Articles tagged “renters-rights-act”

renters rights act

Landlord Fines and Civil Penalties: What Councils Can Charge and How to Appeal

Councils can now issue civil penalties of up to £7,000 per breach and £40,000 per offence. Here are the published starting figures, how penalties stack, and exactly how to appeal within 28 days.

15 min read

renters rights act

Section 13 Rent Increase Notices: Costs, Timeline and What Voids Them

Form 4A costs nothing — but a botched section 13 notice costs months of the increase. The timeline, a worked example and the errors that invalidate it.

22 min read

renters rights act

The 2026 Landlord Compliance Checklist: Every Task Sorted by Deadline Type

Most landlords track certificate expiry dates and nothing else. This 2026 compliance checklist sorts every obligation into three clock types — recurring, fixed-date and tenant-triggered — so nothing falls through.

12 min read

property portal

How to Register on the Landlord Portal and Renew Your Registration

Registration on the Register your rental property service opens region by region from 15 December 2026. Here is the £65 fee, the 28-day document rule, how your renewal date is set, and what to have ready.

15 min read

renters rights act

Section 8 Ground 1A Timeline: How Long It Really Takes to Get Vacant Possession to Sell

A stage-by-stage Ground 1A timeline for landlords selling up: four months' notice, the 12-month protected period, real Ministry of Justice court medians, and the re-letting trap that catches people out.

16 min read

repairs and maintenance

Property Standards for Private Landlords: Awaab's Law, Decent Homes and Repair Duties

How Awaab's Law, the new Decent Homes Standard and your existing repair duties fit together for private landlords — the 2026-2035 timeline, the hazards that count and the fines for getting it wrong.

17 min read

repairs and maintenance

Awaab's Law for Private Landlords: Damp, Mould and the Decent Homes Standard

Awaab's Law sets fixed deadlines for fixing damp and mould. Here's whether it applies to private landlords yet, the timescales to expect, and the duties you already owe today.

15 min read

renters rights act

How to Write a Landlord Complaints Procedure (With Free Template)

A practical guide to writing a landlord complaints procedure before the PRS Ombudsman goes live — why it matters, what to include, recommended timescales, and a free one-page template you can copy and adapt.

7 min read

renters rights act

The Landlord Redress Scheme Explained: How PRS Ombudsman Redress Works

A plain-English guide to the new landlord redress scheme — the PRS Landlord Ombudsman created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. What redress means, who must join, what it can order, and when it starts.

11 min read

renters rights act

How Much Will the PRS Landlord Ombudsman Cost Landlords?

What the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman will cost private landlords — the annual membership fee, how it is set, how it stacks with the PRS Database fee, and the compensation and penalties that come from getting it wrong.

12 min read

renters rights act

The Landlord Register: How to Register as a Landlord in England

The England landlord register — the Private Rented Sector Database — is coming under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Here is what it actually is, when registration really opens, what you will need, and how to get ready now so you can register in minutes.

17 min read

renters rights act

Rent Increases Under the Renters' Rights Act: A Landlord's Guide

From 1 May 2026, every rent increase must go through a section 13 notice. Here's what changed, how the new tribunal rules tilt the risk, and how to do it properly.

14 min read

tenant management

How to Calculate a Defensible Rent Increase: 2026 Worked Examples

A practical, evidence-based guide to working out a Section 13 rent increase that holds up at the First-tier Tribunal — with two worked examples and a comparables template.

12 min read

renters rights act

The PRS Landlord Ombudsman: What Landlords Must Do to Prepare

A plain-English guide to the new mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman under the Renters' Rights Act — what it is, when it starts, what it can order, and how to get ready.

20 min read

tenant management

Setting Up a Tenancy: The Landlord's Compliance Checklist

A step-by-step compliance checklist for setting up a new tenancy in England under the Renters' Rights Act — from right to rent checks to the written statement of terms.

11 min read

renters rights act

New Tenant Rights and Bans Under the Renters' Rights Act

A landlord's guide to the new tenant rights and bans that took effect on 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act — what changed, what's banned, and what to do.

14 min read

renters rights act

What Happens After You Serve a Section 8 Notice: The Court Possession Process Explained

With Section 21 abolished, every possession case now runs through the courts. Here's the full Section 8 timeline — from notice expiry to bailiff warrant — with realistic costs and timeframes.

21 min read

renters rights act

Section 8 Ground 1A: Selling Your Rental Property Under the Renters' Rights Act

Ground 1A is the new mandatory possession ground for landlords selling a tenanted property. Here's how the 12-month protected period, 4-month notice and 12-month re-let ban work in practice.

