At a glance
- Since 1 May 2026 there are no more “no-fault” Section 21 evictions. Almost every tenancy is now a rolling (periodic) tenancy with no end date.[1]
- To get your property back you must now give a legal reason (a “ground”) under Section 8, and selling or moving in cannot be used in a tenancy’s first 12 months.[2]
- Rent can go up once a year, using a Section 13 notice with at least two months’ warning, and you cannot ask for or accept offers above the advertised rent.[3][1]
- The national landlord register opens in stages. London opens on 15 July 2027, with a deadline of 14 October 2027, at £65 per property per year.[4]
- Penalties for breaches run up to £7,000, and up to £40,000 (or prosecution) for the more serious offences.[5]
Rules and figures last checked October 2026.
What changed on 1 May 2026
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025,[6] and its main changes for private landlords in England took effect on 1 May 2026.[6] The rest of this guide takes them in turn.
| Before | Now |
|---|---|
| Section 21 “no-fault” notices could end an assured shorthold tenancy. | Section 21 is abolished. You need a Section 8 ground.[1] |
| Most tenancies had a fixed term, then rolled on or renewed. | Every tenancy is assured periodic, rolling month to month. An end date has no place in the agreement.[1] |
| Rent could rise through a clause in the agreement, or by agreement. | Rent rises only by Section 13 notice (Form 4A), once a year.[3] |
| Tenants could be asked to offer above the asking rent. | You must state a price when you advertise, and you cannot encourage or accept bids above it.[1] |
| Landlords could set their own pet and tenant-type rules. | Tenants can ask for a pet, and you cannot refuse without a fair reason. You cannot discriminate against people with children or on benefits.[7][1] |
Periodic tenancies and tenant notice
A periodic tenancy rolls on from one rent period to the next until the tenant gives notice or you end it with a valid Section 8 ground. You cannot put an end date in a new agreement.[1] A landlord cannot require more than two months’ notice from the tenant.[8]
In practice this makes the quality of your first agreement and your referencing more important, because ending a tenancy is harder than it was. It is one reason landlords choose a managed service: the paperwork, notices and tenant checks are done properly from day one.
Rent: increases, advance payments and bidding
- One increase a year. Serve a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, even if the tenant agrees to the rise. Give at least two months’ notice. There can be no increase in the tenancy’s first year.[3]
- Challenges go to the tribunal. A tenant who thinks the new rent is above the open-market rent can ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide it.[3]
- Rent in advance is limited. You cannot ask for or accept rent before both sides have signed. Between signing and the start date the limit is one month’s rent.[9]
- Deposits and holding deposits. A deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent (six if the annual rent is £50,000 or more), and a holding deposit at one week’s rent.[9] See what tenants can be charged.
- Advertise a price and stick to it. An advert must state the rent. It is illegal to encourage people to bid, or to accept an offer above the advertised rent.[1]
Getting your property back: Section 8 grounds
With Section 21 gone, every possession claim relies on a Section 8 ground. Some grounds are mandatory (the court must grant possession if the ground is proved) and some are discretionary (the court decides whether it is reasonable). These are the ones landlords use most.[10]
| Ground | When it applies | Type | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You or a close family member want to move in | Mandatory | 4 months |
| 1A | You want to sell | Mandatory | 4 months |
| 8 | Serious rent arrears | Mandatory | 4 weeks |
| 10 | Some rent is unpaid | Discretionary | 4 weeks |
| 11 | Rent is persistently paid late | Discretionary | 4 weeks |
| 12 | The tenant has breached the agreement | Discretionary | 2 weeks |
| 13 | The property has deteriorated | Discretionary | 2 weeks |
The grounds guidance lists more, including redevelopment, antisocial behaviour and a tenant with no right to rent.[10]
- Ground 8 (serious arrears) needs arrears of at least three months’ rent if rent is paid monthly, or 13 weeks’ rent if it is paid weekly or fortnightly, both when you serve notice and at the hearing. Benefits are not counted when a tenant owes rent.[10]
- Selling or moving in (grounds 1 and 1A) cannot be used in the first 12 months. You can serve notice earlier, but the date in the notice must fall after the tenant has been there for 12 months.[2]
- Do not re-let in a hurry. The government’s penalty guidance treats re-letting or re-marketing a property inside the 12-month “no-let period” after relying on one of these grounds as an offence.[5]
- Protect the deposit first. For most grounds a possession order needs the deposit protected and the prescribed information given.[10]
The court fee for a possession claim was £415 at the time the government last updated its guidance in July 2026.[2] Because the notice period, ground and paperwork all have to be right, we recommend you talk to our lettings team before serving anything.
