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The Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Landlords Need to Know

Last updated: 2026-04-24

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the most significant reform to private rented sector law in a generation. Receiving Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, it rewrites the rules for almost every aspect of the landlord-tenant relationship in England — from how tenancies are structured, to how rent is increased, to how landlords can regain possession of their properties.

The headline change is the abolition of Section 21 — the so-called "no-fault eviction" notice. From 1 May 2026, landlords in England will no longer be able to end a tenancy without a valid legal reason. But Section 21 is only one piece of a much larger picture.

This guide covers everything you need to know: what's changing, when, and what you should be doing about it now.

Implementation Timeline

The Act rolls out in three phases. Understanding which changes apply when is essential for staying compliant.

Phase 1 — 1 May 2026

This is the main commencement date. The following changes take effect simultaneously for all tenancies — new and existing alike.

| Change | What it means in practice | |---|---| | Section 21 abolished | No-fault evictions end permanently. All evictions must use Section 8 with a valid ground. | | All tenancies become periodic | Assured Shorthold Tenancies are replaced by Assured Periodic Tenancies. Fixed-term tenancies are converted. There are no end dates. | | Rent increases reformed | Increases are limited to once per year and must follow the Section 13 statutory process with a minimum 2 months' notice. | | Rental bidding banned | You must state a rent price in all advertisements. You cannot accept or encourage offers above the stated rent. | | Advance rent capped | You may only request a maximum of 1 month's rent in advance. | | Pet requests | Tenants can formally request to keep a pet. You must respond within 28 days with valid reasons for any refusal. | | Discrimination protections | Blanket bans on tenants with children or in receipt of benefits (Universal Credit, Housing Benefit) become illegal. | | Tenancy statement required | New tenants must receive a written statement of terms. Existing tenants must receive a government information sheet by 31 May 2026. | | Penalty increases | Maximum civil penalties rise from £30,000 to £40,000. |

Phase 2 — Late 2026 Onwards

Two major new institutions come online in this phase.

The PRS Database (Landlord Registry)

A mandatory national database of all private landlords and their properties. You will need to register — including providing contact details, property information, and safety certificates — before you can market or let a property. Regional rollout begins in late 2026, with a full national launch expected in 2027. Annual fees will apply.

Penalties for non-compliance are severe: up to £7,000 for failure to register, rising to £40,000 for repeated non-compliance. Unregistered landlords also lose the ability to use most Section 8 possession grounds — only Grounds 7A and 14 remain available — and tenants can apply for rent repayment orders covering up to 12 months of rent.

The Landlord Ombudsman

A mandatory redress scheme. Once fully operational (expected 2028), all landlords must be members. Tenants will be able to escalate complaints, and the Ombudsman's decisions can be made enforceable as if they were court orders.

Phase 3 — Timeline TBC

Two further reforms are in the pipeline, but subject to consultation and no confirmed dates yet:

  • Decent Homes Standard — The standard already applied to social housing will be extended to the private rented sector. Currently proposed for implementation between 2035 and 2037. See our Decent Homes Standard guide for more detail.
  • Awaab's Law extension — Legally enforceable repair timeframes for serious hazards, named after Awaab Ishak who died from mould exposure in 2020. See our Awaab's Law guide for more detail.
  • MEES — All private rented properties must reach EPC C or equivalent by 2030.

Key Changes in Detail

The End of Section 21

Section 21 allowed landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason, provided the correct paperwork was served and the correct notice period observed. It is gone from 1 May 2026.

In its place, all evictions must be pursued using Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, which requires the landlord to prove a specific legal ground for possession. There are mandatory grounds (where the court must grant possession if the ground is proved) and discretionary grounds (where the court weighs up whether it is reasonable to grant possession).

The most commonly used mandatory grounds for landlords are:

  • Ground 1 — You or a family member wants to move into the property (4 months' notice, not available in the first 12 months of the tenancy)
  • Ground 1A — You want to sell the property (4 months' notice, not available in the first 12 months, and you cannot re-let for 12 months afterwards)
  • Ground 8 — The tenant owes at least 3 months' rent at the time of notice and at the hearing (4 weeks' notice)

For a full breakdown of all grounds, notice periods, and restrictions, see our Section 8 possession grounds guide.

All Tenancies Become Periodic

Fixed-term tenancies are abolished. From 1 May 2026, all tenancies — including those currently mid-fixed-term — convert to Assured Periodic Tenancies with no end date. Tenants can leave at any time with 2 months' written notice. Landlords can only end a tenancy using Section 8.

This is a fundamental shift. The security of a fixed term for the landlord is replaced by reliance on the Section 8 grounds framework.

Rent Increases

Rent can only be increased once per 12 months, and only by following the Section 13 statutory process. Clauses in tenancy agreements that allow for automatic annual uplifts, RPI-linked increases, or other custom review mechanisms are no longer effective.

Tenants have the right to challenge any proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal — free of charge. The tribunal cannot set the rent higher than the landlord's proposed amount, so tenants have nothing to lose by challenging. See our rent increases guide for the full process.

Pet Rights

Tenants now have a formal right to request permission to keep a pet (Section 11 of the Act). If you receive a written request, you must respond within 28 days. Silence counts as consent. You can only refuse on reasonable grounds — such as the property being unsuitable or a lease prohibition — and you may require the tenant to take out pet damage insurance.

Discrimination Protections

Blanket "No DSS" and "No Children" policies are now illegal. You can still carry out affordability checks — assessing whether a tenant's income is sufficient to cover the rent — but you cannot refuse to consider a tenant solely because they receive housing benefit or have children.

Rental Bidding Ban

All property advertisements must state a fixed rent price. You cannot accept offers above the advertised rent, and you cannot encourage bidding. This is already common practice for landlords who advertise through established platforms, but the prohibition is now backed by financial penalties.

What Landlords Need to Do Now

Here is a practical checklist for getting compliant before 1 May 2026:

Immediately:

  • [ ] Stop using Section 21 notices — they are ineffective from 1 May 2026
  • [ ] Review all existing tenancy agreements for clauses that will no longer be enforceable (fixed-term provisions, automatic rent review clauses)
  • [ ] Remove any "No DSS" or "No Children" language from listings and letting criteria
  • [ ] Ensure advertised rents are stated as fixed prices, not invite-bids

Before 31 May 2026:

  • [ ] Provide the government information sheet to all existing tenants
  • [ ] Ensure new tenants receive a written statement of terms before or at the start of their tenancy
  • [ ] Update rent review processes — you will need to use Section 13 notices from now on
  • [ ] Set up a process for handling pet requests with a 28-day response window

Before late 2026:

  • [ ] Prepare for PRS Database registration — gather safety certificates (Gas Safety Certificate, EICR, EPC) and property details
  • [ ] Begin tracking which Section 8 grounds you have used, particularly Grounds 1 and 1A, given the 12-month re-letting restrictions

Looking ahead:

  • [ ] If your property is below EPC C, start planning improvements ahead of the 2030 MEES deadline
  • [ ] Monitor consultation developments on the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law

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