The Renters' Rights Act Is Now Live: What Landlords Must Do

The legislation that has dominated letting industry conversations for the past three years finally arrived.

On 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into full force, and the private rented sector in England changed overnight. This was not a soft launch. Every tenancy, old and new, was immediately affected. If you are a landlord and you have not yet reviewed your obligations under the new rules, now is the time.This post covers the key changes, what they mean in practice, and the steps you should take right now.

Section 21 is gone

The most significant change is the abolition of Section 21 notices. From 1 May 2026, no-fault evictions no longer exist in England. If you try to serve a Section 21 notice today, it is not just ineffective. Local authorities can impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for the attempt.

There is one narrow exception to be aware of: landlords who served a valid Section 21 notice before 30 April 2026 have until 31 July 2026 to issue possession proceedings at court on the back of that notice. After that date, the Section 21 route closes entirely, even for notices already served.

If you have not yet started court proceedings on an outstanding Section 21 notice, check whether you are still within that window.

Every tenancy is now periodic

Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) no longer exist. Every tenancy, whether it started last week or five years ago, is now a periodic tenancy rolling on a month-by-month basis. Rent periods cannot exceed one calendar month.

This applies retrospectively. If you had a tenant halfway through a two-year fixed term, that tenancy converted to a periodic arrangement on 1 May regardless of what the original contract said.

What does this mean in practice? Your tenant cannot be tied in. They can give notice to leave at any point, typically with two months' written notice. Equally, you can no longer rely on a lease expiry date as a way to recover your property. You will need a valid ground under Section 8 to do that.

How evictions work now: Section 8 and Form 3

Section 8 is now the only route to possession. To start the process, you serve a Section 8 notice using the new Form 3A, which lists the specific ground or grounds you are relying on. The notice period required depends on which ground you are using, ranging from no notice at all in the most serious cases to four months for landlord or family member occupation.

The key grounds landlords are most likely to use include:

Rent arrears: Mandatory ground if the tenant has owed at least two months' rent for a sustained period. The bar here is higher than the old two-week threshold. Evidence of a persistent arrears pattern matters.

Antisocial behaviour: Both mandatory and discretionary versions exist depending on severity. You will need documented evidence, including records of incidents, complaints made, and any communications with the tenant.

Landlord or family member moving in: A new mandatory ground, but it cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy and requires genuine intention to occupy. There are restrictions designed to prevent abuse of this ground.

Selling the property: Another new mandatory ground. Again, a 12-month restriction applies at the start of a tenancy, and the landlord must genuinely intend to sell.

Evidence is everything under Section 8. Courts will scrutinise claims. Before serving any notice, build your case: rent ledgers, inspection reports, tenancy agreements, written correspondence, and anything else relevant to the ground you are using.

Rent Increases: once per year with proper notice required

Existing rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are now void. The only lawful way to increase rent is through the Section 13 process, using Form 4A. There are two rules that apply without exception:

1. You can only increase rent once in any 12-month period.
2. You must give at least two months' written notice before the increase takes effect.

The proposed increase also cannot exceed the open market rent for the property. If a tenant believes the proposed increase is above market rate, they can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. Rent review clauses that automatically increase rent in line with an index or by a fixed percentage are no longer valid.

If you have not already assessed your rent against current market levels and planned your increases properly, do that now. Trying to impose a rent increase outside this process carries legal risk.

Pets: the default has shifted

Tenants now have a right to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. A blanket no-pets clause in a tenancy agreement is no longer enforceable on its own.

When a tenant makes a written request to keep a pet, the landlord has 28 days to respond. You can refuse, but only with a reasonable justification. A small flat with no outdoor space and a request for a large dog might be reasonable grounds. A flat that allows it perfectly fine but you simply do not want the hassle is not.

One safeguard for landlords: you can require the tenant to have pet damage insurance, or to pay for it themselves. This protects you from disproportionate repair costs at the end of the tenancy.

What you should have done by now

The government required landlords to provide existing tenants with the official Information Sheet by 31st May 2026. If you have not done this, you are already in breach. The Information Sheet explains the new rules to tenants in plain language and is available on the government's Housing Hub website. Send it now and keep a record that you did.

For new tenancies started on or after 1st May 2026, you must provide a written statement of tenancy terms before the tenancy begins. This replaces the old requirement to serve prescribed information. Make sure your written statement is up to date and compliant with the new requirements.

What is still coming

The Act does not stop at May's changes. Two further phases are in the pipeline:

The Private Rented Sector Database A new national database is being rolled out from late 2026, initially by area. Landlords will be required to register their properties. Letting a property without being registered will be unlawful. More detail is expected later this year.

The Ombudsman Service A new mandatory redress scheme for private landlords is planned, with the government targeting a launch around 2028. Membership will be compulsory.

What to Do Right Now

If you have not already done so, work through this list:

1. Stop any plans to serve Section 21 notices. They are now invalid and carry a financial penalty.
2. Check whether any outstanding Section 21 notices still have time left to go to court before 31 July 2026.
3. Send the government Information Sheet to all existing tenants and log the date.
4. Review your rent levels and plan any increases using the Section 13 Form 4A process, with proper two-month notice.
5. Update your tenancy documentation. Remove fixed-term clauses and any rent review provisions.
6. If you need to recover possession, seek advice before serving a Section 8 notice, and start building your evidential file now.

The new rules are more tenant-protective, but they are workable if you run your lettings properly. Good record-keeping, prompt communication, and legally compliant documentation are your best protections.

If you are looking for support managing your portfolio under the new rules, Moovehub's fully managed lettings service handles compliance, tenancy documentation, and rent collection on your behalf. Or if you need to find a new tenant, our tenant find service gets your property in front of qualified renters fast.