Renters’ Rights Act
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025
The largest overhaul of letting legislation in recent years comes into effect on 1st May 2026 – The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) is an act to transform the experience of private renting for 11 million tenants and 2.3 million landlords in England.
The Act came into force on 27th December 2025 and will be implemented in three phases.
Phase one – 1st May 2026
Tenancy reform measures to include transferal of all fixed term tenancies into periodic (rolling) tenancies, end of Section 21 no-fault evictions, cap on rent in advance, anti-discrimination measures, ban on rental bidding, rent increases via Section 13 notices, and new rules on pets.
Landlords must serve “The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026” by 31st May on each of their tenants.
Phase two – late 2026 to 2028
Private Rented Sector Database (mandatory register of landlords/rental properties in England) rolled out from late 2026
Requirements for all landlords to be members of a new Landlord Ombudsman in 2028
Phase three – 2035 or 2037
Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law.
Phase one changes from 1st May 2026
Term
No more fixed terms. All tenancies will become rolling/periodic, therefore should a tenant want to move they can give two months’ notice, affording them flexibility and not to feel trapped if life throws a curve ball – usually enough time for landlords to find a new tenant.
Regaining Possession
The process of regaining possession is updated with the removal of no-fault evictions via Section 21 notices. All notices will be implemented under Section 8 of the Housing Act, which gives grounds to allow landlords to regain possession under certain circumstances. There are a total of 26 mandatory grounds and 11 discretionary grounds. Please click here to download the Grounds for Possession Fact Sheet.
For example, a landlord or a close family member wanting to live in the property; landlord needing possession for selling; landlord needing possession for staff members; ministers of religion needing to live at the property when owned by a religious organisation are all provided for. These notices must be formally served on the tenants and require four months’ notice.
In addition to this are clauses on shorter notice periods for rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, loss of right to rent, with notice periods ranging from immediate to four weeks.
Rent Increases
There will be new processes for increasing rents. Landlords may only raise rent once per year and increases will need to be to market value, justified and based on clear evidence. A landlord must serve a “section 13” notice giving a tenant two months’ notice
The tenant will have the right to challenge the increase at tribunal, initially proposed without cost, however the Government have recently confirmed a charge of £47. They must raise the challenge before the starting date of the new rent and inform the landlord they are doing so.
Rent in advance
A landlord will only be able to require up to one month’s rent once a tenancy agreement has been signed and before tenancy commencement. They must not accept more than one month’s rent upfront.
For landlords in breach, local councils will have the power to require landlords to repay a prohibited payment of rent in advance to the tenant and to impose a civil penalty on landlords, and anyone acting directly or indirectly on their behalf, of up to £7,000 for breaches.
Discrimination
Landlords will not be able to refuse families with children, benefit or housing allowance recipients.
Right to request permission to keep a pet
Probably the most decisive change is the right for a tenant to request to keep pets during a tenancy, which a landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds. Risk of damage to the property has been excluded as a reasonable ground.
Landlords still have the right not to accept tenants with pets at the outset.
Requirement to state exact specific rent and ban on competitive bidding
When marketing a property to rent it must have a specific amount of rent – not a range; price on application or offers over, for example.
A landlord or agent cannot elicit nor accept any offer above the advertised rent.
All these changes will come into force on 1st May. Tenancy agreements do not need to be updated, and this legislation will overrule any terms in breach of the RRA. Landlords must serve “The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026” by 31st May on each of their tenants.
It is a positive piece of change which is not to be feared by landlords.
Our expanding team of qualified, knowledgeable letting experts is led by Sue Maaz FARLA and includes Emma Cattell MARLA, Sara Walton LLB (Hons), Anne Lake and Anna MacCurrach with support from Tom Hayman-Joyce MRICS, MARLA.
We would love to hear from you and will be pleased to welcome you or an in-person meeting, video or telephone call.
lettings@haymanjoyce.co.uk
Telephone: 01608 653606
