Renters' Rights Act now in force: what landlords and tenants need to know

The Renters' Rights Act is now in force

The biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in nearly 40 years is now law. From 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes how tenancies start, run, and end across England, and it affects almost every existing assured and assured shorthold tenancy automatically.

We sat down to talk through what's actually changed, what landlords need to do in the next few weeks, and where tenants now stand. Watch the full conversation below.

What's changed from 1 May 2026

Most existing tenancies have already converted to monthly periodic tenancies overnight. The headline changes:

• Section 21 is gone. No more "no fault" evictions. Landlords now have to use Section 8 grounds to seek possession.
• Fixed-term ASTs have been abolished. All new and existing tenancies are now rolling periodic, running month to month.
• Rent in advance is capped. Landlords can't take more than one month's rent at a time, and can't ask for any rent until the tenancy is signed.
• Rent increases are restricted. Any increase has to go through a Section 13 notice, and tenants can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.
• Tenants have a contractual right to request a pet, which a landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds.
• Written statement of terms is now mandatory before a new tenancy begins.

The 31 May 2026 deadline landlords need to know about

If you're a landlord with a tenancy that existed before 1 May, you must serve the Government's official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet on every tenant by 31 May 2026. Failing to do so can land you with a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for a first offence, rising to £40,000 if it continues.

You have to provide the sheet itself, not a link to it.

What's still to come

The Act is being rolled out in phases. Later in 2026 we'll see the new Private Rented Sector Database and the Private Landlord Ombudsman come in. After that, a new Decent Homes Standard and the extension of Awaab's Law to private rentals will follow once consultations conclude.

Talk to us

If you're a landlord working out what you need to send, when, and to whom, or a tenant trying to make sense of where you stand, our team can walk you through it.

Contact us to speak with a member of our property team.

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This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a specific query, please contact us directly.