their agencies. For students who are moving to the UK, the song and dance of setting up a bank account takes a bit of time, alongside getting a phone number. For both of those things, you need an address. If you have no address, you can not obtain these things. Additionally, it can be hard to obtain an address if you don’t have a bank account or phone number.
Logistically, this makes sense. But in practice, it’s hell for international students to obtain all three the second you move to the UK. With this rigmarole, plus the fact that many of us do not have a UK guarantor, it’s easy to suspect someone is an international student.
With this, the University of York should work with international students who can be identified as high risk for becoming homeless.
Becoming homeless is quite easy, especially if you are a student with a vulnerable status and every landlord sees you as a flight risk.
When I was moving to York, I was days out from my flight to England, and still had no home.
In a miracle move that I’m unsure I’ll be able to replicate in the future, I secured housing within those few days. For those days, I did not sleep and was wrecked with immense stress. Every call to an agency felt like a humiliation ritual where I had to beg to be considered, just to be told that the property was gone despite being posted five minutes before the call. This flat I acquired did not come without a hefty price, for which I have gone into significant debt back home to fund, just to ensure I was not homeless before I arrived.
While I am excited by the notion of paying rent month by month, I do wonder if my living situation will change because of this. Will my landlord suddenly see me as not trustworthy, simply because I am an international student?
In that same law, landlords now need a significantly valid reason for ending the tenancy, but what about incoming international students? What about international student graduates, who need to secure private housing since they can’t stay on campus?
Time and time again, international students risk falling into the cracks. And I believe it’s time for the University, International Student Support and York SU to make a strong commitment to ensuring their international students do not become homeless within the next year.
We, as international students, are at risk every day.
If the UK government decided tomorrow that all UK universities need to place a severe cap on their international students (something that the US’s Trump administration has already proposed), universities would simply go bankrupt as they would be unable to pawn us for their gain.
Not every international student is minted. We can’t all afford to shop at M&S every day and fly home every consolidation week (of which, I would argue, seems to be more common amongst the posh Southern home students who grace us with their attendance thrice a semester in seminar after being abroad on vacation).
Many international students worked our arses off to be here. And many of us intend to stay long-term in the UK, and to find a pathway to remain because we see a future here.
British students (who are privileged enough to do so) are leaving the UK for opportunities abroad, yet we are used as fodder in an anti-immigration war we don’t want to be a part of.
We want to study and work just like the home students. Universities would rather prepare for a future without international students by tightening immigration laws, instead of acting directly against this. If UK universities fought for international students to have non-increasing tuition fees, protections against sudden deportations, and continued action to ensure we are seen as humans with stories rather than financial pawns that pad a budget, international students might still continue to choose the UK for their education, despite the hurdles.
We struggle to bring our dependents (children and spouses); we struggle to find community; we struggle to work twice as hard as home students just to prove we belong here. But we are expected to expect a future where we can not be here.
Funny how that wasn’t mentioned before we paid over £20,000 in tuition fees.