Cllr Niall Adams, from Norwich’s University Electoral Division, told Concrete that those living near UEA regularly speak to him about the cost of housing and accused landlords of “taking advantage” of tenants.

“It’s not due to the students and we’ve heard that from members of the community… they like having that youthful vibe that students bring. They just feel sorry for them because they see how students are being ripped off by landlords,” he said.

The University Electoral Division comprises the UEA campus and the surrounding residential areas.

Green Party County Councillor Adams was elected in May’s local elections and believes that changes should be made to the transparency of the student renter system.

“I think the first thing that they could do is to implement a Landlord Register to be able to understand who owns your house; how many houses they own and former complaints against them,” said Cllr Adams.

However, he believes that change is necessary on a national level.

“There are so many laws that have been put through Parliament by people who are landlords, so they vote in their own interest. We won’t be able to tackle the issue that landlords cause in this country without addressing the fact that they’re making the laws around it.”

Vice Chancellor and General Manager, James Crickmore, for the Norwich-based Eastern Landlords Association, said: “We do not accept the suggestion that landlords are “ripping off” students. Landlords provide accommodation as a service and students can choose whether to rent a particular property.”

“Private rented accommodation is also generally significantly cheaper than purpose-built student accommodation, although costs vary depending on the property and what is included,” he said.

The Renter’s Rights Act 2025 came into force nationally this May and introduced a number of measures, including a ban on no-fault evictions and the end of fixed‑term tenancy contracts.

“A national landlord database is already being introduced under The Renters’ Rights Act, with implementation in December. It will hold landlord and property information, so a separate register is unnecessary,” Mr Crickmore added.

Norwich City Council’s website says the objective of the Act is: “to rebalance the relationship between tenants and landlords, offering greater security, fairness, and quality of housing for the 11 million private renters and 2.3 million landlords across the country.”

Mr Crickmore concluded: “We would also challenge the suggestion that landlords are making the laws that govern the private rented sector. It has just undergone its biggest overhaul in more than 30 years, introduced by a Labour government. The first measures came into force in May, with further changes still to come. We should allow time to see how they work in practice, including any unintended consequences, before proposing further burdens on landlords.”