What is a periodic tenancy? Assured periodic tenancies
What is a periodic tenancy? How every assured shorthold tenancy in England became an assured periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026, and what that means for landlords.
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Landlord guides for England.
Know which document you need, which date matters and what evidence to keep. 36 guides that connect the official rules with the everyday job of letting a property.
General information, not legal advice. Each guide names its official sources. Last checked 5 October 2026. How we prepare our guides.
Renters’ Rights Act
What changed on 1 May 2026, what is still to come, and what each change asks of a landlord.
Can landlords refuse pets? The 2026 rules in England
Can landlords refuse pets? Since 1 May 2026 a tenant in England can ask in writing, and the landlord has 28 days to answer and cannot refuse unreasonably.
Read the guideNew landlord rules 2026: every date and what is next
New landlord rules 2026 in one dated timeline: what the Renters’ Rights Act changed on 1 May 2026, and when the database, ombudsman and new standards start.
Read the guideRent in advance and rental bidding: the 2026 rules
Rent in advance is capped at one month and rental bidding is banned in England from 1 May 2026. The limits, the fines and the rules on children and benefits.
Read the guideRenters’ Rights Act 2026: what landlords must do now
What the Renters’ Rights Act changed for landlords in England on 1 May 2026: section 21, rent increases, written terms, fines and what is still to come.
Read the guideRenters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026: landlord guide
The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 explained: who had to give it, the 31 May 2026 deadline, how to send it, the fine and what to do if it was late.
Read the guideEnding a tenancy
Section 8, Form 3A, the grounds for possession, notice periods and the court process.
Eviction notice: how to evict a tenant in England in 2026
How to evict a tenant lawfully in England: the eviction notice on Form 3A, the court possession order, bailiffs, fees and what counts as illegal eviction.
Read the guideRent arrears: what to do when a tenant is not paying rent
Rent arrears in England in 2026: the 3-month threshold for Ground 8, the 4-week section 8 notice, Universal Credit direct payments and the steps before court.
Read the guideSection 21 notice: abolished 1 May 2026, what to use now
Section 21 notices ended for private landlords in England on 1 May 2026. See what happened to notices already served and how section 8 and Form 3A work now.
Read the guideSection 8 notice grounds: every ground for possession
Every section 8 notice ground for possession in England from 1 May 2026: mandatory or discretionary, the notice period, and the limits on Grounds 1 and 1A.
Read the guideSection 8 notice: Form 3A, notice periods and how to serve
A section 8 notice on Form 3A is how a private landlord in England starts to seek possession. See the notice periods, how to complete it and how to serve it.
Read the guideNotice to quit and tenancy notice periods in England, 2026
Notice to quit and notice periods in England from 1 May 2026: tenants give up to 2 months in writing, landlords give none to 4 months on a section 8 notice.
Read the guideRent
Putting the rent up lawfully: section 13, Form 4A, how much and how often.
How much can a landlord increase rent in England?
How much can a landlord increase rent? There is no cap in England, but increases are limited to once a year, need 2 months’ notice and can go to a tribunal.
Read the guideForm 4A: the section 13 rent increase notice explained
How the Form 4A rent increase notice works in England: the section 13 rules, two months’ notice, the 52-week rule and what the tribunal can decide.
Read the guideTenancy documents
The agreement, the written statement of terms and the papers a tenant must be given.
Tenancy agreement template for England: 2026 rules
What a tenancy agreement template for England must contain since 1 May 2026: the 18 written items, the terms that no longer work, and signing online.
Read the guideWritten statement of terms or the Information Sheet?
Which written information landlords in England must give tenants: the written statement of terms for new tenancies or the Information Sheet for older ones.
Read the guideStarting a tenancy
The checks and paperwork before a tenant moves in.
How to become a landlord: a 2026 checklist for England
How to become a landlord in England in 2026: every legal step before you rent out your house, in order, with deadlines and who does each job.
Read the guideHow to rent guide: do landlords still have to give it?
