The Renters' Rights Act 2025: what changed for landlords

What’s in force now, and what isn’t

The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The main tenancy reforms all went live on 1 May 2026: Section 21 abolished, every tenancy periodic, the reformed Section 8 grounds, the new Section 13 rent process and a ban on rental bidding.

Some of the headline reforms aren’t in yet. The PRS Database starts rolling out from late 2026, the landlord Ombudsman is expected around 2028, and the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law for private rentals are still out for consultation with no firm date. Neither the Database nor the Ombudsman is in force yet, whatever older guides say.

Section 21 has gone

The “no-fault” Section 21 notice — the one that let you end a tenancy without giving a reason — ended on 1 May 2026. To take a property back you now need a valid Section 8 ground. Any Section 21 notice served before 1 May only stayed valid for a short period afterwards.

Every tenancy is now periodic

Fixed-term tenancies are abolished. You can’t grant a new six- or twelve-month fixed term, and every existing one converted to a rolling periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026, with no run-off period. A tenant can leave by giving two months’ notice; otherwise it rolls on month to month until you have a ground to end it.

Getting your property back: the Section 8 grounds

With Section 21 gone, possession runs entirely through Section 8 grounds. The two most landlords will use:

• Selling or moving in (Grounds 1A and 1). Four months’ notice, and neither can be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy. Once you have, the property can’t be re-let or re-marketed for another 12 months.
• Rent arrears (Ground 8). The threshold rose from two months’ arrears to three, and the notice from two weeks to four.

For serious anti-social behaviour you can act straight away. There are around three dozen grounds in total, each with different notice periods.

Raising the rent: once a year, market rate

Rent-review clauses are out. Every increase now goes through the Section 13 process: one notice (Form 4A), at least two months ahead, no more than once in any 12 months, and no higher than the open-market rent. A tenant who thinks it’s above market can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal can confirm or reduce the rent, but never raise it above what you asked.

Other changes that are already live

• Rental bidding is banned. You publish an asking rent and can’t take offers above it.
• A tenant can ask to keep a pet and you can’t unreasonably refuse.
• Turning someone down because they claim benefits or have children is no longer allowed.
• Rent in advance is capped at one month.

Common questions