The rent’s due: Why landlords must rethink risk in 2025

We’re at a crossroads in the UK rental sector. Economic pressures are building, regulatory reform is accelerating, and traditional ways of managing tenancy risk are quickly becoming outdated. From my vantage point at RentGuarantor — working closely with letting agents and landlords every day — one thing is abundantly clear: the next phase of the rental market will reward those who adapt, not those who resist. 

The much-anticipated Renters’ Rights Bill is just the beginning. The end of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions and the likely capping of upfront rent to just one month are game-changing policies. For landlords, they represent a sharp pivot in how risk is allocated. No longer can a lump sum of advance rent or a swift Section 21 notice act as financial or behavioural safeguards. 

But this bill isn’t a wrecking ball. In fact, most responsible landlords rarely used Section 21 to begin with. As a professional community, landlords know the value of stable, long-term tenants. The issue is no longer about how to remove a tenant — it’s about how to assess one properly, and how to ensure that rent continues to flow even when tenants face unexpected difficulties. 

That’s where the role of the professional guarantor is coming to the fore. 

While headlines have moved on from the cost-of-living crisis, its impact is still rippling across the rental market. Inflation may be softening, but it remains above historic norms. Wage growth is sluggish, and rents in many parts of the country have risen faster than affordability metrics can support. 

Behind closed doors, tenants are under financial pressure — and for landlords, that pressure carries real consequences. 

At RentGuarantor, we’ve seen an uptick in tenants who previously would have passed referencing with ease. This isn’t about “bad tenants.” It’s about good people facing a missed paycheque, a cut in hours, or an unexpected bill — and the consequences that follow. That’s where a professional guarantor makes the difference: we step in, pay the landlord, and work constructively with the tenant on a repayment plan. 

It’s not a luxury anymore. It’s the new baseline of protection. 

As demand for guarantees rises, so too does the number of entrants in the space — from insurance-backed rent schemes to new startups calling themselves “professional guarantors.” That’s expected. But it should also be a red flag. 

Anyone can set up a website and make promises. The real test comes when a tenant defaults on rent. Does the guarantor have the experience, infrastructure, financial backing, and legal support to deliver? 

At RentGuarantor, we’ve been operating since 2018. We’ve backed thousands of tenancies, built proprietary tech to streamline applications, and cultivated a network of trusted letting agents. We’re underwritten by insurance — but we’re not an insurance policy. We’re a service, designed to act fast when things go wrong. 

Landlords should scrutinise guarantors the way they do tenants: Who’s behind them? What’s their track record? Can they really protect you when it matters? 

The combination of legislative change and economic uncertainty makes this an essential time for landlords to review their strategy. With one-month rolling tenancies likely to become standard, the financial margin for error is narrowing. The way forward is to build resilience — not by becoming risk-averse, but by adopting smarter, more structured protection tools. 

Professional guarantors should now be seen as part of the core tenancy toolkit — just like referencing, deposit registration, and tenancy agreements. 

At RentGuarantor, we believe in offering choice to tenants, options to landlords, and protection for everyone involved. If the Renters’ Rights Bill marks a new chapter in UK renting, let’s make sure it begins with better safeguards, not more uncertainty. 

Because whatever changes lie ahead, one thing remains true: the rent is still due.