Renters’ Rights Act 2025 – Information and implementation

Introduction

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (“the Act”) has been enacted to provide significantly enhanced protection for tenants. The ground-breaking legislation is set to revolutionise the rental market by abolishing assured shorthold tenancies, removing a landlord’s right to “no-fault” evictions, allowing tenants more flexibility in terminating a tenancy and provides new rent control measures, amongst other reforms.

An implementation timeline is appended to the end of this article.

Key Features of the Renters’ Rights Act

Abolition of Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs): This pivotal change will eliminate fixed-term tenancies, transitioning to a model that offers tenants greater flexibility. Under the new framework, tenants will enter into month-to-month periodic tenancies, which will afford them more security and predictability.
New Grounds for Possession: While landlords are set to lose the s.21 “no fault” eviction option, they will still retain s.8 rights to seek possession. The specific grounds for doing so have been redefined and expanded from 17 grounds to 37.
Increased Penalties for Breaches of Eviction Protections: The Act imposes stiffer penalties for landlords who fail to comply with their statutory obligations.
Statutory Rent Increase Procedures: The Act stipulates clear procedures governing how and when landlords may increase rent.
Ban on Bidding Wars: Landlords and their agents will no longer able to market properties with the intention of accepting offers above the listed rental price. They will be obligated to accept offers no higher than the list price.
Anti-Discrimination Measures: Landlords will be explicitly prohibited from discriminating against tenants based on their benefits status or family composition.
New Private Rented Sector Database: It will be compulsory for all landlords to register with a new landlord database prior to marketing properties for let. Failure to register can result in fines and will also prohibit landlords form seeking possession under s.8.
Ombudsman and Redress Scheme Requirements: Landlords will be mandated to comply with a structured complaint resolution process with penalties for non-compliance. A new private rented sector landlord ombudsman will be established.
Right to Keep a Pet: The Act provides tenants with the right to request permission to keep pets in their homes. This permission cannot be unreasonably withheld, save for circumstances where a superior landlord or beneficiary of a restrictive covenant so require.

Ending a Tenancy

The premise of the Act is to afford tenants greater security and flexibility when renting. The Act seeks to achieve this by redressing the balance of power between landlords and tenants in relation to the process for terminating residential tenancies.

The first major reform to note, is the abolition of ASTs and transition to periodic tenancies. The latest government guidance is that by 1 May 2026, all existing ASTs will transition into assured periodic tenancies, allowing tenants to rent on a rolling month-to-month basis, with no fixed end date. Should a tenant wish to terminate such a tenancy, except in unusual circumstances, they will be able to do so by giving two months’ notice to quit.

On the other hand, from 1 May 2026, landlords will no longer have the option of serving a s.21 “no fault” eviction notice. Rather, landlords will need to rely on one of the enhanced section 8 grounds for possession within the Housing Act 1988. The amended grounds still include obtaining possession for personal use, to sell the property, to develop the property and rent arrears, however, the notice periods for such grounds have been extended. Specifically, own use, mortgage repossession and redevelopment now all require 4 months’ notice, whilst rent arrears now must total 3 months in arrears at the time the notice is served.

Whereas previously landlords were unable to make a claim for possession under section 21 if they had not protected the tenant’s deposit in a government backed tenancy deposit scheme, from 1 May 2026, landlords will be prevented from obtaining a possession order based on s.8 grounds if the tenant’s deposit has not been appropriately protected (except on grounds of serious criminal or anti-social behaviour).

Amendments to Rent (Advanced Rent, Bidding Wars and the Procedure for Raising Rent)

The Act will prevent payments from being made in advance for periods exceeding one month, preventing landlords from requesting more than one months’ rent prior to the start of a tenancy (although this does not prevent deposits from being requested). New tenancies will require rent to be paid monthly, and landlords cannot require rent to be paid quarterly or annually (although should the tenant seek to pay sums in advance voluntarily they may do so). This particular change will not apply to existing tenancies (albeit that existing tenancies will still be converted to periodic tenancies).

Tenants will have the right to a refund of any rent payment paid in relation to days after the termination date, a departure from the current position where an express provision in the agreement was required for any tenant refund. This change will also apply to existing tenancies.

