The Renters' Rights Act: Everything you need to know

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We have been hard at work updating documents and guides across the site and we have a number of Renters' Rights Act ready templates to help you prepare a new assured periodic tenancy from 1st May 2026. 
This includes new tenancies, guides, a guarantor agreement, a tenancy application form, compliance checklists and more. 

To make it as easy as possible to find what you need, we have added a new page containing all the guidance and documents you need to  set up a tenancy after 1st May 2026. 

You can also find more helpful guides and templates to help you prepare your new and existing tenancies below.

The Act received royal assent on 27 October 2025, but not all of it is in force yet. Instead, it is being implemented in stages.

The first stage covers the bulk of the reforms and is in force as of 1 May 2026. From this date:

• Fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies have been abolished and replaced with Assured Periodic tenancies
• Before starting a new tenancy, tenants must be given mandatory information about the tenancy in writing before the tenancy is entered into, usually as part of the tenancy agreement. The NRLA Assured Periodic Tenancies include this wording. 
• If you agreed a tenancy before 1 May 2026, you don't need to give a new tenancy agreement but you do need to give your tenants information about the changes by 31 May 2026. Find out more here. 
• Rents can only be increased once per year and only after serving a Section 13 notice
• No further section 21 notices can be served but existing ones can still be used to apply to court for a short time if they are valid.
• For new tenancies, you may not accept rent before signing an assured periodic tenancy and you may not demand more than a month's rent at a time after the agreement is signed.
• The Government will ban so-called 'rental bidding wars' by requiring adverts include a set rent and banning landlords from accepting or encouraging offers above this listed rent.
• New rules have been introduced that prevent discrimination against tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits.

However, it's not just the rules that came into force on 1 May 2026. The Government has published a timeline setting out the following key dates for the Renters' Rights Act:

• Late 2026: The PRS database launches, requiring landlords to register themselves, their properties and compliance information. This will roll out in phases by region.
• 2027: Renters' Rights Act reforms extend to the social rented sector.
• April/May 2027: Target deadline for full end-to-end digitisation of the courts.
• 2028: Mandatory sign-up to the PRS Landlord Ombudsman comes into effect.
• May 2028: Government publishes its first evaluation of the Renters' Rights Act's impact.
• May 2031: A second, five-year evaluation of the Renters' Rights Act is published.

Some of the Act does still need to have a date set though. Specifically: 

• The introduction of Awaab’s Law: Already introduced in the social sector, this will introduce strict requirements on timescales for dealing with hazards such as damp and mould 

• The implementation of the Decent Homes Standard: The Government ran a consultation into this earlier this year, which suggested the standard would not apply in full until 2035 at the earliest. They will confirm their plans when they respond to this consultation.  

The Government has confirmed that, separate to the Renters’ Rights Act, they will also, at some point in the future: 

• Reform the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to make it easier to understand;  

• Set up a new body or mechanism to make the initial decision on whether or not a rent increase is within market rates. 

Neither of these have dates set yet, though we hope that the Housing Health and Safety Rating System will come in Spring/Summer 2026.  

Renters' Rights Act Navigator

With so many changes coming, it can be difficult to know how to start complying with the Act. 

Our Renters’ Rights Navigator Tool is here to help you prepare each of your properties, identifying what good practices you already meet and what you might need to do next. By entering a few details about your properties, you’ll receive a personalised action plan showing what steps to take and when to take them once implementation dates are announced. It’s the simplest way to prepare for the new rules and keep your lettings on track.

Landlord starter pack

With all the changes, it's important to have the right documents in place to support you when you offer a new tenancy. The NRLA has been hard at work developing a whole suite of new forms including tenancy agreements, pet request forms, a new guarantor deed and many more. Access them all in one place in our handy Landlord Starter Pack. 

The Renters’ Rights Act represents one of the most significant policy reforms of the rental sector in a generation. The Act is lengthy, covering a lot of ground and introducing several new provisions. On that basis, here’s our Renters' Rights Act summary to get you started.  

The government hopes that the Act will result in a ‘functioning private rented sector that will provide a secure stepping stone for aspiring homeowners and flexibility for those who want it.’ Ultimately, the aim is to help create a fairer private rented sector that works for both landlords and tenants. 

