The Renters' Rights Act

The Renters’ Rights Act became law on 27 October 2025. The measures of the act will be introduced in 3 stages, beginning in May 2026. Once it’s implemented, it will provide new safeguards for private tenants, which will strengthen your housing rights.

What does the current private rented sector look like?

Within the current private rented sector, tenants have limited security in their homes.

As a private tenant you are likely to have an assured shorthold tenancy, which gives you limited security to be able to stay in your home. Most private tenants can be evicted from their homes for no reason, using a section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction process.

If you need to leave the tenancy early, fixed term tenancies (commonly 6 or 12 months) make it difficult to do this. If you need to end the tenancy you have to give one month’s notice to your landlord.

Landlords can seek to increase the rent at any time.

If you’re trying to secure a private rented property, there’s no limit on how much rent in advance a landlord can ask for. You may find yourself in a ‘bidding war’ with other tenants, feeling pressured to offer more than the advertised rent to secure the property.

What are the main changes to the rights of private tenants under the Renters’ Rights Act?

Existing assured shorthold tenants and new private tenants will be affected by the Renters’ Rights Act changes.

• Assured shorthold tenancies will end and assured tenancies will become the main type of tenancy in the private rented sector. These will give tenants greater security in their homes and stronger rights.
• Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished. Landlords will need a legal reason (ground) to evict you.
• Fixed term tenancies will also be abolished. You will have a periodic (rolling) tenancy instead, which makes it easier to leave the tenancy if you need to, by giving 2 months’ notice to your landlord.
• Landlords can only seek an increase in rent once a year, using a specific procedure. This can be challenged via the First-tier Tribunal (Property).
• Landlords can only ask for 1 month’s rent in advance when you start the tenancy. ‘Bidding wars’ will be banned.
• Landlords will be banned from discriminating against prospective tenants that have children or are claiming benefits.
• Tenants will also have the right to request to rent with a pet, which a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.

When will the main changes be implemented?

The main changes under the Act, strengthening the rights of private tenants, will be introduced under the first phase of implementation, on 1 May 2026.

Other changes under the Renters’ Rights Act

Further changes will be implemented from late 2026 onwards.These include:

• establishing a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, to help resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.
• a database for landlords and councils, which will be rolled out regionally. This will mean private landlords have to register themselves and key information about their properties on an online system.

More changes that will seek to raise standards of housing quality in the private rented sector will be brought in later. These include extending the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to the sector, raising the minimum energy efficiency requirement for privately rented homes and improving the approach taken to assessing hazards. The timeframes for the implementation for these changes will be subject to consultation.