The Renter's Rights Act 2025
Phase One
A Summary of Changes
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is biggest reform of England’s private rented sector in over 40 years.
The Act aims to provide tenants with greater security over their home by enhancing rights and protections as well as introducing new minimum standards for housing quality.
The Act will be brought into force in a phased rollout from 1st May 2026 to give landlords, tenants, letting agents, and local authorities time to prepare. Landlords and their letting agents, in particular, will be required to understand what the reforms mean for their business practices, and to adapt them accordingly.
Below are the changes that will apply to all new and existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) from the 1st of May 2026:
Phase 1
1. Section 21 Notices will be abolished. The only route to possession for a landlord will be using the Section 8 route.
2. Fixed-term tenancies will be abolished for all new tenancies. New tenancies will be Assured Periodic Tenancies, which will run until either the tenant gives two months’ notice or the landlord seeks possession under a Ground 8 route.
3. All existing fixed-term tenancies will move to an Assured Periodic Tenancy after 1st May 2026. Communication will need to be sent to all existing fixed-term tenancies via a template provided by the Government before 31st May 2026.
4. New possession grounds will be introduced to allow landlords to gain possession where tenants commit anti-social behaviour or who are in serious rent arrears – Landlords and their agents will need to be aware of what these are and any conditions which are attached.
5. Landlords (and their agents) will be able to serve notice in cases where the Landlord needs to gain possession due to the sale of the property or where the property is required for them or a close member of their family. This cannot be served within the first 12 months of the tenancy. Property owned via a Limited company will not be able to exercise the ‘Family Member’ case.
6. Rent increase clauses in ASTs will not be able to be used for any rent increases. All rent increases will be via a revised Section 13 procedure, giving the tenant two months’ notice. Only one rent review can be served in a 12-month period, and the review has to be at ‘market rent value’.
7. Rental bidding will be banned, meaning you cannot seek or accept any rent higher than what is advertised as the monthly rent.
8. Agents or the landlord will not be able to request more than one month’s rent in advance. There is some indication that tenants may be able to voluntarily offer rent in advance if this fits with their financial circumstances, but this must come from the tenant, won’t be binding or form part of the written agreement and is to be confirmed in final Government guidance.
9. Updates around tenants with children or in receipt of benefits:
A. It will be illegal for agents to discriminate by refusing tenants on the basis that they have children or are in receipt of benefits.
B. You will not be able to refuse a prospective tenant the opportunity to view a property on the basis that they have children or are in receipt of benefits.
C. You will not be able to ‘withhold’ available properties from prospective tenants on the basis that they have children or are in receipt of benefits.
10. All landlords will be required to consider a request from a tenant to have a pet and make a decision within 28 days. Any refusal will need valid reasons, such as it is not permitted in the head lease.
11. Local councils will have stronger powers to inspect properties, demand documents, and access third-party data to crack down on rogue landlords and enforce housing standards more effectively. (already in place: from 27th December 2025)
