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This blog was kindly authored by Graham Hayward, Managing Director, Housing Hand.
Much support is (quite rightly) given to young people in relation to choosing the right course at the right university. They are supported with reams of information on how to settle in at university, how to study independently, where to turn for advice on their course and how to develop essential life skills such as self-care and self-sufficiency. Universities also do much to support young people as they get used to living in halls during their first year. However, those who look to the wider private rented sector for accommodation in their second year often feel quite overwhelmed by the experience, finding a sudden dearth of information, not just from universities, but from the entire rental housing sector.
Diving into the details
Housing Hand surveyed over 1,700 private renters in early 2025, including 932 student renters. A staggering 76% of those student renters reported negative feelings about finding their first property. 24% felt overwhelmed, 20% uncertain, 19% anxious, 8% scared and 5% out of their depth. Concerns ranged from an inability to find a suitable or affordable property to not being accepted by the landlord if they did manage to find one. Just 6% reported feeling excited about finding their first property, and 6% happy.
Going away to university can have a hugely positive impact on young people as they grow their independence, acquire essential life skills and develop a plentiful social life, as well as further their education. However, while universities provide a range of support for young people, they can’t (and shouldn’t) be expected to do it all. Our research suggests that the information provided to young people currently, by both the education and housing sectors, isn’t hitting the mark in terms of preparing students for renting.
Students told us they typically get information on how to manage housing-related finances from family (37%), websites (29%), friends (15%) and social media (9%). 82% of the renters we surveyed wished there had been more financial education in school.
Students feel the strain
Finding suitable accommodation for university, as well as the pressure of being accepted by the landlord is, in the words of one student survey respondent, “exhausting”. It’s a challenge that many students face as they approach their second year of study – a far cry from the protection that living in university halls affords during their first year typically. It signals that there is much more that partnerships across the higher education and rental sectors could do to prepare young people for the experience of finding a first home.
Doing so would not only support them to enjoy the process more, due to their increased confidence, but could also reduce the potential for student renters to make costly mistakes. Our research found that only 30% of student renters knew about deposit-less rental schemes, while just 47% knew about deposit protection schemes. We also found that 38% of students didn’t know what a guarantor was at the point they were asked to provide one.
Students’ lack of rental sector experience puts them at a disadvantage compared to other renters and can result in them feeling overwhelmed. It is exacerbated by the fact that many of their parents also lack recent knowledge or experience of today’s rental market. This makes the process of finding a rental home stressful and can result in some student renters missing out on the property they want.
Solving students’ rental stresses
The passing of the Renters’ Rights Act, which marks the biggest shakeup to the rental sector in a generation, presents the ideal opportunity to address students’ knowledge gap. With both renters and accommodation providers needing to understand the changes that the Act is introducing, there is an opportunity to communicate clearly and effectively.
The rental sector has the chance to work with educational establishments to help achieve this, ensuring the newest generation of renters has all the knowledge needed to move ahead with confidence. Preparing young people to rent a home shouldn’t be yet another burden for universities to carry; instead, the rental and education sectors must work in partnership to ensure they provide information in an easily digestible format to help empower young people from the very outset of their rental journey. Together, we have an opportunity to educate and empower, delivering a game-changing experience for young renters.