The Renters' Rights Act: What it means for landlords

The Renters' Rights Act is one of the biggest changes to private renting in England in decades, and its main tenancy reforms have been in force since 1 May 2026.

If you're a landlord, it has changed a fair few of the rules you're used to — but there's no need to feel daunted by it. The landlords who stay on the right side of the new rules are generally the ones who are organised: good records, the right paperwork and a clear process.

This guide is a plain-English overview of what's already changed and what's still on the way.

We've written separate, detailed guides on some of the biggest individual topics — including evictions, rent increases and pets — so think of this as your starting point, with links to the deeper guides where you need them.

What's changed already

Fixed terms are gone — assured tenancies are now periodic

Existing assured shorthold tenancies generally became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, while new assured tenancies in the private rented sector are also periodic.

That means there is no fixed end date. The tenancy runs on a rolling basis — usually monthly — until the tenant or landlord brings it to an end using the correct legal process.

Existing written tenancy agreements did not have to be replaced simply because the law changed. However, landlords or agents with existing written agreements were required to give affected tenants the government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

Any terms in an existing agreement that conflict with the new statutory tenancy rules no longer override those rules.

Section 21 is gone — landlords now need a legal ground for possession

The old Section 21 "no-fault" eviction process has been abolished.

Landlords can still regain possession of their property, but they now need to rely on one or more of the legal grounds for possession.

These include circumstances such as serious rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, a landlord genuinely intending to sell, or the landlord or certain family members needing to occupy the property.

Different grounds have different requirements, notice periods and restrictions, so it is important to check the specific ground before serving notice.

We cover this in more detail in our separate guide, "Can I still evict my tenant now Section 21 is gone?"

Rent can generally only go up once a year — and you must follow the statutory process

Landlords can still increase the rent, but the new system is more structured.

For most assured periodic tenancies, an increase must be made using the statutory Section 13 process and the prescribed Form 4A, with at least two months' notice.

Rent cannot generally be increased more than once a year and, for a new tenancy, it cannot normally be increased during the first 12 months.

Tenants can challenge a proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal if they believe it is above the open-market rent.

Contractual rent-review clauses cannot be used to bypass the statutory rent-increase process.

We cover this in more detail in our separate guide on rent increases.

Rental bidding has been banned and new rules apply to rent in advance

Landlords and letting agents must state an asking rent when advertising a property in writing.

They cannot encourage prospective tenants to offer more than that figure and cannot accept an offer above the advertised rent.

The rules around rent in advance have also changed.

For new assured tenancies, landlords and agents cannot ask for or accept rent before the tenancy agreement has been entered into. Once the agreement has been signed, they can generally require no more than one month's initial rent in advance before the tenancy begins.

Different transitional rules can apply to tenancy agreements entered into before 1 May 2026, so landlords with older arrangements should check the rules applying to that particular tenancy rather than assuming the new-tenancy rules apply in exactly the same way.

Tenants have a right to request a pet

Tenants can now make a formal request to keep a pet, and landlords cannot refuse that request unreasonably.

The tenant must make the request in writing and include a description of the pet.

Landlords will normally need to respond in writing within 28 days. There are circumstances where the deadline can be extended, including where further information is reasonably required or permission has to be obtained from a superior landlord or freeholder.

A landlord can still refuse where there is a genuine and reasonable reason — for example, where keeping the pet would breach a superior lease or the property is genuinely unsuitable for that particular animal.

A blanket dislike of pets, however, will not normally be enough.

We cover this fully in our separate guide, "My tenant wants a pet — do I have to say yes?"

You cannot discriminate against families or people receiving benefits

The Act introduced specific protections against rental discrimination involving people who have children or receive benefits.

Landlords and agents must not prevent someone from enquiring about, viewing or renting a property simply because they have children or receive benefits.

That also means avoiding blanket policies or advertising such as "no DSS" or automatic refusals of applicants with children.

Landlords can still carry out appropriate affordability and referencing checks. The important point is that these should be applied fairly and should not be used as a way of automatically excluding applicants because they have children or receive benefits.

There are limited legal exceptions in particular circumstances, so each case should still be considered on its facts.

Deposits — the limits remain, but compliance matters

The tenancy deposit cap has not been increased.

