Student landlord compliance, ready before every intake.
HMO licences, gas and electrical certificates, fire risk in the shared areas, deposits and Right to Rent for every student let in England, with a reminder before anything is due.
- Free for 1 property
- HMOs and single lets
- Phone, tablet and desktop
Example data
Student lets run on the academic year
Everyone moves at once
Several tenants, deposits and Right to Rent checks land in the same few weeks.
Most student houses are HMOs
That brings a licence, a fire risk assessment for the shared areas and a yearly gas certificate for the council.
The rules changed in May
Tenancies became periodic on 1 May 2026, and there's a new ground for possession for student HMOs.
What a student let in England has to keep on top of
Choose "Student let" when you add a property, and "HMO" if it is one. BeCert adds the licence and fire risk checks for HMOs.
| Check | What the rules say | In BeCert |
|---|---|---|
| HMO licence | Needed for 5 or more people from more than one household sharing facilities. A licence lasts up to 5 years.Source: GOV.UK | Tracked Renewal reminder |
| Gas safety certificate | A yearly gas safety check. Licensed HMOs send the council the updated certificate every year.Source: GOV.UK and GOV.UK | Tracked Yearly reminder |
| Electrical safety report (EICR) | Inspected and tested at least every 5 years.Source: GOV.UK | Tracked EICR expiry |
| Fire risk assessment | For the shared areas of an HMO, carry out a fire risk assessment and review it regularly.Source: GOV.UK | Tracked Yearly review reminder |
| Deposits | Protect each deposit within 30 days.Source: GOV.UK | Tracked For each tenancy |
| Right to Rent | Check each tenant's right to rent before the tenancy starts.Source: GOV.UK | Tracked For each tenancy |
| Landlord database | Register each let property and renew every year.Source: GOV.UK Housing Hub | Tracked Regional deadline and checklist |
| Student possession ground (ground 4A) | For HMOs let to full-time students, with written notice before signing, and 4 months' notice ending between 1 June and 30 September.Source: GOV.UK | Not tracked yet |
| Council tax | Households where everyone is a full-time student do not have to pay council tax.Source: GOV.UK | Not tracked yet |
Checked 8 October 2026. BeCert is not part of GOV.UK and isn't legal advice.
How BeCert helps student landlords
Every house in one view
A list or a grid of your houses, each with a traffic light. Tap one to see exactly what's due.
Certificates read for you
Upload the gas record or EICR and BeCert fills in the dates, result and engineer number for you to check.
A pack for the council
Send the council, a lender or a parent guarantor a secure link to the certificates they ask for, which expires when you choose.
Same price, whatever you let
Free for 1 property, then £7.99 a month for up to 5 or £12.99 a month for up to 15, with 2 months free when you pay yearly. Long lets, HMOs and holiday lets all count the same, so a mixed portfolio sits in one account.
Questions
Does BeCert remind me about ground 4A notices?
Not yet. It's on our list, so tell us if you'd like it: use "Give app feedback" in the app.
Can I still use section 21?
No. GOV.UK says you cannot serve a section 21 notice from 1 May 2026. See GOV.UK.
My student house isn't an HMO. Does it still work?
Yes. Choose "Student let" with any property type. It follows the usual long-let checks.
Is this legal advice?
No. For anything specific, speak to your council, a solicitor or your landlord association.
Guides for you
Renters' Rights Act for landlords
What changed on 1 May 2026, what comes next and which dates are confirmed, in one table.
Landlord compliance checklist
Every check for letting a home in England, how often it is due, who it applies to and the official source.
EICR for landlords
How often a rental needs an electrical safety report, what the codes mean, the 28-day repair rule and who gets a copy.
Ready for September, every year
Add your first student house free and see what needs doing today.