If you're a student (or a parent of one) starting to look at houses, studios, or apartments for the next academic year, you've probably noticed the rental rules have shifted under your feet. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026, and it changed several things landlords and agents can — and can't — ask for before you move in.
Guarantors are one of the most-asked-about topics, so here's a straight answer to the questions actually coming up in Sheffield right now.
Do I still need a guarantor to rent a student property?
In most cases, yes. The Renters' Rights Act changed how much landlords can ask for upfront, but it didn't remove guarantors from the picture. If you're a first-year student, an international student, or anyone without a UK rental or credit history, a landlord can still reasonably ask for a UK-based guarantor — usually a parent or guardian — who agrees to cover the rent if you can't pay it.
What's changed is what landlords can ask for instead of a guarantor. Before 2026, some agents and landlords got around the lack of a guarantor by simply asking international or guarantor-less students to pay several months', or even a full year's, rent in advance. That route has now effectively been closed off.
Can a landlord still ask for 6 or 12 months' rent upfront?
No — not any more. Under the new rules, a landlord can take a maximum of one month's rent in advance for a new tenancy, on top of a standard deposit. This was specifically designed to stop international students (who often don't have a UK guarantor) being asked to pay enormous lump sums before they'd even seen the property in person.
In practice, this means landlords now need other ways to satisfy themselves a tenant is reliable — which is exactly why guarantors, referencing, and increasingly rent guarantee insurance have become more important, not less.
What if I don't have anyone who can act as my guarantor?
You've got a few realistic options:
- Rent guarantee insurance or a guarantor service. Several UK companies act as a paid guarantor on your behalf if you don't have a suitable family member. This usually costs a one-off fee or a percentage of the annual rent.
- Ask whether the property owner has flexibility. This is genuinely one area where it can help to rent directly from a landlord who owns and manages their own properties, rather than going through an agent acting for an absent landlord — there's often more room to have a real conversation about your situation rather than a box-ticking referencing process. West One Lettings, for example, owns its own portfolio across Sheffield's student areas, so decisions like this can be made directly rather than relayed back and forth to a third party.
- Provide additional financial evidence, such as proof of a student loan or maintenance grant covering the tenancy period.
Does the guarantor still cover the whole tenancy, including over summer?
Yes, typically. If you're on what's called a periodic (rolling) tenancy — increasingly common since the Act came in — your guarantor's responsibility usually continues for as long as the tenancy runs, including any period where you're not actually in Sheffield. Always check the specific wording in your agreement, as terms can vary between landlords.
Is a guarantor different for a shared house compared to a studio or apartment?
Often, yes. In a shared student house, you may be asked to provide a guarantor for your individual room only ("several liability"), or your whole household might be jointly and severally liable, where each guarantor could technically be liable for unpaid rent across the whole property if it's not specified per-tenant. It's worth asking directly which model applies before you sign, since it materially affects what you (or your guarantor) are on the hook for.
Quick summary
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a guarantor? | Usually yes, unless you have UK credit/rental history |
| Can I pay 6–12 months upfront instead? | No — capped at 1 month's rent in advance |
| No guarantor available? | Guarantor insurance, or ask the landlord directly about alternatives |
| Does it cover summer months? | Usually yes, on a rolling/periodic tenancy |
This article is provided as general guidance and reflects the rules in place following the Renters' Rights Act 2025. It isn't a substitute for legal advice — if you're unsure how the rules apply to your specific tenancy, it's worth checking directly with your landlord or a housing advice service such as Sheffield's Student Advice Centre.