Renters' Rights Act for landlords: what has changed and what comes next

Alessio Scannicchio

10 minutes ago

8 min read

Status checked against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk as of 22 October 2026. This guide covers England. It is general information, not legal advice.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to private renting in England in decades. Much of it is already law in practice. Some of it is still on the way. This guide sets out, in plain terms, which parts of the Renters' Rights Act apply to landlords today, which parts have a date, which are still pending, and the practical steps worth taking now.

What is the Renters' Rights Act?

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. It reforms the Housing Act 1988 regime for private tenancies and adds new duties for landlords and letting agents. The government is switching it on in three phases, set out in the MHCLG implementation roadmap:

Phase 1 (from 1 May 2026): the new tenancy system, the end of section 21, new possession grounds, new rent increase rules, rental bidding and rent-in-advance limits, anti-discrimination rules, pet requests and stronger council enforcement.
Phase 2 (from late 2026): a private rented sector (PRS) database with landlord registration, then a PRS Landlord Ombudsman.
Phase 3 (dates set after consultation): Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard for private rented homes.

When does the Renters' Rights Act come into force?

It depends on the measure. As of 22 October 2026, three sets of commencement regulations have been made for England:

Date	What came into force	Instrument
27 December 2025	New council investigatory powers (to inspect, demand documents and access data)	SI 2025/1354 and the Act itself
1 May 2026	Phase 1 tenancy reforms for private tenancies, plus rental bidding, discrimination and rent repayment order changes	SI 2026/421
22 June 2026	Council fines of up to £7,000 where a home has a category 1 hazard that could reasonably have been removed	SI 2026/638

Already in force (since 1 May 2026): abolition of section 21, assured periodic tenancies, reformed possession grounds, once-a-year rent increases via section 13, the rental bidding ban, the one month rent-in-advance limit, the ban on discriminating against tenants with children or on benefits, and the pet request process.

Has a date but is not in force yet: landlord registration on the new national service. GOV.UK says it launches on 15 December 2026 in the West Midlands, then rolls out to other areas over 12 months. All landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027.

Pending, not in force yet: the PRS Landlord Ombudsman (membership expected to become mandatory in 2028), Awaab's Law for private rentals (consultation open until 18 December 2026) and the Decent Homes Standard for private rentals (government has said from 2035).

Section 21 abolition: what it means for landlords

From 1 May 2026, you cannot serve a section 21 notice in England, even if an older tenancy agreement says you can. To end a tenancy you now need a valid reason, called a ground for possession, and you must serve a section 8 notice that names the ground and gives the right notice period.

GOV.UK lists examples of valid grounds: you want to live in the property, you want to sell it, the tenant owes rent, the tenant has broken the tenancy terms, damaged the property or committed antisocial behaviour. Notice periods vary by ground. GOV.UK says they are usually at least two months and can be up to four months. If the tenant does not leave when the notice ends, you must apply to court. Removing a tenant yourself is illegal eviction, which is a criminal offence.

Periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act

Fixed terms have gone for private assured tenancies. On 1 May 2026, every assured and assured shorthold tenancy automatically became an assured periodic tenancy that rolls weekly or monthly. You did not have to do anything for that switch to happen, and you cannot create a new assured shorthold tenancy.

What it means day to day:

Tenants can leave with two months' notice at any point, unless you agree a shorter period in writing.
New tenancies (from 1 May 2026) need specific written information about the key terms before the tenancy is agreed. Failing to provide it can lead to a fine of up to £7,000.
Existing written tenancies did not need rewriting, but you had to give tenants the government's "Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026" by 31 May 2026. If the tenancy was oral, you had to give a written summary of terms by the same date.
Student lets: a new ground (Ground 4A) allows possession of student HMOs at the end of the academic year if set conditions are met.

Rent increases under the Renters' Rights Act

Rent can now go up only once a year, and only through the section 13 process. GOV.UK guidance says:

You cannot increase the rent in the first year of the tenancy.
You must use Form 4A and give at least two months' notice before the new rent starts.
You must use the section 13 process every time, even if your tenant has already agreed the increase.
Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer work for private assured tenancies.
If your tenant thinks the proposed rent is above open market rent, they can ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide.

GOV.UK said in September 2026 that, while the government develops a new route through HMRC's Valuation Office, tenants who challenge an increase at the Tribunal will not have to pay the higher rent until the Tribunal makes its final decision.

