Renters’ Rights Act

The Renters’ Rights Bill received Royal Assent on October 27th 2025 and is now an act of law in the United Kingdom.

The Act brings with it major reforms to the Private Rental Sector with important changes such as clearer grounds for terminating a tenancy and limits on no-fault evictions. All tenancies will become periodic and there are new restrictions on rent rises, pets and property standards.

Some aspects of the new legislation will come into force on commencement date. The Act is now in force and the UK Government have announced that in the coming weeks, they will outline how the reforms will be rolled out, giving assurance of sufficient notice ahead of implementation. Propertymark - the UK’s professional membership body for Estate Agents - is saying that more complex parts of the Act may not be implemented until next year or even 2027.

Key Measures for Landlords

End of Fixed-Term Tenancies and Abolishment of Section 21 “No-Fault” Evictions

Until the new guidelines are introduced, residential tenancies can still be either fixed-term (with a set start and end date) or periodic (ongoing with no fixed end date). Landlords can end a fixed-term tenancy by serving a Section 21 (S21) notice, which does not require a reason. Similarly, a periodic tenancy can also be ended by a S21 notice without justification.

When the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect:

• Section 21 evictions will be abolished.
• All fixed-term tenancies (Assured Shorthold Tenancies) will become open-ended, periodic tenancies.
• Tenants can end a tenancy at any time by giving two months’ notice.
• Landlords will no longer be able to use S21 notices. Instead, they can only regain possession using specific legal grounds to end a tenancy.

New and Updated Grounds for Possession

Landlords can still regain possession in specific circumstances, however they will only be able to do so by serving a Section 8 (S8) notice using one or more approved grounds. These are divided into mandatory and discretionary categories:

Mandatory Grounds

(If proven, the judge must grant possession—except in exceptional circumstances)

• Intention to sell the property
  • Cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
  • Requires 4 months’ notice.
  • A restriction will apply on re-letting the property if a sale doesn’t proceed (likely to be 12 months).

• Landlord or close family member intends to move in
  • Same restrictions and notice period as above.
  • Re-letting restrictions apply if plans change.

• Redevelopment of the property
  • Only certain landlords qualify.
  • Requires 4 months’ notice.

• Tenant convicted of specific criminal offences or serious anti-social behaviour
  • No notice period required. Proceedings can begin immediately.

• Tenant has no legal right to rent under immigration law
  • Requires 2 weeks’ notice.

• