What you Need to Know

Published September 2026 · Red Cow Properties, Exeter

Finding student accommodation in Exeter has never been harder. For the 2026/27 academic year, the University of Exeter has confirmed that all of its university accommodation has been allocated because of "exceptionally high demand". Some new students were left without a room just weeks before Freshers Week. If you are starting university in Exeter this autumn, or already planning where to live next year, here is what is happening and what you can do about it.

Why is there a student housing shortage in Exeter?

The University of Exeter is one of the most popular universities in the UK, and demand for places in 2026 was higher than expected. The university has said there is also "very high demand for accommodation across the city". That puts pressure on university halls, purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and private student lets in Exeter all at once. Exeter is a small city, and students already make up a large share of its population. In some recent years that share has been close to a third. With far more applicants than expected taking up places at the University of Exeter this year, student accommodation in Exeter simply ran out.

Several things have made the shortage worse:

• Accommodation guarantee deadline: First-year students who accepted Exeter as their firm choice and applied for halls by the 31st July deadline were covered by the Accommodation Guarantee. Students who came through Clearing, placed Exeter as their insurance choice, or applied late are not covered.

• Timing of results: The accommodation deadline fell before A-level results day on 13th August, so students whose place was confirmed on results day were at a disadvantage.

• Limited housing stock: Exeter City Council's Article 4 planning rules restrict new houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in parts of the city, which limits how quickly new student houses in Exeter can come onto the market.

• High prices at the top end: Students have reported that the private rooms still available are often premium studios, with some quoted at more than £14,000 for a 1 year contract.

What has the University of Exeter offered?

Students who were not given a university room have been offered help to find private accommodation in Exeter through the university's accommodation services. Some have also been given the option to defer their place until 2027. Deferral is optional. The university has stressed that students living in private housing are "fully part of the Exeter community", with the same access to teaching, student support, Welcome Week and Students' Guild activities. As a result, local landlords, agencies and property management firms have seen a huge influx of requests for accomodation for the 2026/2027 academic year.

New renting rules for students in 2026

The Renters' Rights Act changed how private renting works from 1 May 2026, and student renters in Exeter should know the main points:

• Most private tenancies are now rolling monthly tenancies instead of fixed-term contracts. There are however exemptions for student lets in some scenarios.

• Landlords and letting agents cannot require more than one month's rent in advance.

• Landlords of student houses can use a new student ground for possession to get a property back for the next group of students, as long as they follow strict notice rules.

Summary: Exeter student accommodation in 2026

• All University of Exeter accommodation for 2026/27 has been allocated, and the waiting list is unlikely to produce rooms before term starts.

• Students with the Accommodation Guarantee have been housed. Clearing, insurance and late applicants have been hit hardest.

• Affected students can look for private housing with the university's support, or choose to defer until 2027.

• Demand for student housing in Exeter is expected to stay high, so students should start searching early for the 2027/28 academic year.

How students can find accommodation in Exeter

1. Start looking now. The university advises students without a room not to wait for a hall place and to search for private accommodation straight away.

2. Use trusted listings. Studentpad (the university-backed listings site), PBSA providers and local landlords and letting agents are the safest places to search for rooms to rent in Exeter.

3. Look beyond the campus area. Many private rooms are a 20 to 40 minute walk from Streatham Campus or a short bus ride away. Areas such as St David's, Pennsylvania, Heavitree, Mount Pleasant and St Leonard's are all worth a look.

4. Team up with other students. Joining a group to rent a shared student house in Exeter is usually cheaper than a studio. Freshers' social media groups can help you find housemates.

5. Check the landlord and the property. Make sure the deposit is protected in a government-approved scheme, the house has a valid HMO licence where one is needed, and you get a gas safety certificate, electrical check and EPC of E or above. 

6. Never pay without viewing. Be wary of listings that ask for large upfront payments. Under the new rules, landlords cannot insist on more than one month's rent in advance.

7. Ask for help. Contact the University of Exeter Accommodation Office on 0300 555 0444 (international: +44 1392 72 4724), or the Students' Guild advice service for free tenancy advice.

8. Plan ahead for next year. If you are already in Exeter, start talking to housemates and landlords early so you are not caught out by the 2027/28 rush.

Looking for a room to rent in Exeter?

Red Cow Properties is a local Exeter landlord specialising in student lets in Exeter, with well-maintained, professionally managed homes for University of Exeter students. If you are searching for student accommodation in Exeter, get in touch with us to ask about current availability. We have not started letting our properties for the 2027/2028 academic year although we intend to start listing our properties in September 2026. You can check them out in advance here.

Sources: University of Exeter – Accommodation and Clearing; The Tab – University of Exeter offers deferred places; The Tab – Students left with no rooms; Students' Guild – Renting as a student from May 2026