More landlords are offering 'room only' tenancies and fewer flatsharers are being allowed to choose who they live with, risking upset to shared household dynamics. Flatshare site SpareRoom urges landlords to allow existing tenants to be part of the decision-making process when choosing new flatmates.
Under the Renters' Rights Act which applies to tenants in England, if one person named on a joint assured tenancy gives valid notice, it will usually end the tenancy for everyone named on the agreement.
While some report landlords using this as an opportunity to get existing tenants out and re-list properties at a higher price, SpareRoom data shows this has also prompted more landlords to offer room-only tenancies, to reduce their risk of expensive void periods.
In a September 2026 survey, around one in seven (14%) landlords in England who let to flatsharers said that, since the Renters' Rights Act had come into effect, they had changed to offering room-only tenancies. A further 12% were considering it1.
The trend is further supported by SpareRoom user data which shows that, in the third quarter of 2026, rooms advertised by existing and outgoing flatmates made up 26% of total rooms available to rent, down from 30% the previous year, while rooms advertised by landlords and agents increased from 42% to 44%.
In a separate SpareRoom survey of 3,928 tenants in England, almost three times as many renters said they were now renting by the room as renting in a joint tenancy2.
| Q. What type of tenancy agreement do you have currently? | Respondent % |
|---|---|
| Shared: Joint contract where flatmates rent the property together and share responsibility for rent. If one person leaves, the tenancy ends for everyone. | 14.1% |
| By the room: Individual agreements where you only rent your specific room and share communal responsibilities. When a flatmate leaves, they're replaced. | 39.3% |
| Neither of the above | 14.9% |
| This doesn't apply to me as I don't flatshare | 31.8% |
However, of those renting by the room who'd seen housemates leave, a vast majority (71%) reported their landlords had not let them choose replacement housemates.
Matt Hutchinson, director of flatshare site SpareRoom, comments: “Under the Renters' Rights Act, tenants now have greater protections from eviction. There must be valid grounds for possession and proper process must be followed. A problem tenant can't be made to leave over a personality clash with other housemates, so it's all the more important to choose wisely and consider household dynamics.
“When flatsharing, who you live with is arguably a far bigger deal than where you live, or what sort of place you live in. Flatmates want to feel comfortable and safe in their homes. They don't want to feel anxious about who might be moving in next, or unhappy with a decision that's been taken out of their hands.
“There's no perfect flatshare; they all look a bit different. Whatever the vibe, it's important anyone hoping to move in understands the household dynamics, or it could be a recipe for disappointment.
“It's understandable more landlords are offering room-only tenancies under the new rules. They know void periods are costly, and one empty room is a far smaller financial hit than an empty house or flat. But if one person's behaviour prompts other tenants to give notice, it defeats the whole object of room-only lets.
“Landlords should find tenant turnover reduces if they offer the existing flatmates a say in who moves in when someone leaves.”