Pets, families and people on benefits
- Pets. A tenant can ask in writing to keep a pet. You must reply in writing within 28 days (extended if you ask for more information), and the government’s guidance is clear that you cannot refuse without a fair reason. Examples of fair reasons include another tenant’s allergy, a property that is too small, an illegal pet, or a freeholder who bans pets.[7]
- Families and benefits. You cannot discriminate against people because they have children or because they receive benefits, and this applies to agents as well. Consistently applied affordability checks are still allowed.[11][1]
Our guide to marketing a rental covers how to write an advert that keeps you on the right side of these rules.
Penalties for getting it wrong
Councils now have stronger enforcement powers. The government’s published penalty levels apply to breaches and offences from 1 May 2026.[5]
Maximum penalties
- Breaches (civil penalty)
- Up to £7,000
- Offences (penalty or prosecution)
- Up to £40,000
| What went wrong | Starting level |
|---|---|
| Discriminating against a tenant | £6,000 |
| Not stating the rent in an advert or offer | £3,000 |
| Accepting rent above the stated rent | £4,000 |
| Failing to give a written statement of terms | £4,000 |
| Using a ground you know you cannot rely on | £30,000 |
| Re-letting inside the 12-month no-let period | £25,000 |
| Unlawful eviction or harassment | £35,000 |
A breach that carries on, or is repeated within five years, can become an offence, and two or more penalties within 12 months can lead to a landlord being listed on the rogue landlord database.[5] The maximum rent repayment order a tenant can seek has also risen from one year’s rent to two.[1]
What is still to come
The Act is being brought in stages. This is where the government’s published timetable stands.
1 May 2026 · in force
Phase 1: the main tenancy reforms
Section 21 abolished, periodic tenancies, grounds reformed, rent and bidding rules, discrimination ban, stronger enforcement.[6]
15 July 2027 (London)
Landlord register opens in London
The service launches in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026 and rolls out region by region. London opens on 15 July 2027, with a registration deadline of 14 October 2027. The fee is £65 per property per year, you can register early, and the deadline follows where the property is, not where you live. Gas safety, electrical and EPC documents are among the details needed.[4][14]
Expected 2028
Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
Membership is expected to become mandatory for landlords in 2028. The government has not yet named the scheme administrator.[6]
Consultation closes 18 December 2026
Awaab’s Law for private rented homes
The government opened a consultation on extending Awaab’s Law (time limits for dealing with damp and mould and other hazards) to private rented tenancies on 9 October 2026. No start date has been set.[15]
From 2035
Decent Homes Standard for private rented homes
The government’s January 2026 policy statement applies the Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes from 2035, alongside the requirement to reach EPC band C by 1 October 2030, or hold a valid exemption.[16]
What to do now
- 1
Check your tenancy paperwork
Make sure each tenant has the written terms they are entitled to, and that no agreement still presents an end date as binding.
- 2
Put your safety documents in order
Gas safety, electrical and EPC records are needed for the landlord register, and they are legal requirements anyway. Our landlord legislation guide lists them.
- 3
Check whether your property needs a licence
Licensing is separate from the Act. See our licensing guide for Enfield, Haringey and nearby boroughs.
- 4
Review how you market and choose tenants
Adverts need a stated rent, and your selection process must not exclude families or people on benefits. See marketing your property.
- 5
Decide how hands-on you want to be
If the new rules feel like a lot to keep on top of, compare Let Only, Rent Collection and Full Management, or ask for a free rental valuation.
Sources
Every figure and rule above comes from one of these, read in October 2026. The dates are the ones each publisher shows as when the page was last updated.
- [1]Renters’ Rights Act: an overview for landlords (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 1 May 2026 (published)
- [2]Repossessing your privately rented property after 1 May 2026 (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK · page updated 13 July 2026
- [3]Rent increases (assured tenancy agreements: a guide for landlords) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK
- [4]Get ready: Register your rental property service (opens in a new tab)Housing Hub (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
- [5]Civil penalties under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 13 November 2025 (published)
- [6]Implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025: our roadmap for reforming the private rented sector (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 13 November 2025 (published)
- [7]If a tenant wants a pet to live with them (assured tenancy agreements: a guide for landlords) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK
- [8]If the tenancy started before 1 May 2026 (assured tenancy agreements: a guide for landlords) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK
- [9]Rent in advance and deposits (assured tenancy agreements: a guide for landlords) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK
- [10]Grounds for possession: guidance for landlords and letting agents (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 1 May 2026
- [11]Rental discrimination under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
- [12]Written information you need to give to your tenant (assured tenancy agreements: a guide for landlords) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK
- [13]The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 8 June 2026
- [14]Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 9 September 2026 (published)
- [15]Extending Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (consultation) (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 9 October 2026 (opened)
- [16]The new Decent Homes Standard: policy statement (opens in a new tab)GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) · page updated 28 January 2026
This is a general guide to the rules in England, not legal or tax advice. Your own circumstances, and your lease or mortgage terms, may change what applies, so check the sources below or speak to a solicitor or accountant before you act.