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17/12/25 3:30 pm
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A leading HMO figure has warned that the Renters’ Rights Act, which is set to begin implementation on May 1 next year, will have unintended consequences both for tenants in traditional lets and those living in and renting out HMOs.
Vann Vogstad (main image), Founder and CEO of COHO, says the legislation has largely overlooked HMOs and claims that because it will make life harder for landlords operating single lets, this will see more tenants switch to HMOs as traditional lets become less common and that therefore rents will rise.
“The Renters’ Rights Act will make single lets far less appealing, pushing more landlords towards shared living,” he says.
“When they do, they’ll quickly learn what experienced HMO landlords already know, that successful shared living depends on creating homes built around compatibility and community.”
Vogstad also says the abolishment of Section 21 ‘no fault’ notice evictions will hit HMO landlords hardest, saying that in shared living, Section 21 has often been the only realistic way to protect housemates from someone threatening or harassing others.
“It’s called a ‘no-fault’ eviction but it’s how landlords discreetly and quickly remove people who make others feel unsafe,” he says.
“Without it, managers are left relying on Section 8 - a drawn-out legal route that can take six months or more and forces victims to prove their case while still living under the same roof as the person they fear. Nothing has been done to improve Section 8 for these situations, and shared living has once again been overlooked.
“The result is a policy that gives new rights to one tenant while effectively taking away others’ right to feel safe in their own home.”
“In student houses, when someone dropped out, it was on the group to find a replacement - usually a friend who fit in. It kept control in the hands of the people who knew each other best.
“Now, if one leaves, the whole tenancy ends and the landlord has to fill the gap mid-year with whoever will take it. Students lose choice, landlords lose stability, and homes risk turning into houses of strangers. It’s another example of how tenant law keeps overlooking shared living - and the very people it matters most to.”
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