The Renters' Rights Bill: What You Need to Know

The Renters’ Rights Act is undergoing significant reforms to the private rented sector, with Phase 1 coming into force on 1 May 2026.

These changes will significantly change how residential tenancies operate, increasing tenant protections and imposing new obligations on landlords. Landlords should be aware of how these reforms will affect their ability to regain possession of their property, manage rent, and oversee tenancies going forward.

Some key changes are as follows:

1. Abolition of Section “no fault evictions” and more stringent Section 8 grounds to evict

From 1 May 2026, Section 21 evictions will be abolished, and Landlords will no longer be able to regain possession of their property without giving a reason. If a landlord wishes to terminate a tenancy and seek possession, they must instead rely on a Section 8 notice, citing one or more statutory grounds for possession.

Although Section 8 has existed alongside Section 21 prior to the reform, the new changes amend and strengthen the available grounds landlords can rely on to provide additional protection for tenants. These grounds include:

• Rent arrears (tenants must now be at least three months in arrears)
• Landlord intention to sell or redevelop the property
• Antisocial or criminal behaviour by the tenant
• Breach of a term of the tenancy agreement

Each ground has specific requirements, notice periods, and time limits that must be strictly complied with. Following the reform, the time limits have increased, making it more difficult for a Landlord to satisfy a ground. Failure to meet these requirements may render a Section 8 notice invalid.

2. No more fixed-term tenancies: all tenancies will become periodic

From 1 May, most Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST’S) will immediately convert into an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT). This means that any fixed terms will end, and become periodic, rolling from month to month until either the landlord or tenant terminates the tenancy.

Please note that there is a limited exception. A tenancy will not convert on 1 May 2026 where a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice was served before that date, and possession proceedings are still ongoing. In these cases, the conversion is delayed, and the tenancy will remain an AST until the proceedings have concluded.

3. Mandatory government provision for Landlords to provide all tenants with an Information Sheet

Landlords must provide all tenants with the official government Renters’ Rights information sheet by 31 May 2026 which explains the new tenancy structure, tenant rights, landlord obligations and how rent increases and possession now work.

A copy of the information sheet can be found at the following link: The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026

If a landlord does not serve the Information Sheet on the tenant, you may face enforcement action from the Local Council, which may include:

• A civil penalty of up to £7,000 for the initial breach;
• A further penalty of up to £40,000 for continued non-compliance after a penalty has been issued

4. Tenant’s contractual right to request a pet

From 1 May 2026, tenants have a contractual right to request permission to keep a pet at the property. Upon request, tenants will be required to provide details such as the pet’s breed, size, and type. The Landlord cannot unreasonably refuse the request.

5. New rules for rent increases

Under the new reforms, Landlords will no longer be able to increase rent through tenancy clauses or informally with the tenant.

Landlords will now need to serve a Section 13 notice on the tenant to initiate the increase. It is also important to note that Landlords are now required to give longer notice periods to the tenant.

6. Rent in advance

The rules on rent in advance depend on when the tenancy was entered into:

• Tenancies agreed before 1 May 2026
  Any existing arrangement for rent to be paid in advance may continue until that tenancy ends.
• Tenancies signed on or after 1 May 2026
  Landlords will not be able to require payment before a rental period starts once tenants have moved in.

Conclusion:

It is important that landlords understand how these new reforms affect their previous dealings with Tenants, and the implications of not complying with the new changes.

The Renter’s Rights Bill plans to:

• Abolish fixed-term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies, and going forward, all tenancies will be periodic;
• Abolish the ‘no fault’ evictions under section 21 of the Housing Act, and going forward, landlords would need to provide a valid reason for their eviction, such as rent arrears or breach of the tenancy agreement;
• Revise the other grounds for possession to strengthen tenant security; for example, tenants will have a 12-month protected period at the start of their tenancy whereby they cannot be evicted if the landlord wishes to move in or sell the property;
• Extend the notice period requirements for many of the mandatory grounds for possession;
• Introduce new protections for tenants who are in arrears of rent by increasing the mandatory threshold for serving notice on a tenant;
• Introduce new grounds for possession, including whether the landlord, their spouse or family member requires the property as their primary home;
• Tenants will be able to end the tenancy by giving two months’ notice;
• Prohibit unreasonable denial of tenant requests to have pets at the property. However, landlords can require pet insurance to cover the cost of any damage to the property that is caused by the pet;
• Establish a “Decent Homes Standard”, meaning that landlords can be prosecuted or receive a civil penalty for failing to address serious hazards; and
• Introduce a new ombudsman and new database to provide a cost-effective way of resolving disputes which aims to aid landlords in understanding and fulfilling their obligations and provide information to tenants.

