Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 – What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know

The Renters’ Rights Bill received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and is now the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. A timetable for implementation was published by the Government on 13 November 2025, with a Commencement Date set for 1 May 2026. Implementation of the reforms have been divided across three phases, with Phase 1 starting from 1 May 2026, Phase 2 following in late 2026 and Phase 3 dates will be announced following further consultation. The government have published further guidance on the Renters’ Rights Act which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act.

This guide summarises the key changes to the law around private rented properties in England and sets out practical steps landlords and agents should follow. We have set out the changes in order of when they are due to come into force.

What’s Changing and What It Means for You :

1. Single, Periodic Tenancies replace Fixed-Term ASTs

Phase 1- From 1 May 2026

• This affects most private rented tenancies where the tenant is an individual, the property is their main home and the rent is between £250 (£1,000 in London) and £100,000 per year, and the landlord does not live at the property. All existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies will convert to periodic tenancies. There will be no further renewals; tenancies roll on until the tenant gives two months’ notice or landlords obtain possession by serving the appropriate section 8 notice.
• Unlike the case currently, one joint tenant will be able to end the tenancy for all. This change will impact student lets that are not in purpose-built accommodation.

2. New Rent Rules

Phase 1- From 1 May 2026

Payment Frequency

• All rental periods must not exceed one month. Rent is payable monthly or more frequently (e.g. weekly) on a pro-rata basis. Rent will no longer be able to be paid on a quarterly or six-monthly basis.

Advance Rent

• Landlords must not accept more than one month’s rent in advance and only during the ‘permitted pre-tenancy period’ which runs from the date of signing the agreement up to the day before the tenancy starts. Any clauses in tenancy agreements requesting tenants to pay more rent in advance will be unenforceable. Tenants may choose to pay in advance voluntarily after signing. Section 8 of the RRA makes clear this does not apply to tenancies entered into before the commencement date.

Rent Increases

• Rent review clauses will be void. Rent will only be able to be increased via the updated Section 13 notice (Form 4), once per year, with two months’ notice. Landlords and tenants can agree to a lower amount of rent than that recorded in the s.13 notice.
• There are no rent caps introduced under the Act.
• Tenants can challenge above market rent increases at the First- tier Tribunal. The rent increase will not come into effect until the next payment date after the tribunal makes its decision. FTT will only be able to order the proposed rent or set a lower rent but not increase it beyond the amount proposed by the Landlord.

Adverts

• Landlords/agents must state the proposed rent and must not accept offers above it (no bidding up). Applicants can offer less.

3. Update on Possession Notices and Claims

Phase 1- From 1 May 2026 for tenancies in the private rented sector

Phase 2- From late 2026 for tenancies in the social rented sector

Abolition of Section 21 “no‑fault” evictions

No new Section 21 evictions post‑commencement.

Legacy s21 notices served pre‑commencement will have a limited window (expected to be around three months, provided still within six months’ validity) to issue proceedings. Repossession continues via amended Section 8 grounds.

Update on s.8 Grounds

We have set out the key changes to the section 8 grounds that will impact private landlords. There are further amendments to grounds impacting social landlords.

• Ground 1 (Occupation by Landlord or Family):

• Extended to include more family members (e.g., parents, siblings, civil partner and their children/grandchildren).
• No prior residence or notice required.
• Tenancy must have begun at least one year before the Section 8 notice.
• Four-month notice period applies.
• Landlords will have a restricted period of 12 months after the notice expires where they will not be permitted to relet the property.

• New Ground 1A (Sale of Dwelling-House):

• Applies if the landlord intends to sell or grant a long lease of more than 21 years.
• Tenancy must have begun at least one year before the Section 8 notice.
• Four-month notice period applies.
• Same restricted period preventing reletting as ground 1.

• Ground 2 (Sale by Mortgagee):

• No need for the mortgage to predate the tenancy.
• Notice period is four months.

• New Ground 4A (Student HMOs):

• Applies to full time students only.
• HMO landlords must serve 4 months’ notice which can only expire from 1 June to 30 September each year.
• Landlords will not be able to use the ground if they entered into the tenancy agreement more than six months before the tenant was entitled to possession of the property.
• Landlord must intend to re-let the property to full-time students.

• New Ground 5A (Occupation by Agricultural Worker):

• Allows possession to house agricultural workers.

• New Ground 6A (Compliance with Enforcement Action):

• Applies if the landlord needs possession to comply with enforcement actions such as when landlords are in breach of HMO licence and local authority has taken enforcement action.
• Notice period is four months.

• Ground 7A (Conviction of serious offences):

• Possession proceedings may start immediately after notice.
• Court cannot issue a possession order until 14 days after notice.

• Ground 8 (Rent Arrears):

• Rent must be unpaid at notice and possession hearing, with specific arrears thresholds increased from two to three months (or 13 weeks).
• Notice period increased from two to four weeks.
• Universal Credit delays ignored in arrears calculation.

• Ground 10 (Any Rent Arrears):

• Rent unpaid at notice and not paid by possession proceedings.
• Notice period increased from two to four weeks.

