Renters' Rights Act: What Landlords Need to Know

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in 2025 and its main tenancy reforms came into force on 1 May 2026. Every assured tenancy in England — new or already running — is now governed by the new regime. Section 21 has gone, fixed-term ASTs have gone, and rent increases, tenant selection and pet policies all operate under new statutory rules.

This guide explains the changes that are already live, the phased-in elements still being rolled out, and the practical steps landlords who are already operating under the Act should take to stay compliant.

What the Renters' Rights Act changed

The Act replaces the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) framework with a simpler, more secure system. The headline changes now in effect are:

• Section 21 no-fault evictions have been abolished.
• Assured Shorthold Tenancies have been replaced by Assured Periodic Tenancies. Fixed-term ASTs are no longer created.
• Possession is only available through the reformed Section 8 grounds.
• Rent increases follow a single statutory Section 13 process — one per year, minimum two months' notice, challengeable at the First-tier Tribunal.
• Rental bidding wars are prohibited. Properties must be let at or below the advertised rent.
• Blanket "No DSS" and blanket "No Children" policies are prohibited, except where the legislation specifically allows a refusal.
• Tenants have a right to request a pet, which the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.
• Landlords must issue a compliant written statement of terms for every tenancy.

Current implementation status

The main tenancy reforms above are live now. A smaller set of provisions is still being phased in through 2026 and 2027 via secondary legislation:

We update this guide as each phased-in element goes live. Bookmark the Landlord Hub for the latest commencement dates.

How existing tenancies transitioned

On 1 May 2026, every live assured or assured shorthold tenancy converted to an Assured Periodic Tenancy. In practice this means:

• Any fixed-term end date on an existing agreement no longer restricts the tenant — they can leave on two months' notice at any time.
• The new possession grounds and notice periods apply to every notice served on or after 1 May 2026.
• Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 continued to be processed under the old rules, provided they were valid on the date of service.
• Deposit protection registered before the switchover remains valid — you do not need to re-protect.
• Existing written tenancy agreements remain enforceable in general, but any clause that conflicts with the new statutory rules (for example rent-review clauses, blanket pet bans, fixed-term forfeiture, or bidding invitations) is now void.

The end of Section 21 — what replaces it

Section 21 has been abolished. To recover possession you must now rely on the reformed Section 8 grounds and prove the ground from the outset. The key grounds landlords use are:

• Sale of the property (mandatory): available after the first 12 months of the tenancy; a re-letting restriction applies for a set period after possession.
• Landlord or close family occupation (mandatory): the property must genuinely become the main home of the landlord or a qualifying family member; the same re-letting restriction applies.
• Serious rent arrears (mandatory): tightened threshold and evidence requirements.
• Repeated rent arrears (mandatory): where a tenant has been in arrears at qualifying levels on three occasions in the previous three years.
• Anti-social behaviour (discretionary, expedited): shorter notice period where evidence is clear.
• Persistent breach of tenancy (discretionary): documented warnings and clear evidence are essential.

Notice periods and re-letting restrictions vary by ground. Get advice before serving notice — an error at the outset now costs more time than it did under the old regime.

Assured Periodic Tenancies in practice

All new tenancies are periodic from day one and roll monthly (or in line with the rental period). Tenants can leave with two months' notice at any time; you can only end the tenancy with a valid Section 8 ground. For landlords this means:

• No automatic end-of-term recovery. Tenant selection at the front end matters more than ever.
• No renewal fees or re-listing cycles built around a 12-month term.
• Every tenancy agreement should reflect an Assured Periodic Tenancy under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025). Templates that still say "Assured Shorthold Tenancy" should be retired.
• Issue the written statement of terms the Act requires — this is not the same as the old tenancy pack.

Rent increases under the new rules

The Section 13 process is now the only route to raise the rent (short of mutual agreement in writing):

• One increase every 12 months maximum.
• Minimum two months' notice using the prescribed Section 13 form.
• Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are unenforceable.
• The tenant can refer the proposed increase to the First-tier Tribunal, which caps rent at open-market level — never higher than the amount you proposed.

In practice, always evidence market rent (three current comparable listings, saved with dates), give the full notice, and use our rent increase calculator to check timing and tribunal risk before you send.

Advertising, bidding and anti-discrimination rules

The Act prohibits:

• Rental bidding wars. You must state an asking rent in the advert and cannot invite or accept offers above it.
• Blanket "No DSS" policies. You cannot refuse a prospective tenant solely because they receive housing benefit or Universal Credit.
• Blanket "No Children" policies. Refusals must be based on genuine, evidenced criteria — for example a lawful occupancy limit for the property, not a general policy.
• Blanket pet bans. Refusals must be reasonable and property-specific.

Lawful, consistent affordability criteria applied on a case-by-case basis remain acceptable. Keep a written record of the criteria and how you applied them to every applicant — this is your defence if a refusal is challenged.

The Decent Homes Standard, Awaab's Law and property condition

The extended Decent Homes Standard for the PRS and the extension of Awaab's Law to private rentals are being rolled out through 2026 and 2027 via secondary legislation. In practice, prudent landlords are already:

• Logging damp, mould and disrepair reports in writing and responding to them promptly.
• Investigating reported damp and mould within a matter of days and giving the tenant a written summary of findings.
• Making safe any category 1 hazard as an emergency.
• Keeping dated photos, contractor reports and communication logs for every property.

The PRS Database and Landlord Ombudsman

The Private Rented Sector Database and the Landlord Ombudsman are being introduced in phases. Once your registration window opens you will need to register yourself and each let property and pay a per-property fee, and you will need to join the Ombudsman scheme before you can market a property or bring possession proceedings. We will notify Smart Sleep members as each phase goes live.

Operating successfully under the new rules

If you are already managing property under the Renters' Rights Act, these are the practical compliance points that matter most:

• Retire your old AST templates. Every tenancy agreement should now be an Assured Periodic Tenancy and should include the written statement of terms the Act requires.
• Keep your compliance pack current on every property. Valid gas safety certificate, EPC, EICR, smoke and CO alarms, and deposit protection with the prescribed information served — every one of these is a pre-condition for using the most useful Section 8 grounds.
• Document rent arrears from day one. Repeated arrears is a mandatory ground, but only if you can prove the pattern with dated ledgers and copies of every reminder.
• Advertise at a single stated rent. Do not invite offers over the asking rent, and do not let above it.
• Apply written, consistent tenant-selection criteria. Score every applicant against the same affordability and reference thresholds. Keep the paperwork.
• Use the Section 13 process for every increase. One per year, prescribed form, at least two months' notice, evidenced against three current comparables.
• Handle pet requests on the merits. Refusals must be reasonable and property-specific. You can require pet insurance; you cannot charge a pet fee or an extra deposit.
• Respond to damp and mould reports in writing and in days, not weeks. The extension of Awaab's Law is being phased in — treat the standard as live now.
• Watch for your PRS Database and Ombudsman registration window. Complete both promptly when they open for your property.
• Get advice before serving a Section 8 notice. Under the new regime you must prove the ground at the outset; a rushed notice usually costs a full extra possession cycle to fix.