The Renters' Rights Act 2025: A Landlord's Guide to the New Regime

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and Phase 1 of the reforms went live on 1 May 2026. For private landlords in England, this is the biggest change to tenancy law since the Housing Act 1988 — and unlike previous rounds of reform, it applies to your existing tenancies as well as new ones. This guide sets out what the Renters' Rights Act means for landlords in practice: what changed on day one, what is still coming in Phase 2, and where the real risks sit.

TL;DR: The Renters' Rights Act in five sentences

• Phase 1 is live. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 'no-fault' evictions are gone, fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) have converted into rolling assured periodic tenancies (APTs), and rent-in-advance and rental-bidding restrictions apply (GOV.UK roadmap).
• Existing tenants must be served the government Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 — a one-month window from commencement (GOV.UK Information Sheet guidance).
• Rent increases now require a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, minimum two months' notice, once a year only, and can be challenged at the First-tier Tribunal.
• Phase 2 arrives from late 2026 with the PRS Database and PRS Landlord Ombudsman; the social housing sector doesn't move to the new regime until October 2027.
• Penalties are real: civil penalties up to £7,000 for a first offence and up to £40,000 for serious or repeat breaches, plus Rent Repayment Orders of up to two years' rent.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the successor to the Renters' Reform Bill that ran out of parliamentary time in 2024. It rewrites large parts of the Housing Act 1988 to create a single, rolling assured periodic tenancy and abolish 'no-fault' eviction. You can read the Act itself on legislation.gov.uk.

For small private landlords — the audience this site is written for — the practical point is this: the tenancy structure you have used for thirty years no longer exists for new lets, and your existing lets have been converted by operation of law. There is no opt-out. You don't need to reissue tenancy agreements, but you do need to serve the correct information, use the new forms, and understand which of the old grounds still work.

The Act didn't just change the rules. It changed the shape of the tenancy itself.

When does the Renters' Rights Act come into force, and what happens in each phase?

The government is rolling the Act out in phases. This matters because a lot of the noise you'll read online conflates provisions that are already live with provisions that aren't.

Sources: GOV.UK implementation roadmap; Commencement No. 1 Regulations 2025; Implementing the Act in social housing.

What actually changed on 1 May 2026 under Phase 1?

Five things every landlord needs to have absorbed.

1. Fixed terms are gone

Assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) can no longer be created. Every new letting is an assured periodic tenancy from day one — rolling, with no end date. Existing ASTs converted automatically on 1 May 2026 unless a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice had already been served and possession proceedings were live (GOV.UK tenant overview).

What this means in practice: you cannot lock a tenant in for 12 months any more. The tenant can leave on two months' notice at any time. You, on the other hand, need a valid Section 8 ground to end the tenancy.

2. Section 21 is abolished

No new Section 21 notices can be served on or after 1 May 2026. Notices served before that date remain valid for a limited transitional period and can still be used to obtain a possession order — but you cannot renew or re-serve them. Once your existing notice expires or the case concludes without possession, the tenancy converts to an APT and Section 21 is gone for good.

For a walk-through of what replaces it, see our guide on how to end a tenancy after Section 21 was abolished. For the tenant's side of the new rolling tenancy, see our guide on assured periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act.

3. New and expanded Section 8 grounds

The Act rewrites the Section 8 grounds in the Housing Act 1988. Mandatory grounds still exist — including for serious rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, and where the landlord needs to sell (Ground 1A) or move in (Ground 1) — but with new restrictions. Notably, Grounds 1 and 1A cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy and require four months' notice (GOV.UK tenant overview).

We cover the full ground-by-ground picture in our Section 8 grounds under the Renters' Rights Act guide.

4. Rent increases: once a year, Section 13 only

Rent review clauses in existing agreements no longer bite. A landlord can only increase rent by serving a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, no more than once every 12 months, with at least two months' notice. The tenant can challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), and the tribunal can no longer set a rent above what the landlord proposed.

For the mechanics — and how to pitch an increase you can defend — see how much can a landlord increase rent and how to calculate a defensible rent increase.

5. Which practices are now banned: rent in advance, bidding, and discrimination?

Three separate reforms that all bite at the point of marketing and signing:

• Rent in advance is capped at one month's rent (or 28 days for shorter rental periods), and only after the tenancy is signed (Guide to the Renters' Rights Act, GOV.UK). Our rent-in-advance rules explained covers the cap in detail.
• Rental bidding is banned. Adverts must state a rent, and landlords cannot ask for, encourage, or accept offers above it. See our guide on the rental bidding ban explained for what counts as a breach.
• Blanket 'No DSS' and 'No children' clauses are outlawed. You can still reference-check and set affordability criteria, but you cannot refuse on those categories alone.

Pets are also affected: tenants now have a statutory right to request a pet, which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. See our guide to pets and the Renters' Rights Act for the process and insurance implications.

