The Renters’ Rights Act (formerly Renters Reform Bill) received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. This marked the point at which the Bill officially became law, although its provisions will be implemented in stages starting from 1 May 2026.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 represents a landmark reform in the private rented sector in England with its primary goals to increase tenant security, rebalance landlord-tenant rights and raise housing standards. Private landlords will be impacted first, and social housing reforms following later.
The changes will be implemented in phases starting 1st May 2026 and continuing into the 2030s, affecting tenancy structures, eviction processes, rent regulation, property standards and energy efficiency requirements.
Below is a summary of the key changes private landlords need to understand regarding future tenancies and their rights.
Section 21 Notices
By close of business on 30th April 2026, the ability to serve new “no fault” Section 21 notices will end.
After that point, landlords will not be able to start fresh no‑fault possession claims, even where the tenancy is still an assured shorthold tenancy (Section 2) in name only. Assured shorthold tenancies are also on the list of changes.
Landlords who were already contemplating regaining possession using a Section 21 notice need to make a conscious decision swiftly and either serve a Section 21 by April 30th or accept you will need to take the updated Section 8 route. A Section 8 allows a landlord to seek possession of a property because the tenant has breached the tenancy agreement (e.g., rent arrears, damage, antisocial behaviour) and, unlike Section 21, you must have a valid legal ground for eviction.
May 1st Reform
From 1st May 2026, the bulk of the reforms affecting the private rented sector come into play.
The Act abolishes assured shorthold tenancies (Section 2) and, in its place, appears the new Section 4a assured tenancies. With this, fixed term tenancies come to an end and instead run on a periodic basis on rent terms – the Act states that a rent term cannot be longer than a month.
The Act also updates the grounds applicable to a Section 8 notice. The revamped grounds, amended by the Renters Rights Act 2025 in Schedule 1, completely changes the landscape in what is and isn’t possible through a Section 8 notice.
Increases in rent have further seen a statutory change, now only being able to be changed once a year in the form of a Section 13 notice. It is important to note, however, that this notice is subject to a tenant’s right to challenge excessive increases at tribunal. Our recommendation would be to make any rent changes now before these rules come into effect.
Alongside these changes, the Act has given greater power to local authorities including new investigatory powers, higher penalties reaching the tens of thousands of pounds and an expanded rent repayment order regime should a landlord commit a housing related offence.
The government has posted guidance to the Renters’ Rights Act, including a full list of the grounds for possession, please see this below.
Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act – GOV.UK
The Act further introduces a new right for tenants to request permission to keep a pet in their rented property. Landlords must consider such requests and cannot unreasonably refuse them. If you are to permit a pet, you may wish to require tenants to obtain insurance to cover any potential damage caused by the pet.
It is further worth noting that it will become illegal for landlords to discriminate against prospective tenants on the grounds that they are in receipt of benefits or have children. Landlords must not impose bans or restrictions based on these criteria when letting their properties.
Information sheet and written terms
Under these reforms, you as a landlord have further duties to ensure tenants are provided with a standard written statement of terms and an information sheet to tenants that explains their core rights under the new regime.
For new tenancies starting on or after 1st May 2026, the written statement will need to be given at the outset, in a prescribed form.
For existing written tenancies, landlords will instead have to give tenants an official information sheet about the changes within one month of commencement – in practice, between 1st and 31st May 2026.
Failure to do so could expose landlords to financial penalties from the local authority, potentially up to several thousand pounds per tenancy.
What steps need to be taken?
Landlords need to ensure thorough records of all tenancy matters are kept to protect yourself should disputes arise.
Review your portfolio urgently to understand how the reforms affect you and consider whether possession proceedings may be needed in the next 12–18 months. You may also need to update tenancy agreements to periodic arrangements.
This is just phase 1 of the new core reforms and there’s more to come later in 2026, with PRS (Private Rented Sector) database roll out starting, up to the 2030s.
We can support you throughout the entire tenancy process, from granting the initial lease to advising on disputes or possession proceedings.
If you need guidance at any stage, our specialist teams are here to help with an ethos that puts you first. We’ve created a landlords’ compliance checklist for all the relevant changes coming into play and key dates. If you would like us to email you a copy please fill out the form below.