When advertising a property for rent, landlords and letting agents will be required to specify the requested rent at the outset and will be prohibited from encouraging or accepting rent above this stated amount.

The Act will also amend the mechanism for increasing rent contained in section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Once the changes come into force rent can only be reviewed annually (giving two months’ notice), and in accordance with the existing framework set out in s.13 of the Housing Act 1988 (regardless of what the parties have contractually agreed), making rent review clauses effectively defunct.

Tenants will be able to challenge any proposed rent increase by making an application to the First-Tier Tribunal for assessment. The FTT can then only impose the lower of either; (a) the market rent or, (b) the increased rent proposed by the Landlord.

Increased Financial Penalties

Councils across England will be legally responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Act from 1 May 2026, and will be backed by stronger enforcement powers. Councils will be able to issues fines ranging from £7,000 – £40,000 to landlords for breaches of the Act.

Tenants also have the option to apply for rent repayment orders, forcing landlords to pay back rent should the landlord commit an offence under the Act.

Private Rental Sector Database

All landlords that have assured or regulated tenancies will be required to register themselves on the Private Rental Sector (“PRS”) Database.

The database will serve as a digital register of landlords and their rental properties, and in relation to each property landlords will be required to provide evidence of compliance with key legal obligations such as gas safety certificates, EPCs and deposit protection.

In addition to the PRS Database, membership of the PRS Landlord Ombudsman will be compulsory. The Ombudsman will be tasked with resolving complaints relating to tenancy obligations without having to resort to court proceedings.

Written Information Sheet & Updated Tenancy Terms

Landlords must provide existing tenants with a written information sheet and updated tenancy terms by 31 May 2026, explaining the transition to periodic tenancies and their new rights.

The information sheet can be downloaded from: The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 – GOV.UK

Practical Steps for Landlords

Consider serving a “section 21 notice” now. Section 21 notices which are served prior to 1 May 2026 will remain valid, until 31 July 2026, following the implementation of the Act.
Ensure deposits have been protected – under the Act, landlords will not be able to obtain a possession order (except on grounds of serious criminal or anti-social behaviour) if a tenant’s deposit has not been protected.
Prepare and serve existing tenants with an information sheet and updated terms of tenancy by 31 May 2026.
Keep and maintain records – the new database registration that is set to be enforced will require landlords to provide record of tenancy documents such as EPCs, Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs.

We are committed to guiding clients through these evolving legal landscapes, ensuring you are well-prepared for the changes ahead. If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 or general property law, please contact a member of the Property Litigation Team.

Appendix – Implementation Timeline

A brief summary of the timeline for implementation of various different measures:

27 October 2025	Royal Assent Received.
27 December 2025	Investigatory powers for local authorities Brings all necessary elements of investigatory powers and provisions for statutory guidance on certain financial penalties in the Act into force.
01 May 2026	Implementation of first phase of measures of Renters Rights Act 2025: – ASTs become Assured Periodic Tenancies, all fixed terms become periodic. – Abolition of s.21 ‘no fault evictions. – Tenants able to terminate tenancies on 2 months’ notice to quit. – Introduction of new/revised s.8 grounds (Form 3 required for use) – No rent due in advance. – Ban on rental bidding. – All rent increases will need to use the s.13 (Form 4) process and can only be used once a year. – Rental discrimination and rental bidding measures (inc. relevant financial penalties) – cannot discriminate based upon if the tenant has children or receives benefits. – New enforcement duty on local councils and expanded rent repayment orders. – New Prescribed Forms and information that landlords must give to tenants (both at the outset of new tenancies and to existing tenancies). – Landlords have to consider tenant requests to keep a pet within 28 days and have to give a valid reason if refusing.
31 May 2026	Deadline for providing Information Sheet and written terms to existing tenants.
Late 2026	PRS Database and associated guidance goes live for local councils and landlords.
2027	Reforms apply to the Social Rented Sector. Online possession claim service expected.
2028	Mandatory sign-up for landlords to join the PRS Landlord Ombudsman.
2035	Awaab’s Law and Decent Homes Standard anticipated.