Renters Rights Bill 2025: A Landlord's Guide

The Renters’ Rights Bill 2025 has now passed into law after receiving royal assent on 27th October 2025 and is now known as the Renters’ Rights Act. Although this act is officially part of UK law, there remains considerable confusion regarding when it will come into force and how landlords in the UK will be affected. This update will include what has changed now that the Act is law, tenants’ rights under the new Act, and what steps landlords need to take to be compliant with the law.

Table of Contents

What Is the Renters’ Rights Act?
When Will the Renters’ Rights Act Be Implemented?
The End of Section 21: What Has Actually Changed?
Strengthened Section 8 Grounds
Practical Steps Landlords Should Take Now

What Is the Renters’ Rights Act?

The Renters’ Rights Act, formerly known as the Renters Reform Bill, is a new UK law that changes landlords’ responsibilities towards tenants and gives tenants more security. The main changes of the Act include abolishing no-fault evictions under Section 21, introducing rolling tenancies, and requiring private landlords to register with an Ombudsman and comply with the Decent Homes Standard.

When Will the Renters’ Rights Act Be Implemented?

While the Act is officially part of UK law, it will be rolled out in phases over the coming months. From May 1st 2026, the following changes will be implemented:

Assured Shorthold Tenancies to end

Assured shorthold tenancies will no longer exist from 1st May 2026, and instead, assured periodic tenancies will take their place. All private tenancies will roll on with no end date from month to month, or week to week, depending on the contract, giving renters more flexibility. Tenants who wish to remain in the property can do so, or give two months’ notice if they wish to vacate.

No-fault evictions abolished

No-fault evictions under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1998 will no longer be allowed. A landlord cannot sell or move into a property within the first 12 months after a tenancy begins, and after this time, they will need to give 4 months’ notice to do so. Landlords will not be able to market or re-let their property for 12 months after using the moving or selling grounds to evict tenants.

Landlords will still be able to reclaim their property if they are selling it, moving into the property, or having issues with tenants like rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. If a landlord wishes to evict tenants due to rent arrears, the tenants would need to owe three months’ rent rather than two months of rent to trigger an arrears eviction.

Rent increases only in line with market value

Landlords can only raise the rent according to market rates once per year; they must give two months’ notice, and renters can challenge unfair rent hikes at an independent tribunal. Landlords also cannot require more than one month’s rent up front and must not entertain offers over the advertised rent price.

No discrimination for children, benefits or pets

Landlords will no longer be allowed to discriminate against tenants because they have children or receive benefits. Landlords must consider reasonable requests to allow tenants to keep pets in their property, and tenants will be able to challenge unfair decisions regarding pets. Landlords will be able to require pet insurance to cover any property damage caused by tenants’ pets.

Later on in 2026, more changes will be implemented in UK law, including:

PRS register for landlords

All landlords in the private sector will be required to register on the PRS (private rental sector) database and with the PRS Ombudsman. Landlords will be required to submit their contact details, all rental property details, and safety information such as gas and electricity safety certificates and energy performance certificates.

Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law

While the Act specifically provides for both Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to be extended into the private rental sector, there is no fixed date for this, as they are both part of phase three of the rollout. The government will be running consultations to discover a realistic timescale for the enactment of these parts of the Act.

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The End of Section 21: What Has Actually Changed?

One of the main parts of the Act is the removal of Section 21, aka no-fault evictions. The main changes to the law are:

You will still be able to seek possession, but through tailored grounds rather than a no-fault route

Existing Section 21 notices remain valid during the transition period

Long-term, all new tenancies will operate without Section 21

Importantly, the Act confirms that landlords will still be able to reclaim their property to sell, move in, or manage breaches. The difference is that these reasons must now be declared and evidenced within the Section 8 process.

Strengthened Section 8 Grounds

As previously mentioned, landlords will still be able to reclaim their property from tenants if they plan to move in, sell the property, or due to rent arrears or anti-social behaviour by tenants. The Act expands and strengthens Section 8 grounds for possession, including:

Selling the property: a new ground allowing landlords to regain possession if they intend to sell
Landlord move-in: allowing the landlord or an immediate family member to move into the property
Persistent rent arrears: clarified thresholds for tenants who repeatedly fall behind
Anti-social behaviour: faster processes for serious or disruptive behaviour

Practical Steps Landlords Should Take Now

Although the Act will not officially roll out until May 2026, you should act now to get ahead of these changes and reduce stress later on. Follow these steps to ensure you are fully compliant with the Act:

Review your existing tenancy agreements. Even though existing tenancies will not switch to the new system right away, it’s a good idea to review all contracts now. Look at whether your agreements set out clear rent review processes, repair responsibilities and access arrangements, and how you currently handle communication and notices to your tenants. Any clauses that rely on Section 21 will cease to be valid from May 1st 2026.

Inspect your properties and address any potential hazards such as structural damage, damp, mould, heating, etc. Rectify all hazards or building issues and ensure records are kept for all maintenance or repairs done on your properties. If your properties don’t require any maintenance at the moment, consider setting up a contingency fund for any future repairs.

If you use a letting agent or property management company, ensure they are familiar with the new processes. You will be relying on them to manage documentation, issue correct notices, and ensure all properties meet the Decent Homes Standard. Agents will also need to handle tenant requests, e.g. for pets or rent reviews in line with the new law. You should review all agreements you have with agents and, if needed, choose new agents with stronger compliance systems.

Stay informed by following all updates on the Renters Rights Act on gov.uk, and consider joining a landlords’ association such as NRLA.

The Renters Rights Act marks the most significant change to the private rental sector in decades. But rather than removing landlord rights, it reshapes them into a more structured, transparent system. While the end of Section 21 is the headline, the strengthened Section 8 process ensures landlords retain the ability to regain possession when needed. With phased rollout and clear guidance expected throughout the year, proactive landlords will be well placed to adapt smoothly and continue operating successful, compliant rental businesses.

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