Your key legislation updates for 2026

Many of us have returned to work and education this week and, as 2026 gets underway, we know there are big changes up ahead. From the Renters’ Rights Act and Making Tax Digital to the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), here’s what you need to know. 

Renters’ Rights Act

The Renters’ Rights Act will impact the way we all do business, with a commencement date of 1st May for the tenancy elements of the Act. On this date all existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) will automatically become periodic (open-ended) with Section 21, the so-called ‘no fault’ eviction, abolished. 

While the May commencement date has commanded most of the headlines so far, it is important to remember there are other key changes planned for the year ahead. 

These include:  

• January: The Government has said the wording you will need to be use in new tenancy agreements will be confirmed this month. 
• March: This will see publication of the new information sheet you will need to give to existing tenants to inform them of the changes coming in. 
• 30th April: This is the last day you can legally serve a Section 21 notice. It is also the last day you can establish a new tenancy that requires payment of rent in advance that is above the initial rent period. 
• 1st May: This date marks the implementation of phase one of the Renters’ Rights Act, including the loss of the fixed term and abolition of Section 21, as outlined above. 
• Spring/summer 2026: While no specific date has been given, financial penalties for Category 1 hazards (in line with updated guidance) will be introduced during this period, with fines of up to £7,000. 
• 31st May 2026: This is the deadline for serving the aforementioned information leaflet to your existing tenants – and to notify any student tenants that you may use the new Ground 4A to repossess the property. While not without its problems, Ground 4A has been introduced to assure student landlords (of HMOs) that they can gain regain possession of their property for the cohort of students looking for homes for the next academic year. 
• 31st July 2026: This marks the final deadline for applications to court for possession under Section 21.  
• Late 2026: According to the Government, the new PRS database roll-out will begin later this year. The database will require you to register your details and your properties – for a fee – and demonstrate compliance through logging safety certificates and other documents. 

What can I do to get ready?

We are pressing the Government to ensure the wording needed for the new tenancy agreements – and the information leaflet – is confirmed as a matter of urgency, to ensure we can create the new documents you will need for your tenancies come 1st May.

We also want clarification on arrangements for the introduction of the additional parts of the Act being brought in later in the year. 

In the meantime, we are advising you to review your portfolio and referencing arrangements, and to inspect your properties to ensure you are meeting all your obligations. It is also vital all your safety certificates and other paperwork is up to date and easily accessible.  

• For all the latest on the Renters’ Rights Act visit our exclusive members’ hub here. There you can find FAQs and all the latest information on different aspects of the act and what you need to do to comply.  

• You can also find out more about our Renters’ Rights Act training options and our programme of free member webinars to help you get to grips with the new legislation and ask questions of our expert panel. 

• We also have a Renters’ Rights Navigator Tool offering a personalised action plan tailored to your portfolio, showing what steps to take and when. 

Making Tax Digital

Making Tax Digital, is a government scheme aiming to modernise the tax system, which has already been introduced to all VAT-registered businesses and is being extended to Income Tax Self-Assessment taxpayers, including many landlords, from April this year. 

Those with an income of more than £50,000pa from self-employment and property (combined, before expenses), will be hit first, and will need to submit reports quarterly in addition to an annual declaration, using HMRC approved software. 

The scheme will then be rolled out to those with qualifying incomes of over £30,000 in April next year, and over £20,000 in April 2028. 

Despite the introduction of the new system being just three months away, recent research suggests that one in five of those set to be impacted in April have done nothing to prepare. 

What can I do to get ready?

• Your first port of call should be our free and comprehensive ⁠Making Tax Digital (MTD) guide, which can be accessed here. You can also take advantage of our exclusive MTD eClassroom course. The course runs through everything you need to be MTD ready, with the opportunity to ask questions of our qualified tax trainers. 
• You will also be able to submit your returns directly to HMRC via the NRLA’s ⁠Portfolio property management platform, which allows you to run your rental business directly through your NRLA account. 
• You can hear more about the Making Tax Digital plans by listening to our podcast Listen Up Landlords below. 

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

If this wasn’t enough, 2026 is also expected to see the Government confirm its proposals for new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), set to require all properties to meet a minimum EPC C by 2030, with an earlier date of 2028 for new tenancies. 

The Government consulted on these plans early last year, with suggestions it will come forward with a firm set of proposals by the end of 2026. 

The consultation documents explained landlords could be expected to fork out up to £15,000 per property to bring them up to the minimum C, despite many landlords considering this to be unaffordable. There is also the issue of finding people to do the work, not least in the tight timescales suggested and with a shortfall of 250,000 skilled tradespeople predicted by the 2030 deadline. 

While we wait for further information, we are continuing to lobby Government to go back to the drawing board to revise timescales and come up with a comprehensive package of financial support for landlords. 

For the latest news relating to the new minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) keep an eye on our news site and social media channels. 

Making your voice heard

As we enter 2026, we will continue to campaign robustly on your behalf to ensure your voice is heard, and to stress the need to encourage growth within the PRS if we are to provide the extra million homes to rent the country is predicted to need over the next five years.  

As outlined above we also have a comprehensive set of resources to support you through the changes up ahead and will keep you abreast of all the latest news via our news site and social media channels. You can also find out more about our campaigns work here. 

If you would like to talk to us about how you are getting ready for any of the legislation changes outlined above, as part of a feature for NRLA members’ magazine Property, please email [email protected]

The most recent epsiode of our podcast Listen Up Landlords discusses the changes up again in more detail. To listen click below.