If you rent your home in England, 2026 marks a turning point. The Renters’ Rights Act — which received Royal Assent in October 2025 and came into force on 1 May 2026 — is the most sweeping shake-up of the private rental market in a generation. Whether you’re mid-tenancy or about to sign a new agreement, here’s what you need to know.
Does this apply to you? The Act covers Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) where the tenant is an individual (not a company), the property is your main home, the annual rent is under £100,000, and your landlord does not live in the property. If all of these apply to you, read on.
The Biggest Change: No More “No-Fault” Evictions
The headline reform is the abolition of Section 21 notices — the mechanism that allowed landlords to evict tenants without giving a reason. From 1 May 2026, that power is gone entirely.
Going forward, a landlord who wants their property back must serve a Section 8 notice and rely on one of the legally defined grounds for possession. If they want to sell the property or move themselves (or a family member) in, they must give you at least four months’ notice — and that notice cannot expire within the first 12 months of your tenancy.
The practical upside: you can no longer be asked to leave simply because your landlord feels like it.
Real Scenario: Your landlord wants to sell
You’re eight months into your tenancy and your landlord tells you they’ve decided to sell the property.
Under the old rules: They could serve a Section 21 notice with two months’ notice and you’d have very little recourse.
Under the new rules: They must serve a Section 8 notice citing the correct ground for possession (intending to sell). They must give you at least four months’ notice, and crucially, that notice cannot expire before your tenancy has run for 12 months — meaning in your case, they cannot legally require you to leave until at least month 13. You have time to plan.
Your New Freedom to Leave
The Act also puts more control in tenants’ hands when it comes to ending a tenancy. From day one, you can give two months’ written notice to leave — at any time, with no minimum period to wait out.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Notice must expire at the end of a rental period
- Notice must be given in writing — verbal notice does not count
Joint Tenancies: A Risk You Need to Understand
If you share your home with others on a joint tenancy, the law works in a way that many tenants find alarming — and it deserves more than a footnote.
In a joint tenancy, notice given by just one tenant ends the tenancy for everyone.
This means: if your flatmate decides to leave and serves two months’ notice, your tenancy ends too — even if you had no idea they were planning to go, and even if you want to stay.
What can you do?
- Make sure all tenants openly discuss any intention to leave before notice is served
- If this happens to you, contact your landlord or agent immediately to discuss whether a new tenancy can be arranged
- If you’re considering leaving a joint tenancy yourself, take legal advice before serving notice — the consequences for your co-tenants are real
This is one of the most significant practical risks in the new system, and one that catches people off guard.
Fixed Terms Are Gone — Everything Becomes Periodic
Under the new system, fixed-term tenancies are abolished. All tenancies are now Assured Periodic Tenancies (APTs) — rolling month to month with no fixed end date. If your tenancy started before 1 May 2026, it automatically converted to an APT on that date.
Rather than being locked into a 12-month contract, the tenancy simply continues until either party brings it to an end through the proper legal process.
Rent Increases: More Rules, More Transparency
Rent reviews are now more structured:
- Rent can only be increased once per year
- Any increase must be delivered via a formal Section 13 notice, giving at least two months’ notice
- If you disagree with the proposed increase, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — and the tribunal cannot set rent higher than what your landlord originally proposed, so there is no risk to you in challenging
- Rent periods are limited to monthly — ending practices like demanding several months’ rent upfront
Real Scenario: You think your rent increase is too high
Your landlord sends a Section 13 notice proposing a 15% rent increase. You think this is well above what comparable properties in your area are renting for.
You don’t need to agree. Before the proposed increase takes effect, apply to the First-tier Tribunal. The tribunal will look at comparable market rents in your area and set a fair figure. Importantly, they cannot set the rent higher than what your landlord asked for — so appealing carries no financial risk to you. The application fee is £47, and fee remissions are available if you’re on a low income.
Act before the new rent date on the notice — once it passes, the increase takes effect automatically.
Pets, Discrimination and Bidding Wars
Three further reforms worth knowing:
Pets: You have the right to formally request permission to keep a pet. Your landlord cannot refuse without a valid reason (for example, if a superior lease prohibits pets). Unreasonable refusals carry legal consequences.
Anti-discrimination: Landlords can no longer refuse prospective tenants on the basis that they receive benefits or have children living with or visiting them. Blanket “No DSS” or “no children” policies are now unlawful.
Rental bidding: Landlords and agents cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent. The rent you agree cannot exceed what was publicly listed.
Real Scenario: You receive benefits and keep being rejected
You’re on Universal Credit and have been turned down by multiple landlords. You suspect it’s because of your benefits, but no one says so directly.
From 1 May 2026, refusing a tenant solely because they receive housing benefit or Universal Credit is unlawful. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you can report this to your local council, which now has strengthened enforcement powers. Keep records of every application and any communications with landlords or agents.
What’s Coming Later: Phase Two and Three
Not everything arrives at once. The Act rolls out in stages:
| Phase | Timeline | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| One | 1 May 2026 | Section 21 abolished, periodic tenancies, rent review rules, anti-discrimination, pet rights, bidding ban |
| Two | 2027–2028 | Private Rented Sector (PRS) database, mandatory Landlord Ombudsman |
| Three | 2035–2037 | Awaab’s Law (damp & mould timeframes), Decent Homes Standard |
Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard — which will require landlords to maintain properties to a defined standard and act within set timeframes on issues like damp and mould — are coming, but not immediately.
