Student Letting Jargon, Explained

Letting agreements come with their own vocabulary, and nobody hands you a phrasebook. Here is what the terms actually mean, in plain English. The law described here applies to England; it has changed significantly in recent years, so for the current legal position always check gov.uk.

All inclusive rent. Rent with utility bills bundled in, typically gas, electricity, water and broadband, and sometimes extras such as a TV licence or contents insurance. Energy is often subject to a fair use allowance, so always ask what the allowance is and what happens if the house exceeds it. (At WESP, all our rents are all inclusive.)

Arrears. Rent that is overdue. Falling into arrears is a breach of the tenancy agreement and is one of the legal grounds on which a landlord can seek possession, so if you are struggling to pay, talk to your landlord or agent early rather than letting arrears build.

Assignment. Transferring your place in a tenancy to someone else, usually recorded in a deed of assignment signed by everyone involved. It is the traditional route out of a tenancy before its end, though now that tenancies are periodic, leaving by giving notice is often simpler. The landlord’s consent is normally required.

Assured periodic tenancy. The standard private tenancy in England. It runs month to month with no fixed end date, continuing until the tenant ends it by giving notice or the landlord recovers possession on a legal ground. It replaced the fixed term assured shorthold tenancy (AST).

Carbon monoxide alarm. An alarm required in rooms with fixed combustion appliances, such as a gas boiler. Carbon monoxide is odourless and dangerous, so test the alarm when you move in, along with the smoke alarms.

Council tax exemption. Full time students do not generally pay council tax, but the exemption is not automatic: each tenant usually needs to supply an exemption certificate from their university to the council or agent. If anyone in the house stops being a full time student, the household’s position changes and the council must be told.

Damage deposit. See tenancy deposit. The everyday name for the same thing, reflecting that deductions are most often for damage or cleaning.

Deposit protection scheme. A government approved scheme that holds or insures your tenancy deposit during the tenancy. The landlord must protect the deposit and tell you which scheme is used. Each scheme offers a free, independent dispute service if you disagree with proposed deductions at the end of the tenancy.

EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). A certificate rating a property’s energy efficiency from A to E and beyond. The landlord must give you a copy, and it is worth a glance: it hints at how expensive the house will be to heat.

Fair use allowance. A cap on the gas and electricity included in an all inclusive rent. Stay within it and you pay nothing extra; exceed it and the household usually pays the difference. Ask how it is measured and how you can check usage during the year.

Fair wear and tear. The gradual deterioration that comes from normally living in a property, such as worn carpet in a hallway. Landlords cannot deduct from your deposit for fair wear and tear, only for damage, missing items or cleaning beyond it.

Gas safety certificate. Proof that a registered engineer has checked the property’s gas appliances within the last twelve months. The landlord must give you a copy and repeat the check annually.

Ground for possession. A legal reason a landlord must prove to end a tenancy, now that no fault evictions have been abolished. Grounds include serious rent arrears, sale of the property and antisocial behaviour. The student ground (Ground 4A) lets landlords of shared student houses recover possession in the summer so the house can be re let to new students; landlords must say in writing before the tenancy starts if they intend to rely on it.

Guarantor. An adult, usually a parent or guardian, who signs a legally binding promise to pay the rent and other charges if the tenant does not. Guarantors are normally expected to live and work in the UK. On an individual tenancy the guarantee covers that tenant only; on a joint tenancy it can extend to the whole household, so the wording deserves careful reading. Our parents’ guide covers this in depth.

HMO (House in Multiple Occupation). A property shared by several unrelated people who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, which covers most student houses. Larger HMOs must be licensed by the council, which checks safety and management standards. You can search the council’s public register to confirm a property is licensed.

Holding deposit. A payment that reserves a property while paperwork is completed, capped by law at one week’s rent. It is normally put towards your rent or deposit when the tenancy goes ahead, but can be kept if you withdraw or fail checks, so be sure before you pay it.

How to Rent guide. A government booklet summarising tenants’ rights and responsibilities. Your landlord or agent must give you a copy at the start of the tenancy.

Individual tenancy. An arrangement where each person in a shared house signs their own agreement, has sole right to their own lockable bedroom, and is responsible only for their own rent. Housemates share practical responsibility for communal areas, but not each other’s rent. Compare joint tenancy.

Inventory. A record of the property’s contents and condition at the start of the tenancy, often with photographs. Check it carefully, report anything wrong within the deadline given, and keep your own dated photos. It is the key evidence if deposit deductions are proposed at the end.

Joint and several liability. The legal principle behind joint tenancies: each tenant is responsible for the whole rent and the whole agreement, not just their share. If one housemate stops paying, the landlord can pursue any or all of the others.

Joint tenancy. An arrangement where the whole group signs one agreement for the whole house and the tenants are jointly and severally liable. Common in student lettings; fine among people who trust each other, but understand what you are signing. Compare individual tenancy.

Letting agent. A business that markets and manages rental property on behalf of landlords. Agents must belong to a government approved redress scheme and protect client money. Your day to day contact is often the agent rather than the landlord.

Notice. The formal warning either side must give to end a periodic tenancy. Tenants can end their tenancy by giving the notice period stated in law, in writing. Landlords cannot simply give notice; they must rely on a ground for possession.

Ombudsman. An independent service that resolves disputes between tenants and landlords or agents without going to court. Letting agents must belong to a redress scheme, and private landlords are being brought into an ombudsman scheme too.

PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation). Large blocks built specifically for students, usually with bills included and on site management, and let by the room. The alternative to a shared house in the general market.

Periodic tenancy. See assured periodic tenancy. A tenancy with no fixed end date, rolling from month to month.

Redress scheme. A government approved complaints body that letting agents must belong to. If an agent mishandles your money or your complaint, the scheme can investigate and order compensation.

Right to rent. A legal check landlords must make on every adult tenant’s immigration status before a tenancy starts. Expect to show a passport or use the government’s online share code system. It applies to everyone, including British citizens.

Section 13 notice. The formal route for a rent increase on a periodic tenancy. Rent can only be increased this way once a year, with at least two months’ written notice, and tenants can challenge an above market increase at a tribunal.

Section 21. The old no fault eviction notice, abolished in England. Landlords now need a legal ground for possession to end a tenancy. If anyone mentions a Section 21 notice today, the information is out of date. See our Renters’ Rights Act guide for what replaced it.

Smoke alarm. Required on every storey used as living accommodation, and in licensed HMOs the requirements go further. Test them when you move in and report failures in writing.

Tenancy agreement. The contract between tenant and landlord setting out rent, responsibilities and obligations on both sides. Read it before signing, ask about anything unclear, keep a copy, and remember that both universities in Lincoln offer free contract checking before you commit.

Tenancy deposit. Money held as security against damage, missing items or unpaid rent, capped by law at five weeks’ rent for most student lets. It must be protected in a deposit protection scheme, and at the end of the tenancy it is returned minus any properly evidenced deductions, which you can dispute for free.

Tenant Fees Act. The law restricting what landlords and agents can charge tenants. Permitted payments are essentially rent, a capped deposit, a capped holding deposit and certain default charges such as replacement keys. Most other upfront fees are banned. See our tenant fees page for what applies at WESP.

Wear and tear. See fair wear and tear.