The How to rent guide was withdrawn on 1 May 2026. What it was, the last version, when it still matters, and what landlords in England give tenants now.
Read the guideRight to rent checks: a landlord’s step-by-step guide
How to do a right to rent check in England: who to check, share codes, documents, identity providers, follow-up checks, records and the current penalties.
Read the guideDeposits
Protecting a deposit, the cap, holding deposits and the information you must give.
What is a holding deposit? Rules, refunds and limits
What is a holding deposit? The one week’s rent cap, the 15-day deadline, when it must be refunded and when a landlord in England can keep it.
Read the guideTenancy deposit scheme: protection rules for landlords
Tenancy deposit scheme rules in England: use an approved deposit protection scheme within 30 days, give the prescribed information and stay within the cap.
Read the guideProperty safety
Gas, electrics, alarms, energy ratings, damp and the certificates that prove each one.
Awaab’s Law and private landlords: timescales and status
Awaab’s Law timescales for social housing, where the extension to private landlords stands today, and the damp and mould duties private landlords have now.
Read the guideDecent Homes Standard in the private rented sector: 2035
What is the Decent Homes Standard? The five criteria, and the status and date of its extension to the private rented sector in England: from 2035.
Read the guideEICR certificate cost 2026: prices, codes, what is checked
EICR certificate cost by property size from 2026 price guides, plus what an EICR is, what is checked, the C1 to FI codes, how long it takes and lasts.
Read the guideEICR for landlords: electrical safety certificate rules
EICR rules for landlords in England: what the landlord electrical safety certificate checks, the five-year interval, 28-day deadlines and fines to £40,000.
Read the guideLandlord EPC rules: minimum EPC rating for rental property
Landlord EPC rules in England: the minimum EPC rating for rental property is E, exemptions, penalties of up to £5,000, and where EPC C by 2030 stands.
Read the guideGas safety certificate cost 2026: prices and what is checked
Gas safety certificate cost from 2026 price guides, what the engineer checks, how long it takes, how to check Gas Safe registration and the renewal window.
Read the guideLandlord gas safety certificate (CP12): rules and records
Landlord gas safety certificate rules in England: the annual CP12 check, who can do it, the 28-day deadline to give tenants a copy and how long to keep it.
Read the guideLandlord certificates: what you need in England (2026)
Landlord certificates checklist for England: gas safety, EICR, EPC, alarms, legionella, deposit and licences, with how often, who gets a copy and the penalty.
Read the guideLegionella risk assessment for landlords: what HSE requires
Legionella risk assessment for landlords: HSE says you must assess the risk, you do not need a certificate, and most landlords can do it themselves.
Read the guideSmoke alarm regulations for landlords: smoke and CO alarms
Smoke alarm regulations for landlords in England: where smoke and carbon monoxide alarms must go, testing on day one, repairs and the £5,000 penalty.
Read the guideLicensing and registration
HMO and selective licences, the landlord database and the ombudsman.
HMO licence: rules, costs and room sizes in England, 2026
When you need an HMO licence in England, what it costs, the minimum room sizes, the licence conditions and the penalties for letting without one in 2026.
Read the guidePrivate landlord ombudsman: when landlords must join
The private landlord ombudsman will be compulsory for landlords in England, expected in 2028. What it can order, the penalties and how tenants complain today.
Read the guideLandlord database UK: registering on the PRS Database
The landlord database opens on 15 December 2026 in the West Midlands. See the date for your region, the £65 fee, what to register and the penalties.
Read the guideSelective licensing: do I need a landlord licence in 2026?
Selective licensing means a landlord licence for every rented home in a council’s chosen area. How to check your property, typical fees and the penalties.
Read the guideTax and money
The tax rules that come with being a landlord.
Making Tax Digital for landlords: dates, rules, penalties
Making Tax Digital for landlords began on 6 April 2026 for income over £50,000. See the thresholds, quarterly deadlines, penalty points and exemptions.
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