The Renters’ Rights Bill has now completed its passage through Parliament and has received Royal Assent, meaning it is now law as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

However, not all provisions of the Act have come into force yet, although key provisions have now been implemented from 1 May 2026. A number of measures will be implemented on a phased basis to allow landlords, tenants, the courts and local authorities time to prepare for the new regime.

There have been some very important issues raised in the Second Reading, which the Lords will now have to consider in the Committee Stage. Some of the key issues they are faced with are:

Potential strain on the court

Many Lords have raised concerns about the strain on the court system that this Bill will bring.

The Government are said to be working closely with the Ministry of Justice to assess the impacts of the legislation on the courts and tribunals, and to ensure that the justice system is prepared for the implementation of the Bill more generally, however this is still a real concern.

It is therefore crucial that any risks associated with this Bill are managed effectively.  

Purpose built student accommodation (PBSA)

The Bill introduces a new provision which allows landlords of houses in multiple occupation rented to full-time students to regain possession, provided they give 4 months’ notice, effective only between June 1 and September 30.

There has been significant discussion about whether the proposed changes to student accommodation applies to PBSAs. The inclusion of this in the assured regime has therefore sparked debated and caused concern for the student accommodation sector. The Lords have therefore proposed that this be removed from the regime, which is very much supported by those in the sector.

Pets

It has been argued that that the experience of pets should not be denied to those who are unable to own their own home, and so the Bill will end the choice between having a pet or a rented home, and “ensure that everyone in England can benefit from the great companionship that having a pet brings”.

The Bill has tried to address the issue of damage to the property by asking tenants to pay for pet insurance, however there is still some concern that no comprehensive pet insurance exists at present.

Advance rent

The Bill proposes that any form of rent in advance other than the first month’s rent is prohibited, and this can only be payable after the tenancy agreement has been entered into.

Whilst the intention behind this is quite clearly to protect tenants from being forced to pay large sums of rent in advance, the Lords recognised that limiting this ability may have negative consequences for certain groups who struggle to prove their ability to sustain a tenancy, such as international students and overseas workers or even those employed on a short-term or variable basis.

What next?

The above list of issues is not exhaustive, and there are still plenty more of the Bill’s measures to be considered by the Lords. At Committee Stage, all suggested amendments must be considered, and there is no time limit as to how long an issue can be discussed for; therefore, it is unclear how long this stage will last for; however, it is typically for around a week. Going forward though, it is crucial that this Bill is properly scrutinised so that it can strike the right balance between protecting tenants as well as landlords, to ensure that the private rented sector runs viably and harmoniously.

Under the current legislation, landlords can regain possession of their property under Section 8 and Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

• Section 21: This allows a landlord to terminate an assured shorthold tenancy for any reason by serving valid notice to the tenant requiring them to vacate within two months. If they fail to do so, landlords may apply to the County Court for an order for possession under either the accelerated or standard procedure. However, section 21 notices can be rendered invalid if:
  • The landlord has not protected a deposit under an authorised scheme or;
  • The tenancy began or after 1 October 2015, and the landlord fails to provide a gas certificate, energy performance certificate, or How to Rent guide to the tenant.

• Section 8: Alternatively, a landlord can terminate an assured shorthold tenancy by serving a notice under section 8. However, they must demonstrate to the court that one or more of the statutory grounds apply. Some of these grounds are mandatory, and if that ground is met then possession must be ordered. Other grounds are discretionary, and the court must decide if the landlord has provided enough evidence to prove these grounds.

Now that the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has received Royal Assent, many landlords are seeking clarity on how possession claims will work in practice once Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are abolished.

We have published separate guidance on the new grounds for possession under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, explaining how landlords may be able to regain possession of their property under the new regime.

Going forward, Landlords must carefully evaluate the potential implications of these reforms.

The abolition of Section 21 will significantly limit a landlord’s ability to evict tenants without reason, and landlords will be required to rely on one of the grounds under Section 8.

This shift will inevitably reduce landlords' control over their properties.

When will the Renters’ Rights Act take effect?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is now law. However, its provisions are being introduced in stages, with the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, which have now come into force in England on 1 May 2026.

Therefore, landlords contemplating taking back possession of their property may want to act now.

If, as a landlord, you are thinking of serving notice on your tenant to reclaim possession of your property, then you should seek advice on the best way to proceed.

Whilst section 21 notices may appear straightforward, errors can delay you reclaiming possession of your property. With the forthcoming legislative changes, such delays could leave you with fewer options.