Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Changed on 1 May 2026

The biggest overhaul of private renting law in England in a generation came into force on 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025, and its core provisions now apply to all private renters in England. Whether you rent or let a property, here's what has actually changed.

The End of Section 21 ('No Fault' Evictions)

The most significant change is the abolition of Section 21 eviction notices. Before 1 May 2026, a landlord could end a tenancy simply by giving two months' notice, with no reason required. That is now gone.

From 1 May 2026, landlords can only evict tenants using Section 8, which requires a legally valid ground — such as serious rent arrears, the landlord genuinely needing to move back into the property, or the tenant seriously breaching the tenancy agreement. Each ground is reviewed by the courts if contested.

This matters: an estimated 25,000+ renters faced Section 21 eviction notices each year before the ban.

Fixed-Term Tenancies Are Abolished

There are no more fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs). If you had a 12-month fixed-term AST when the law came into force, it is now a periodic (rolling) tenancy — it continues month-to-month or week-to-week until either party ends it through proper legal process.

Rent Increase Rules

Landlords can now only increase rent once per year, and must give at least two months' written notice of any increase. Tenants who believe a proposed increase is above market rate can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

Pets

Tenants now have a legal right to request a pet in writing. The landlord must respond within 28 days and cannot unreasonably withhold consent. Landlords can require pet insurance as a condition of approval. This changes the default — previously, a no-pets clause in a contract was enforceable; now, a blanket ban is harder to sustain.

No More Rental Bidding Wars

Landlords and agents must advertise a property at a fixed asking rent and cannot accept or encourage offers above that price. This targets the practice of informal bidding wars that had been common in high-demand areas like London and Manchester.

Anti-Discrimination

Landlords and agents can no longer refuse to rent to:

• Tenants with children
• Tenants who receive housing benefit or Universal Credit

For Landlords: The Information Sheet Requirement

By 31 May 2026, landlords were required to send all named tenants a copy of the government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 — either digitally or by post. Failure to do so can result in a £7,000 fine. If you're a landlord and haven't done this yet, act now.

What's Still Coming

• PRS (Private Rented Sector) Database: A register of landlords and properties, rolling out by region in late 2026. All landlords will eventually need to register.
• PRS Ombudsman: Mandatory for all landlords from 2028.

How England Compares

Scotland has had no-fault eviction protection since 2017 under the Private Housing (Tenancies) Act. Wales introduced its own reforms in 2023. Northern Ireland's rental law remains different and less protective. England's 2026 reforms broadly catch up with the protections tenants in Scotland have had for nearly a decade.

Sources

• Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 — GOV.UK
• Renters' Rights Act: Changes for Private Renters — Shelter England
• Renters' Rights Act Guide — NRLA
• Renters' Rights Act: What Landlords Need to Know — SJP
• 2026 Changes for Landlords and Tenants — Banner Jones Solicitors

Educational content only — not financial advice. For individual legal questions about tenancy rights, contact Shelter or Citizens Advice.