Renters' Rights Act for Landlords
This guide is for general information purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice.
Key takeaways
The Renters' Rights Act applies to private landlords and their tenants in England.
Key changes include fixed tenancy agreements becoming rolling ones, and the removal of Section 21 no-fault evictions.
Some of the risks landlords face have now changed so it’s worth reviewing add-ons to your landlord insurance.
Lead title Renters' Rights Act for Landlords - what has changed from 1 May 2026?
The Renters' Rights Act reforms the private rented sector in England by creating:
New rights for tenants, designed to give them more security in their homes.
New rules and clearer responsibilities for private landlords.
If you’re a private landlord you need to be aware of changes to:
The type of tenancy agreement you issue.
When and how you can evict tenants.
How often you can raise rent.
Tenants requesting pets.
When do the new rules start?
The Renters' Rights Act for landlords in England is being introduced in three phases:
Phase 1: From 1 May 2026
New tenancy regime introduced for both new and existing tenancies
Phase 2: Late 2026
New private rented sector (PRS) database launches
PRS Landlord Ombudsman created to help settle disputes between tenants and landlords
Phase 3: Later stage
Decent Homes Standard introduced to the PRS
If homes contain serious hazards, landlords have to make them safe within a set timeframe (Awaab’s Law)
Who do the changes apply to?
The changes from the Renters' Rights Act only apply to private landlords with rental properties in England. They do not affect private registered providers of social housing until 2027.
Does this affect my existing tenancies?
Yes, the changes apply to both new and existing tenancies. However, you don’t need to send your existing tenants a new tenancy agreement, if the original was issued before 1 May 2026. Instead:
Send them a copy of the government-produced Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet.
This can be a paper copy in the post or a digital copy.
You must do this by 31 May 2026.
If you only have a verbal agreement with your tenants, you need to send them a written recording outlining the key terms of their tenancy agreement.
What has changed for landlords from 1 May 2026?
The rules before 1 May 2026 | The rules now | |
|---|---|---|
Tenancy type | Assured shorthold tenancies (AST)/fixed term tenancies - tenants and their landlord agreed to set terms and conditions for a specific period (typically 12 months). | Assured periodic tenancies/rolling tenancies - there is no longer an end date. Instead, the tenancy agreement rolls on, usually on a monthly basis. |
Evictions | Section 21 - landlords could evict a tenant without a reason by issuing a Section 21 notice (known as a ‘no fault eviction’). | Section 8 - landlords must issue a notice using one or more legal reasons (known as grounds for possession). |
Notice period - tenants | Tenants couldn’t give notice before the end of the fixed term unless their contract had a break clause or the landlord agreed. | Tenants can end their agreement at any time by giving two months’ notice. But the tenancy needs to end on a day when the rent is due or the day before the rent is due. |
Notice period - landlords | Landlords typically gave tenants two months’ notice. | If you want to sell your property or move in, you need to give four months’ notice. You can’t evict your tenants for these reasons during the first 12 months of a tenancy (known as the ‘protected period’). Some grounds for possession only require two months’ notice. If your tenant is convicted of criminal behaviour or breached an order to prevent antisocial behaviour there is no notice period. |
Rent in advance | No limit on how many months could be paid upfront. | No more than one months’ rent in advance. |
Rent increases | Had to be at the end of the fixed term of the tenancy agreement, unless it contained a ‘rent review’ clause or the tenant agreed to a future increase at the start of the tenancy. | Can only happen once a year and not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy. The increase must be in line with market rates, or tenants can challenge the increase. You must give tenants two months' notice. |
Rent arrears | Landlords could evict tenants if they owed at least two months' rent, and gave them two weeks’ notice. | Tenants need to owe you three months’ rent, and you must give four weeks’ notice. |
Adverts and marketing material | Phrases like ‘professionals only’ or ‘no children’ may have appeared in adverts, although it wasn’t advisable to include those phrases. Landlords could accept an offer higher than the advertised rent (known as ‘rental bidding’). | Landlords can’t discriminate against potential tenants who are on benefits or who have children. Adverts must include a specific price and you can’t accept any offers above this price. |
Pets | Landlords could ban pets without providing a reason. | Your tenant can request a pet and you need to respond within a set timeframe and have a valid reason if you refuse their request. |
How do tenancy agreements work now?
Tenancy agreements need to be assured periodic tenancies (also known as rolling tenancies). This means there is no longer an end date and the tenancy agreement rolls on, usually on a monthly basis.
What replaces a fixed term assured shorthold tenancy (AST)?
Fixed term assured shorthold tenancies issued before 1 May 2026 automatically become rolling tenancies (see guidance above ‘Does this affect my existing tenancies?’)
