Renters’ Rights Act 2026: what landlords must do now

What changed on 1 May 2026?

The main tenancy reforms in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 took effect in England on 1 May 2026. Section 21 ‘no fault’ notices ended for private tenancies, every assured shorthold tenancy became an assured periodic tenancy, and new rules began for rent increases, rent in advance, bidding, pets and discrimination.

The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, and the government brought the tenancy changes in on a single day for existing tenancies as well as new ones. The table is the short version. Each row has its own detailed rules, so follow the links in this guide before acting on any of them.

Sources: GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act, an overview for landlords · GOV.UK: implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the roadmap · GOV.UK: guide to the Renters’ Rights Act

Which tenancies does the Act cover?

GOV.UK says a tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy when you do not live in the property, it is the tenant’s main home, and the tenant has their own room, even if they share a kitchen or bathroom. All assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, and you can no longer create a new shorthold tenancy.

Some lettings sit outside the system. GOV.UK lists tenancies where the landlord lives in the property, purpose-built student accommodation covered by the national code of practice, fixed terms of more than 21 years, rent above £100,000 a year, rent below £250 a year (£1,000 in London), business or licensed premises and holiday lets. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own laws.

A tenancy now has to run on a rolling basis, weekly or monthly for example, with rental periods no longer than one month. A fixed end date written into an agreement cannot be enforced.

Sources: GOV.UK: assured periodic tenancies, a guide for landlords

What paperwork did each tenant need?

For a new tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026, you must give the tenant written information about the key terms before the agreement is signed or agreed verbally. Most landlords put it in the tenancy agreement. Our guide to the written statement of terms lists what it has to cover.

For a tenancy that began before 1 May 2026 with written terms, no new agreement was needed. Instead you had to give every named tenant the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026, as a printed copy or a PDF attachment. A link to the PDF does not count. Tenancies agreed wholly verbally needed the full written information by the same date.

GOV.UK says you could be fined up to £7,000 for failing to give either document. The May deadline has passed. If your records are incomplete, establish what was actually supplied and get advice about any missed duty. Creating a document today does not prove it was supplied on time.

Sources: GOV.UK: written information you need to give to your tenant · GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act, an overview for landlords

How do rent increases work now?

Rent on an assured periodic tenancy can go up once a year, and you must use the section 13 process: fill in Form 4A and give it to the tenant at least two months before the new rent starts. Our guide to Form 4A and the section 13 notice covers the dates in detail.

A tenant who thinks the proposed rent is above the open market rent can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. An agreed conversation about the rent is not the formal process, so keep the notice and the record of how it was served.

Before a tenancy starts, you cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent until both sides have signed the agreement, and it is illegal to encourage people to bid above the rent you advertised.

Sources: GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act, an overview for landlords · GOV.UK: implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the roadmap

How do you end a tenancy without section 21?

You can no longer serve a section 21 notice, even if the tenancy agreement says you can. To end a tenancy you need a section 8 notice on Form 3A that names a legal ground for possession, and a court order if the tenant does not leave. See what replaced section 21 and how the Form 3A section 8 notice works.

GOV.UK says the notice period depends on the ground: usually at least two months, and up to four months. You cannot use the selling or moving-in grounds within the first 12 months of a tenancy. For rent arrears, GOV.UK says the court only needs to give a possession order if the tenant owes three months’ rent.

If you took a deposit, GOV.UK says you need to have complied with the tenancy deposit protection rules to get possession through the courts. Tenants can end the tenancy by giving two months’ notice at any point, unless you have agreed a shorter period. Removing a tenant without a court order is illegal eviction, which is a criminal offence.

Sources: GOV.UK: ending an assured periodic tenancy · GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act, an overview for landlords

What happens if you get it wrong?

Local councils enforce most of the Act. The government’s guide to the Act says councils can issue civil penalties of up to £7,000 for a breach, and up to £40,000 for serious, persistent or repeat breaches, with criminal prosecution as the alternative in those cases.

Tenants can also apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a rent repayment order. The Act added offences that can lead to one and raised the maximum from one year’s rent to two. Councils have had stronger investigatory powers since 27 December 2025.

Penalties are set case by case, so no guide can tell you what a particular breach will cost. Where you think a duty has been missed, get advice before you correct the record.

Sources: GOV.UK: guide to the Renters’ Rights Act · GOV.UK: Renters’ Rights Act, an overview for landlords · GOV.UK: implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the roadmap

What is still to come?

Two more parts of the Act have not started. The first is the landlord database. GOV.UK announced on 9 September 2026 that the registration service launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and reaching other areas over 12 months. Landlords get a three-month period to sign up once their region is called, and all landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027. Our guide to the private rented sector database follows the rollout.

The second is the landlord ombudsman, which private landlords will have to join. The government’s roadmap, published in November 2025, expects it in 2028. The same roadmap proposes a Decent Homes Standard for private rentals from 2035 or 2037 and says the extension of Awaab’s Law to the sector will be consulted on. Treat those as plans until GOV.UK confirms dates.

Sources: GOV.UK news, 9 September 2026: landlord registration service dates · GOV.UK: implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the roadmap

A practical file review for each property

The mistakes that cause most trouble since May are simple ones: sending tenants a link to the Information Sheet when it had to be an attachment or a printed copy, relying on a fixed end date that can no longer be enforced, quoting section 21 in letters, and agreeing a rent rise by text message without serving Form 4A.

Use a separate row for each task. A document existing in a folder and a document reaching the tenant are two different events. This is an organisational checklist, not a complete assessment of the property’s legal position.

• Record the tenancy type and start date, with the agreement or other supporting record.
• Record which written information or Information Sheet was supplied, to whom, when and how.
• Keep the current rent and the date the last increase actually took effect.
• Check safety reports, any outstanding remedial work and evidence of tenant copies.
• Keep deposit protection and prescribed information records together.
• Note your region’s registration window for the landlord database once it is announced.
• Flag uncertainty for advice rather than marking the property complete.

Common questions