Letting a property: bidding, rent in advance, pets and discrimination

These rules have applied since 1 May 2026:

Rental bidding ban. Written adverts must state a specific rent, not a range. You or your agent cannot ask for, encourage or accept offers above it. Fines run up to £7,000 for a first breach.
Rent in advance. Nothing before the tenancy agreement is signed. Between signing and the start date, usually no more than one month's rent (or 28 days' rent if rent is not paid monthly). Deposit caps of five or six weeks still apply.
Pets. Tenants can ask in writing to keep a pet. You have 28 days to reply in writing and you cannot refuse without a fair reason, such as a lease that bans pets.
Discrimination. You cannot refuse, or make it harder, to rent to someone because they have children or receive benefits.

What is coming next, and what is not in force yet

Landlord registration (not in force yet, launching 15 December 2026). This is the first step towards the PRS database. Each region gets a three-month window to sign up once it is called forward, starting with the West Midlands. Registration will be a legal requirement with a risk of a fine. The roadmap says landlords will pay an annual fee, to be confirmed closer to launch. Later, registration numbers will need to appear on adverts.

PRS Landlord Ombudsman (not in force yet). Regulations setting the rules for approving a redress scheme came into force on 17 September 2026. The roadmap says mandatory membership for landlords is expected in 2028, with advance notice.

Awaab's Law for private rentals (not in force yet). The government opened a consultation on 9 October 2026, closing on 18 December 2026. It will shape the deadlines for fixing serious hazards such as damp and mould, and when those deadlines start.

Decent Homes Standard (not in force yet). The government's January 2026 response says a new Decent Homes Standard will apply to private rented homes from 2035. Separately, it has confirmed that private rented homes must reach EPC C or equivalent by 1 October 2030, unless a valid exemption is registered.

Selling a rental property under the new rules

Some landlords are reviewing whether to keep, change or sell. If you plan to sell with vacant possession, the route now runs through the new sale ground (Ground 1A):

It cannot be used until the tenancy has run for at least one year.
The notice period is four months.
Once you rely on it, you must not let or market the property to let from the date the notice is served until 12 months after the date given in the notice.

Selling with a tenant in place is another option. Either way, it helps to start from a clear picture of the property itself. Buyers tend to ask about tenure, sale history, the EPC rating, planning history and whether the property sits in an Article 4 area. If you are thinking about an HMO conversion instead, read our guide to Article 4 directions and HMOs first. You can also browse our sales and rental reports.

ScanSan PAA gives you an instant property lookup by address, postcode or UPRN, showing tenure, sale history, EPC and planning history. It also offers comparables-backed estimates of value (not formal valuations) and an Atlas map with an Article 4 layer where we have coverage. If you hold several properties, its portfolio scoring features show profitability, void risk, rent movement and the improvements worth considering for each property you add.

Coverage of Article 4 directions and use classes is not yet England-wide, and PAA outputs are decision support, not legal, financial, valuation or investment advice.

Your first 30 days are free at paa.scansanproperties.com

Decision support. Coverage varies. Not planning advice.

What landlords should do now

Check your paperwork. Confirm every existing tenant received the Information Sheet (or a written summary of terms for oral tenancies). Update templates for new tenancies with the required written information.
Retire old processes. Remove section 21, fixed terms and rent review clauses from your templates and your agent's process.
Diary rent reviews. Note when each tenancy can next have a rent increase and use Form 4A with at least two months' notice.
Review adverts. One specific rent, no bidding, no more than one month's rent in advance.
Set up a pet request process that replies in writing within 28 days.
Prepare for registration. Gather landlord contact details, property details and gas, electrical and EPC certificates, which the roadmap says the database is expected to collect. Watch for your region's sign-up window from 15 December 2026.
Plan for standards. Category 1 hazards can already lead to fines. Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard are coming, so condition surveys and EPC improvements are worth planning now.

FAQ

When does the Renters' Rights Act come into force? In phases. Council investigatory powers started on 27 December 2025. The main tenancy reforms started on 1 May 2026. Landlord registration launches on 15 December 2026. The Ombudsman, Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard for private rentals are not in force yet.

Can landlords still use section 21? No. Since 1 May 2026, landlords in England cannot use section 21 for private tenancies. You need a valid ground for possession and a section 8 notice.

What are periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act? All private assured tenancies now roll weekly or monthly with no fixed end date. Existing tenancies converted automatically on 1 May 2026. Tenants can leave with two months' notice.

How do rent increases work under the Renters' Rights Act? Once a year, not in the first year, using Form 4A with at least two months' notice. Tenants can ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide if they think the new rent is above open market rent.

Do landlords need to register on the new database? Yes, once it reaches your area. Registration launches on 15 December 2026 in the West Midlands and rolls out over 12 months. All landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027.

Can I still sell a rented property? Yes. To get vacant possession you can use the sale ground after the first year of the tenancy with four months' notice, but you cannot re-let or market the property to let for a restricted period afterwards. You can also sell with the tenant in place.

Sources

All accessed 22 October 2026.