For most tenancies where annual rent is below £50,000, the maximum tenancy deposit is five weeks' rent. Where annual rent is £50,000 or more, the cap is six weeks' rent.

Where deposit-protection rules apply, landlords must continue to protect the deposit in an authorised tenancy deposit scheme and provide the required prescribed information.

Deposit compliance can also affect a landlord's ability to obtain possession. Where a deposit has not been dealt with correctly, the landlord may need to remedy the position in accordance with the law before a possession order can be obtained.

If your deposit paperwork has ever been a bit loose, now is a sensible time to review it rather than discovering a problem when you need possession of the property.

Enforcement has become stronger

Local authorities now have wider powers to investigate landlords and letting agents and take enforcement action where the law is breached.

The Renters' Rights Act also strengthened rent repayment orders and increased the maximum award for relevant offences from one year's rent to up to two years' rent.

The practical message is straightforward: proper records, compliant paperwork and consistent procedures matter more than ever.

What's still coming

Not everything in the Renters' Rights Act took effect on 1 May 2026. A number of reforms are being implemented in stages.

The Private Rented Sector Database

The government plans to introduce a national Private Rented Sector Database, with implementation for landlords and local authorities beginning from late 2026.

Landlords will ultimately be required to register themselves and relevant rented properties.

The Act allows fees to be charged in connection with database registration, but the detailed fee arrangements are to be set through regulations.

Database compliance will also become important for enforcement and aspects of landlords' ability to use the possession system.

The Landlord Ombudsman

A new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is also being introduced.

The government's implementation roadmap currently provides for mandatory landlord membership from 2028.

It will give tenants an independent route through which certain complaints against landlords can be resolved without having to go directly through the courts.

The Decent Homes Standard

The government has confirmed plans for the new Decent Homes Standard to apply to both social and private rented homes from 2035.

It will introduce a common minimum standard for the condition and quality of rented homes.

Landlords should not, however, interpret 2035 as meaning that existing repair, safety and housing-condition obligations can be ignored in the meantime. Those duties continue to apply now.

Awaab's Law

The Renters' Rights Act provides for Awaab's Law to be extended into the private rented sector.

It will introduce clearer statutory requirements around how landlords respond to serious housing hazards.

The detailed rules and timetable for applying Awaab's Law to private landlords are still to be finalised, so landlords should be careful not to confuse the current requirements applying to social landlords with the future private-sector regime.

Regardless of the new regime, existing obligations concerning hazards, repairs and fitness for human habitation already apply, so serious problems such as damp and mould should be dealt with promptly.

Energy efficiency

The government's position on energy efficiency has moved on considerably.

Following consultation, the government has set out its intention for privately rented homes to comply with a higher energy-efficiency standard from 1 October 2030, broadly equivalent to EPC C but based on the reformed EPC system.

The government has also announced a £10,000 cost cap and a range of proposed exemptions.

Further legislation and regulations are still required to put the new regime fully into effect, so landlords should keep an eye on developments rather than treating every detail of the future standard as already legally enforceable today.

For landlords with poorly performing properties, however, planning potential improvements early may make financial sense.

The bottom line for landlords

The Renters' Rights Act asks more of landlords, but most of the practical requirements come back to the same principles: keep your paperwork current, protect deposits properly, follow the correct statutory procedure for rent increases and possession, and deal with tenant requests consistently and in writing.

The regulatory framework is stricter than it used to be, but landlords who understand the rules and maintain proper records will be in a much stronger position.

Thinking about your next step?

Whether you're weighing up a sale, wondering what your property could achieve as a rental in today's market, or simply want a fresh pair of eyes on it, we're always happy to help.

If you're a Greenford landlord or homeowner, get in touch with the team at Argent Estates for a free, no-obligation valuation — no strings attached, and no need to be looking to switch agents or sign up to anything.

*Argant Estates — local property specialists, Greenford

Disclaimer: This article is intended as a general guide only and does not constitute legal advice. Property and tenancy law can change, and how the rules apply may depend on the individual circumstances of a tenancy. Landlords should check the latest government guidance and, where necessary, seek independent legal advice before taking action, particularly in relation to possession proceedings, rent increases, deposits or tenancy disputes.