Renters' Rights Act 2025: What England Landlords Must Do Now It's in Force

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026 — the biggest change to private renting in England in a generation. If you are a residential landlord, the rules you have operated under for years have fundamentally changed. This article explains what is different, what you must now do, and what the consequences are if you get it wrong.

Section 21 is abolished

From 1 May 2026 you cannot serve a Section 21 notice. The so-called no-fault eviction — where a landlord could require a tenant to leave simply by giving two months' notice without stating a reason — is gone. Any Section 21 notice served on or after that date is invalid, regardless of what the tenancy agreement says.

If you want to end a tenancy, you must use a Section 8 notice and cite one or more of the statutory grounds for possession. These range from rent arrears and antisocial behaviour to the landlord wanting to sell the property or move a family member in. Two important restrictions apply: you cannot rely on the landlord wants to sell or landlord wants to move in grounds during the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Fixed-term tenancies no longer exist

From 1 May 2026, it is not possible for an assured tenancy to have a fixed end date. All private residential tenancies in England are now Assured Periodic Tenancies — rolling month to month, or week to week if the agreement specifies it. Any end date written into an existing or new tenancy agreement has no legal effect. The category of Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) has also been abolished — any tenancy previously called an AST automatically became an Assured Periodic Tenancy on 1 May 2026.

Rent increases must follow a new process

Any rent review clause in a tenancy agreement cannot be used after 1 May 2026. All rent increases must now follow Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. In practice this means: only one increase per year is permitted; at least 2 months' written notice must be given; notice must use Form 4A — the prescribed statutory form; and the proposed rent must not exceed the open market rent. If a tenant considers the increase above market rate, they can refer the matter to the First-tier Tribunal.

Pets, written statements, and what is still to come

From 1 May 2026, tenants have the right to request to keep a pet. You cannot unreasonably refuse — and if you do refuse, you must do so in writing with reasons. If any tenant does not have a written tenancy agreement, you should have provided a written statement of terms by 31 May 2026. A Private Rented Sector database requiring landlord registration is expected from late 2026, and Awaab's Law is expected to be extended to the private sector in 2027.

What happens if you get it wrong

The penalties are serious. Civil penalties can reach £7,000 for a first or less serious breach and up to £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches. Serving a Section 21 notice, relying on an unlawful rent review clause, or failing to follow the Section 13 process are all potential breaches. Getting a Section 8 notice wrong — wrong ground, insufficient notice, inadequate particulars — can derail possession proceedings entirely.

How RAD Legal can help

We have produced a Landlord Compliance Pack specifically for private landlords in England. It is a single PDF download containing a plain-English guide to the new rules, a printable compliance checklist, an updated Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement template, a Section 13 rent increase notice template, and a Section 8 Notice of Seeking Possession template. The pack is £19.99.

If you need advice on a specific situation — a Section 8 notice, a rent increase, a tenant dispute, or anything else — contact us directly at info@radlegal.co.uk or call 07930 216671. RAD Legal provides consultant-level legal advice at significantly lower rates than traditional solicitors.