The Act's journey through Parliament has highlighted the many concerns raised about whether it truly delivers a fairer private rented sector. 

So what do the latest Renters' Rights updates mean for you, and how will they impact life as a landlord? 

Say goodbye to fixed-term tenancies

One of the most significant changes on the horizon is fixed-term assured tenancies becoming a thing of the past. Now, all assured tenancy agreements are ‘periodic’ or ‘rolling’ contracts, requiring tenants to give just two months’ notice if they want to move out of your rental property.  

This will apply to tenancies if: 

• Your tenant has exclusive occupancy of the entire property or a specific room within a house.  

• The rent is between £250 and £100,000 per year. 

• The tenants are individuals not an organisation or company.

• The property will be your tenant’s main home. 

• You don’t live in the property with the tenant. 

• The date is on or after 1 May 2026

• The tenancy is for a term of 21 years or less

If you have questions about what the Renters’ Rights Act tenancy reform will mean for you as a landlord, we’re here to help. 

Updates to possession grounds

Because Section 21 evictions have been abolished, you’ll now need to use a Section 8 notice if you intend to start the eviction process.  

To accommodate the reasons landlords seek possession, the government has introduced several new mandatory (court-ordered) and discretionary Section 8 possession grounds that you may use to seek possession. 

Changes to rent increases

As of 1 May 2026 if you want to increase the rent from one rent period to another, you’ll need to serve a Section 13 notice and give tenants the opportunity to challenge the rent increase if they think it's unfair. 

Introducing a private landlord database

Intended to help landlords better understand their legal obligations and give tenants greater confidence that they’ll comply with them, the private landlord database is designed to enable tenants to make more informed decisions when going into a tenancy agreement.  

You’ll need to be registered on the database if you want to use certain grounds for possession under Section 8.

In an article for the NRLA, Paul Shamplina (Founder of Landlord Action and Chief Commercial Officer of Hamilton Fraser) said, 

‘Whilst it will be mandatory for landlords to pay and join, it is possible this change will play a significant role in ensuring issues are resolved quicker and easier than if they were taken to court. The current court system will simply not cope with the increase in cases without reform.”   

Private rented sector landlord ombudsman

In further commentary from Paul Shamplina, “the introduction of an Ombudsman is positive as it will help to elevate the reputable landlords in the industry and deter the rogues.’  

It’s hoped that this will be a quicker, fairer and more impartial way to resolve any landlord-tenant disputes, without the need for court action. 

More pets in lets

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants are set to be granted more robust rights regarding pets in properties.

Keep in mind that you’ll need reasonable grounds to refuse to let with pets. To make sure you are up to date on what changes are coming and what you will need to be aware of, you can read out pets guidance page which covers the topic in detail.

Prevening discrimination and ending rental bidding wars

The Renters’ Rights Act will include new laws around the discrimination against families and those in receipt of benefits, which we cover in more detail in our guidance on rental discrimination.  

There’ll also be an end to ‘bidding wars’. There’ll be a legal requirement to publish an asking rent price, and you won’t be allowed to accept offers made over this rate. More information can be found in our advice on managing rent payments after the Act.

Evictions are set to undergo significant changes under the Renters’ Rights Act, but what does the revised process look like? 

The abolition of Section 21 evictions

Section 21 evictions, also known as ‘no fault’ evictions, are set to be abolished on 1 May 2026. Instead, you’ll be required by law to serve a Section 8 notice and provide specific reasons for wanting to take possession of your property. 

The Act also changes the Section 8 grounds for possession and how they work. There’ll be new grounds governing the sale of your property and the repossession of student lets. Additionally, the existing grounds for possession will be updated, with provisions including an extension to the required level of rent arrears, meaning tenants will need to be in three months of rent arrears.  There will also be an extended notice period of (four weeks) which is twice what it is now.

If you served a Section 21 notice before the 1st May 2026 you can still use it to apply to court but only before July 31 2026 at the latest. You can find out more about this below. 

Here’s the big question: how do you prepare for the Renters’ Rights Act?  