A worked example: converting one of your terraces

Take a Lancashire landlord — call him Dave — with a 3-bed terrace let on a 12-month AST that started in November 2025 at £850pcm. Here is what actually happened to that tenancy:

1. 1 May 2026 — automatic conversion. The fixed term ends by operation of law. The tenancy becomes a monthly assured periodic tenancy at the same £850pcm rent. Dave doesn't sign anything.
2. By 31 May 2026 — serve the Information Sheet. Dave downloads the government-produced Information Sheet from GOV.UK and gives it to the tenant on paper or by email (see our guide on serving the written statement of terms for the equivalent requirement on new tenancies). If he forgets, he risks a civil penalty of up to £7,000.
3. November 2026 — rent review. Twelve months after the original tenancy start, Dave can serve a Section 13 notice on Form 4A proposing a new rent. He must give at least two months' notice. The tenant can accept, ignore (in which case the new rent takes effect), or apply to the First-tier Tribunal.
4. If Dave needs the property back. He can no longer serve Section 21. He needs a valid Section 8 ground — for example, Ground 1A if he is selling — with four months' notice, and he cannot use that ground within the first 12 months of the tenancy.

Nothing about the terrace itself has changed. What has changed is the mechanism Dave uses to run the letting.

What's still coming in Phase 2, and when does the PRS Database go live?

Phase 2 begins rolling out from late 2026. The two headline items:

• PRS Database. Every private landlord will be legally required to register themselves and each rented property, and to pay an annual fee (to be confirmed) (GOV.UK roadmap). Marketing or letting a property without registering will be an offence.
• PRS Landlord Ombudsman. A mandatory redress scheme for all private landlords. Tenants will be able to escalate complaints without going to court. We cover the practical preparation in the PRS Landlord Ombudsman: what landlords must do.

As of 2026-07-06, the government has not published a firm commencement date for either — the roadmap indicates late 2026 for the Database and staged roll-out thereafter. Confirm the current position before you plan around a specific date.

What are the penalties for getting it wrong under the Renters' Rights Act?

The enforcement regime is a step-change. Local councils gained enhanced investigatory powers from 27 December 2025 — they can demand documents and access third-party financial information (Commencement No. 1 Regulations).

Penalty bands under the Act:

Source: GOV.UK Renters' Rights Act landlord checklist. For a deeper dive, see our landlord penalties for non-compliance guide.

What should landlords actually do now to stay compliant?

If you've done nothing since May 2026, work through this order:

1. Confirm every existing tenant has been served the Information Sheet. If not, do it now and keep evidence of delivery.
2. Replace your tenancy agreement template. New lets need an assured periodic tenancy agreement with the mandatory written information built in.
3. Rework your rent-review process. Section 13 / Form 4A only, once a year, two months' notice. Bin the rent-review clause.
4. Check adverts. Set rent must be stated, no bidding language.
5. Diarise Phase 2. Watch for PRS Database registration opening from late 2026.

Our Renters' Rights Act compliance checklist walks through this end-to-end, and the 2026 deadline calendar covers the wider compliance year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to give my existing tenants a new tenancy agreement?

No. For tenancies signed before 1 May 2026, you do not need to reissue the agreement. Instead, you must serve the government-produced Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 (or a written statement of terms if the tenancy was wholly verbal). New tenancies from 1 May 2026 must be on an assured periodic tenancy agreement that includes the mandatory written information.

Can I still use a Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026?

Yes, but only for a limited transitional period and only to progress an existing possession claim. You cannot serve any new Section 21 notice on or after 1 May 2026. Once the existing notice expires or the case concludes without possession, the tenancy becomes an assured periodic tenancy and Section 21 no longer applies to it.

How much notice do I need to give for a rent increase?

At least two months. Rent increases must be made using a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, no more than once every 12 months. The tenant can challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), which can only set a rent equal to or below what you proposed.

Does the Renters' Rights Act apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 applies to the private rented sector in England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own separate housing regimes.

Do I need a new tenancy agreement, and what should I use instead of the old AST template?

You don't need to reissue existing agreements, but any new letting must be on an assured periodic tenancy agreement with the mandatory written information built in — see our guide on assured periodic tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act for a template structure.

Can a tenant ask me to keep a pet, and can I say no?

Tenants have a statutory right to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent, though you can require reasonable conditions such as pet insurance. See our pets and the Renters' Rights Act guide for what counts as reasonable.

When will the PRS Database and Ombudsman go live?

The government's roadmap indicates roll-out of the Private Rented Sector Database begins from late 2026, with the PRS Landlord Ombudsman following in stages. Exact commencement dates depend on secondary legislation. As of 2026-07-06 no firm date has been confirmed — confirm the current position before you plan around a specific date.

What are the penalties for not complying with the Renters' Rights Act?

Civil penalties start at up to £7,000 for a first offence and rise to up to £40,000 for serious or repeat breaches. Certain offences also carry Rent Repayment Orders of up to 24 months' rent, and prosecution in the magistrates' court remains an option for the most serious cases.

This article is general information for private landlords in England, not legal advice on your specific circumstances. Where a possession claim, penalty notice or tribunal application is in play, consult a solicitor.