International students arriving in Britain with no credit history, no UK guarantor and a suitcase full of upfront costs have long faced an uphill struggle to secure a roof over their heads. A new tie-up between deposit alternative provider flatfair and student housing specialist Flaties aims to change that.
Under the partnership, flatfair’s No Deposit and Tenant Guarantor products will be made available to Flaties customers, tackling head-on the two obstacles that most frequently derail overseas renters: the cash deposit demanded at the start of a tenancy and the requirement to produce a qualifying UK-based guarantor.
The timing is hardly accidental. With demand for student housing far outstripping supply and the UK facing a projected shortfall of 620,000 student rooms by 2029, landlords and operators are under growing pressure to widen the pool of tenants they can confidently let to. According to the latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, almost 700,000 international students were enrolled at UK institutions in 2024/25, a vast cohort of prospective renters, many of whom arrive without the financial footprint that traditional referencing demands.
flatfair’s No Deposit product allows tenants to move in without handing over a traditional cash deposit, which, under the Tenant Fees Act, is capped at five weeks’ rent for most tenancies but still represents a sizeable sum on top of flights, visas and relocation costs. Its Tenant Guarantor solution, meanwhile, steps in for renters unable to provide a suitable UK-based guarantor, a near-universal sticking point for those relocating from overseas.
Aaron Lawrence, flatfair’s head of sales, said: “At flatfair, we’re focused on removing the financial and administrative barriers that make renting harder than it should be. Partnering with Flaties allows us to support even more students and renters through our No Deposit and Tenant Guarantor solutions, creating a simpler and more flexible renting experience.”
Flaties, which specialises in student accommodation, temporary housing and long-term rentals, supports international renters throughout the relocation process, from securing accommodation to settling into life in the UK.
Qutaiba Alenezi, director at Flaties, said: “We’re thrilled to officially partner with flatfair. Our residents are going to love what we have in store together. This partnership is all about delivering a better experience for tenants and helping make renting more accessible and stress-free.”
For landlords and investors, the deal is the latest sign of a sector working to strip friction out of the move-in process at a time when tenancy law has undergone its biggest shake-up in a generation. With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force and agents reporting that rental demand remains robust despite the regulatory upheaval, products that unlock reliable tenant demand from the international student market may prove a welcome tailwind for portfolio landlords operating in university towns and cities.
Together, the two firms say they aim to deliver a more flexible, accessible and tenant-friendly rental experience for students and international renters across the UK.