20 min read

renters rights act

Discrimination in Lettings: The New Ban on 'No DSS' and 'No Children' Under the Renters' Rights Act

Since 1 May 2026 it has been unlawful to filter out tenants because they receive benefits or have children. Here is what changed, what's still allowed, and how to rewrite your advert.

9 min read

renters rights act

Written Statement of Tenancy Terms: What Landlords Must Give Tenants Under the Renters' Rights Act

Since 1 May 2026, landlords in England must give tenants a written statement of the tenancy's key terms before the tenancy starts. Here are the 18 prescribed items as a checklist, the deadlines, and the £7,000 penalty.

15 min read

renters rights act

Rent in Advance Under the Renters' Rights Act: What Landlords Can (and Can't) Ask For

From 1 May 2026 landlords can ask for at most one month's rent up front — and nothing at all before the tenancy is signed. Here's the rule, the exceptions, and the workarounds that are still legal.

17 min read

renters rights act

Section 8 Grounds for Possession Under the Renters' Rights Act: The Full List

With Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026, Section 8 is the only route to possession. Every ground, its notice period, whether it is mandatory, and the traps that sink claims.

15 min read

renters rights act

Handling Tenant Complaints Under the Renters' Rights Act: The New PRS Ombudsman Process

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 will require all private landlords to join the PRS Ombudsman scheme (expected 2028). Understand the complaint lifecycle — from internal resolution to ombudsman investigation — and how to protect your position.

24 min read

renters rights act

Landlord Property Portal: What You'll Need to Register (Preparation Guide)

The landlord Property Portal — the new Private Rented Sector Database — is coming under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Here is exactly what you will need to register your details and each property, and how to get everything ready before your area goes live.

15 min read

renters rights act

Landlord Penalties Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: A Complete Guide

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sharply raises the penalties private landlords in England face. Understand the civil penalties, rent repayment orders, banning orders, and prosecution risks — which apply now, and which arrive as later phases commence.

14 min read

rent increases

Rental Bidding Wars Banned: New Rent Transparency Rules for Landlords in England

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 bans rental bidding wars in England. Landlords and agents must publish an asking rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it. Understand the new transparency rules.

6 min read

renters rights act

Rent Repayment Orders: What Landlords in England Risk Under the New Rules

A rent repayment order makes a landlord in England pay back rent after committing a listed housing offence. For offences from 1 May 2026, the maximum doubled to 24 months' rent. Which offences count, how the amount is set, and which rules apply by date.

8 min read

renters rights act

Banned Tenancy Clauses: What Landlords Can No Longer Include in Agreements

Which tenancy clauses no longer work in England since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026 (fixed terms, no-pets, no-DSS, rent review and fee clauses), with the statute and the penalty behind each one.

8 min read

renters rights act

Tenant Pet Requests: New Rules for Landlords Under the Renters' Rights Act

Since 1 May 2026, private tenants in England can ask to keep a pet and landlords must not unreasonably refuse. You have 28 days to answer in writing. Here is how the deadline works and what counts as a good reason to say no.

7 min read

renters rights act

Decent Homes Standard for Private Landlords: What You Need to Meet

The Decent Homes Standard will apply to privately rented homes in England from 2035. Here is what the five criteria require, what is already law today, and what landlords should fix first.

8 min read

renters rights act

How to End a Tenancy After Section 21 Is Abolished

Section 21 no-fault evictions ended for private tenancies in England on 1 May 2026. Which Section 8 ground fits your situation, the notice it needs, and the procedure that keeps the claim alive.

7 min read

renters rights act

Periodic Tenancies Explained: What Landlords Need to Know Under the New Rules

Since 1 May 2026 every private assured tenancy in England is periodic. This guide explains how a periodic tenancy works for landlords, with a dated worked example of a tenancy starting in October 2026.

6 min read

renters rights act

Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Landlords Need to Know

A plain-English guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 for private landlords in England — what changed on 1 May 2026, what is still coming, and a worked example of an existing tenancy through its first year under the new rules.

12 min read

renters rights act

Renters' Rights Act Timeline: Every Key Date Landlords Need to Know

The dated Renters' Rights Act 2025 timeline for private landlords in England — every date checked against legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, with each one marked as in force, announced or expected, plus the region-by-region PRS Database registration windows.

9 min read

section 8

Section 8 Ground 1: How to Regain Your Property When You Need to Move In

How to use Ground 1 under the Renters' Rights Act to recover your rental property for yourself or a close family member, covering who qualifies, the one-year rule, four months' notice and the 12-month letting ban.

7 min read