Getting the tenancy ready

With so many changes ahead, we advise taking the time to conduct a thorough review of your rental properties, particularly if you manage a portfolio or have HMOs.  

Ask yourself:  

• Are all legal obligations being met?  
• Do you have a written assured periodic tenancy agreement that you can give tenants?
• Will your proposed rent cover the increased costs of compliance under the Renters’ Rights Act?  
• Are you up to speed with the market rent prices for similar properties in your area? 
• How do you keep records of your communication with your tenants?
• Are you taking a guarantor?

Access help and guidance on this in our Landlord Starter Pack.

Inspecting your properties

It’s a good time to start thinking about a formalised approach to dealing with any tenant complaints, hazards or maintenance issues if you don’t have one already.  

Consider:  

• When was the last time you inspected your properties?  
• Do you have a reliable roster of tradespeople that can respond to things quickly and to a good standard? 

Compliant landlord processes

Be confident in your processes as a landlord, particularly around referencing, complaints and advertising, as this is where laws will become stricter under the Renters’ Rights Act. 

Think about:  

• When advertising, are you indirectly discriminating against tenants receiving benefits? Examples of wording to avoid include ‘young professionals only’ or ‘no DSS’. 
• Does any of your advertising encourage bids over the asking rent price? Remember, the Act bans you and any agents acting on your behalf from doing this.  
• Are you keeping a record of any issues with tenants? With Section 21 evictions being abolished, you’ll need to clearly evidence any breaches in the tenancy agreement if you want to serve a Section 8 notice.  

Letting agent compliance

If you rent/manage your properties through a letting agent, you could be held responsible for poor practices on their part under the Renter’s Rights Act. It’s essential to conduct your own due diligence to ensure they are adapting their processes in line with the new laws.  

We anticipate most agents will be working hard to make sure they’re compliant, but for your own peace of mind, you might want to ask things like:  

• How are you updating advertising to make sure there’s no bidding wars or unconscious bias?  
• How are you recording any communication with my tenants?  
• What’s your procedure for collecting rent and/or entering a tenancy agreement?  
• Are there any updates to your terms and conditions that I should be aware of? 

Renters’ Rights Act Training for Landlords

Our Renters’ Rights Act training equips landlords and property professionals with a clear understanding of the most important legal changes, including the end of Section 21 and new compliance requirements that will shape how you operate.

Through expert-led guidance and practical examples, you will learn what is now expected of you, how tenant protections have been strengthened, and how to reduce the risk of non-compliance while planning confidently for the future.

How does the Renters’ Rights Act impact ‘bidding wars'?

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, you are no longer be able to advertise properties that encourage ‘bidding wars’. You’ll need to publish an asking price for rent, and you won’t be allowed to accept offers over that price. We explain this and more, in our latest guide on managing rent payments after Renters’ Rights. 

How will the Renters’ Rights Act impact rent increases?

You’ll now only be able to put a rent increase in place once a year, and can only do so by serving your tenants with an official Section 13 notice. Tenants will be within their rights to challenge any rent increases they feel aren’t fair, or in line with market value at the time. The Government have announced that they will introduce a fee for doing making this kind of application, at £47.

What happens if landlords or their agents breach the new legislation?

If you or your agent breaches the Renters’ Rights Act, you’ll face increased fines for non-compliance. These fines can range from anywhere between £7,000 and £40,00,0 depending on the severity of the breach. A full breakdown of the fines and enforcement measures you could face for none compliance is available in our enforcement of the Renters’ Rights Act guide. 

What does the Renters’ Rights Act mean for tenants keeping pets?

Tenants will be given more robust rights to request pets in properties, which must be considered and not unreasonably refused. We explore the details of these changes further in our guidance on how tenancies are changing following the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act. 

Can I still create a fixed-term tenancy under the Renters’ Rights Act?

Under the new laws, most private rented sector landlords will no longer be able to let a property on a fixed-term tenancy. Agreements must now be ‘periodic’ or ‘rolling’ contracts to give tenants more flexibility to move on, and to prevent any poor landlords from charging for properties with issues or hazards.  Trying to offer a fixed-term tenancy can also lead to fines of up to £7,000.

The only exception to this is where your tenancy is not an assured tenancy, which you can find out more about here.