Can tenants still agree to a longer initial commitment?
No, tenants cannot agree to a longer initial commitment. The initial tenancy period is one month and rolls on each month.
You also can’t request more than one month’s rent in advance.
What should I include in my tenancy agreements?
Your tenancy agreements should include information such as:
The rent amount and payment schedule.
Eviction procedures.
Notice periods.
The new rules for pets.
Maintenance responsibilities.
Section 21 has ended - how can I regain possession?
Although you can no longer issue a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction there are a number of legal grounds which landlords can apply to regain possession.
Can I still evict a tenant if I want to sell?
Yes, you can still evict a tenant if you want to sell your property but you can’t do this during the first 12 months of a new assured periodic tenancy and you must give four months’ notice.
If your tenant has an assured ‘lifetime tenancy’, issued before 1 May 2026, you can’t use
Ground 1A - sale of dwelling house to evict them.
Can I regain possession if I want to move in?
Yes, you can regain possession if you want to move in-to the property by using Ground 1 - occupation by landlord or family. However, you can’t do this during the first 12 months of a new assured periodic tenancy.
What if the tenant is in arrears or causing problems?
If the tenant is in rent arrears or causing problems such as antisocial behaviour, rioting, allowing the condition of the property or furniture to deteriorate or they have breached their tenancy agreement there are grounds for possession. But there may be notice periods and other rules you need to adhere to in order to evict them.
📣 Did you know? 80% of landlords think ending Section 21 will have a negative impact on the private rented sector, according to a survey by landlord software provider Goodlord.
How have rent increases changed?
Rent increases can only happen once a year and not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy. You need to:
Use form 4A.
Give at least two months’ notice.
Keep the increase in line with market rates otherwise the tenant can challenge the proposed rent increase.
Can I still say ‘no’ to pets?
Yes, you may be able to refuse a tenant’s request to have a pet if you have valid reason, such as:
If another tenant has an allergy.
The property is too small.
The type of pet is illegal to own.
However, it might be considered unreasonable to refuse because you are worried about potential damage to your property or because you don’t like pets.
Are there any new landlord duties and paperwork?
Yes, there are new landlord duties and paperwork as a result of the Renters' Rights Act, including:
Giving tenants a copy of the government-produced Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet if you issued a tenancy agreement before 1 May 2026.
Registering with the new private rented sector (PRS) database when it launches in late 2026.
Adhering to the Decent Homes Standard timeframe for dealing with serious hazards in homes (Awaab’s Law) when these apply to the PRS.
What does the Renters’ Rights Act mean for landlord insurance?
The Renters’ Rights Act does not legally require landlord insurance. However, insurance may protect you from some of the unique risks that come with renting out a property, particularly as some of these risks have changed as a result of the new Act. For instance:
Pet damage: As you can no longer ban a tenant from having a pet you might want to consider pet damage insurance as an add-on to your landlord insurance.
Rent arrears: As the rent arrears period has increased from two months to three months you might want to consider rent guarantee cover.
Legal expenses: The removal of Section 21 no-fault evictions could mean it is more difficult to evict a tenant and there may be an increased risk of disputes ending up in court.
Loss of rental income: As tenants no longer have a fixed-term contract and can leave at any time with two months’ notice there is a higher risk of unoccupied periods.
If you take out landlord insurance, check the policy wording and review any exclusions or optional extras.
💡 Top tip:: If you have a buy-to-let mortgage it’s important to check whether the lender requires you to have landlord insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Renters' Rights Act apply?
The Renters’ Rights Act only applies to properties in England, as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate housing legislation.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law currently requires social housing landlords to address emergency hazards and all damp and mould hazards that could cause harm to tenants within fixed timeframes.
The law is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died due to a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home. The landlord had taken no action to treat the mould despite repeated complaints from Awaab’s parents.
The Renters' Rights Act will apply Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector (PRS) at a later stage.
What are the penalties if I don’t comply with the Renters' Rights Act?
If you don’t comply with the Renters' Rights Act you could face:
A fine of up to £7,000 for certain breaches and up to £40,000 for serious offences, such as unlawful evictions, or repeated breaches
Enforcement action by your local authority
A rent repayment order of up to two years’ rent
What are the new rules on evicting students?
You can use possession Ground 4A if your property is a house in multiple occupation (HMO), which is let to full-time students, and you want to evict them at the end of the academic year. You must give them four months’ notice.
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Sarah Tooze
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Sarah Tooze has been a motoring journalist for more than 15 years, specialising in company cars and vans, and has won a number of awards during her career, including the Newspress ‘Automotive...