What Hasn’t Changed
It’s easy to assume the entire rulebook has been rewritten. It hasn’t. These important protections remain in place and are unchanged:
- Tenancy deposits are still capped at five weeks’ rent (or six weeks if annual rent exceeds £50,000), and landlords must still protect them in a government-approved scheme within 30 days
- Your right to a habitable home — landlords have always had a legal duty to keep properties in good repair; this hasn’t changed
- Protection from harassment and illegal eviction — these remain criminal offences
- Gas safety, electrical safety and EPC requirements — landlords must still provide annual gas safety certificates, electrical installation condition reports every five years, and an Energy Performance Certificate
- Deposit disputes — you can still use your deposit protection scheme’s free dispute resolution service if there’s disagreement at the end of your tenancy
- Right to Rent checks — landlords are still required to verify your right to rent in the UK
If you had any of these rights before 1 May 2026, you still have them now.
What Happens If Your Landlord Doesn’t Comply?
Enforcement has been significantly strengthened. Local authorities can now issue civil penalties of up to £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches. Tenants may also be entitled to Rent Repayment Orders covering up to 24 months of rent in certain cases.
A mandatory Ombudsman scheme (arriving in Phase Two) will offer an alternative to the courts for resolving disputes.
Key Dates
| Date | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 30 April 2026 | Last day a Section 21 notice could be served |
| 1 May 2026 | Core reforms in force; all tenancies become APTs |
| 31 May 2026 | Landlords must provide the Government information sheet to existing tenants |
| 31 July 2026 | Final deadline for court applications under old Section 21 notices |
| 2027–2028 | PRS database and Landlord Ombudsman |
| 2035–2037 | Awaab’s Law and Decent Homes Standard |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My landlord served a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026. Does it still count?
Yes — but only for a limited window. A Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 remains valid, but your landlord must start court proceedings by 31 July 2026 at the latest (or within six months of serving it, whichever comes first). After that date, the notice expires and has no legal effect. If 31 July 2026 has passed and no court claim was made, you cannot be evicted on the basis of that notice. Your tenancy will now be governed by the new rules.
Q: Can I still negotiate rent with my landlord?
Yes. Nothing in the Act prevents you and your landlord from agreeing a rent increase informally. However, from 1 May 2026, your landlord must still follow the formal Section 13 notice process for any increase to be legally valid — even if you’ve verbally agreed to it. If your landlord tries to increase your rent without serving a proper notice, you are not legally obliged to pay the higher amount.
Q: My landlord wants to put rent up more than once this year. Can they do that?
No. Rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period, and only through the formal Section 13 process. If your landlord received a rent increase before 1 May 2026, the 12-month clock runs from when that increase took effect.
Q: I’m in a fixed-term tenancy that hasn’t ended yet. What happens?
All tenancies — including those mid-fixed-term — automatically became Assured Periodic Tenancies on 1 May 2026. Your rent, terms and conditions remain the same; what changes is that there is no longer a set end date, and the new rules around notice, rent increases and possession now apply to you.
Q: Can my landlord evict me because I’ve asked for a pet?
No. Retaliatory eviction is not a valid ground under Section 8, and since Section 21 has been abolished, your landlord cannot evict you without a legal reason. Requesting a pet — which you now have the right to do — cannot be used as grounds for possession.
Q: What if my landlord refuses to make repairs?
Report the issue in writing (email is fine) and keep a record. If repairs are not completed within a reasonable timeframe, you can escalate to your local council’s housing enforcement team, which now has stronger powers to act. From Phase Two onwards, the Landlord Ombudsman will provide an additional route for dispute resolution. Under Awaab’s Law (Phase Three), landlords will face defined legal timeframes for addressing damp and mould.
Practical Steps for Tenants Right Now
- Know how to serve notice correctly — two months, in writing, expiring at the end of a rental period
- Keep records — document all communication with your landlord or agent in writing
- Review your tenancy agreement — check it reflects the new legal requirements
- Don’t ignore rent increase notices — respond promptly and seek advice if the proposed increase seems unreasonable; you must act before the notice date
- Report maintenance issues in writing — keep evidence, especially for damp or mould
- Use the formal routes — the Tribunal and, once live, the Ombudsman exist precisely for situations where informal resolution fails
Official Resources
- GOV.UK — Renters’ Rights Act overview: gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act
- GOV.UK — Possession guidance from 1 May 2026: gov.uk/guidance/giving-notice-of-possession-to-tenants-before-1-may-2026
- GOV.UK — Section 13 rent increase guidance: gov.uk/guidance/renting-out-your-property-guidance-for-landlords-and-letting-agents/rent-increases
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — Challenge a rent increase: gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier-tribunal-property-chamber
- Shelter England — Free housing advice: england.shelter.org.uk
- Citizens Advice — Renting privately: citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-privately
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you are facing eviction, a rent dispute, or any other housing issue, seek advice from Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a qualified housing solicitor.