• Ground 11 (Persistent Rent Arrears):

• Persistent delay in rent payment.
• Notice period increased to four weeks.

• Ground 14 (Anti-Social Behaviour):

• Behaviour causing nuisance or illegal activity.
• Court can consider tenant cooperation with landlord attempts to encourage the conduct to cease.
• Possession proceedings to start immediately after notice, with a 14-day delay for possession order.

Update on preliminary steps which must be taken before serving a possession notice

• Deposits – landlords must have undertaken specific steps before serving the s.8 notice which currently they only have to do if relying on a s.21 notice. For example, landlords will not be able to obtain an order for possession unless they have either paid the deposit into an authorised tenancy deposit scheme or have returned the deposit. Currently there is no planned requirement to serve prescribed information.
• Landlords will be able to obtain a possession order even if they have not provided a gas safety certificate; EPC or How to Rent Guide to the tenant in advance of serving the possession notice.
• Landlords must have registered with the new Private Rented Sector Database in order to obtain a possession order.
• The criminal conviction and anti-social behaviour grounds 7A and 14 are exempt from this deposit and database criteria.

4. Tenants’ Right to Request Pets

Phase 1- From May 1 2026

Landlords must deal reasonably with pet requests and may refuse only for a good reason (e.g., superior lease ban, severe allergies, property unsuitability).

No pet fees. Landlords are prohibited from requiring tenants to take out pet insurance that covers damage to the property or request an additional deposit specifically for a pet. Landlords are not prohibited from charging a higher rent for tenants with pets. Landlords’ decisions may be appealable to the Ombudsman.

5. No Discrimination against Benefits Claimants

Phase 1- From May 2026

Landlords cannot refuse applicants solely due to receipt of Universal Credit. Decisions must rest on objective criteria such as overcrowding or where a tenant has failed credit checks. Landlords will still be able to turn down applications on the grounds of affordability.

Any rental discrimination in lease agreements or mortgages will no longer have any effect.

6. New Landlord Database and Ombudsman Scheme

Phase 2- From late 2026

In stage 1 of this reform, rollout of a new PRS national database will require landlords to register themselves and each let property. This includes payment of an annual fee which will be confirmed closer to the database introduction. Following this, in stage 2, a new Ombudsman Scheme will be introduced which also requires landlord registration by 2028.

The aim is transparency about legal obligations and quicker, lower‑cost dispute resolution. Tenants will be able to seek rent repayment orders against their landlord if the landlord commits an offence by failing to join the Ombudsman Scheme.

7. New Regulations on Housing Standards

Phase 3- dates will be announced following consultation

There will be clearer enforcement on decency standards for homes, including energy efficiency, structure and hazards. This includes requiring all landlords/ properties to comply with a new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) which is subject to consultation outcomes and not currently in force. The consultation is currently taking place and the proposed implementation dates are either 2035 or 2037.

Awaab’s Law, concerning housing standards, will extend to landlords in the private sector requiring them to address hazards such as damp and mould with a specified time frame. Consultations are also taking place which would require all rented properties to meet EPC level C by 2030.

8. Penalties and Re‑Letting Restrictions

• Civil penalties: up to £7,000 for a first offence; up to £40,000 for continued/repeated breaches
• Rent repayment orders: up to two years’ rent. Tenants apply for these in the First- tier Tribunal
• If you recover possession for personal/family use, you cannot re‑let or advertise for up to 12 months
• Using an old AST post‑commencement risks fines and rent repayment orders; councils get strong investigatory powers.

Action Plan Checklist for Landlords and Agents

1. Review all current tenancy templates and be ready to:

a. remove fixed terms and rent review clauses;
b. adopt periodic terms;
c. add Section 13 process;
d. add or update pet policy (It is expected that the model government tenancy agreement will be updated in due course).

2. Consider whether you want to rely upon a s.21 notice now before the commencement date of the act. If not review s.8 new grounds and ensure you are familiar with the steps you will need to take to recover possession.

3. Update advertising, affordability policies and ensure that terms do not discriminate against potential tenants with children or who are on benefits.

4. Prepare a pet request policy and update tenancy clauses; verify superior lease constraints.

5. Conduct a property standards audit and set repair frameworks for Awaab’s Law compliance.

6. Assemble data for the landlord database; budget and plan for Ombudsman Scheme registration.

7. Train staff/agents on new rules and penalties; implement rigorous record‑keeping.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will change the outlook for both landlords and tenants, and a clear understanding is key to successfully negotiating the new landscape.

This article was produced by our Property Litigation team. For more information or tailored advice email: propertylitigation@parissmith.co.uk.

We publish blogs and social media posts to give a general overview of legal and commercial issues, relevant at the time of publication, which we hope you will find interesting. Please note that legal rules often change depending on the specific facts of a situation. The law also changes over time following changes in legislation or new court cases. We do not actively update our blogs or posts once they are published to reflect changes in the law.

As such, our blogs and posts are not intended to advise you on the law and must not be relied upon as legal advice. If you require advice on a particular issue then please contact us and we will be pleased to help.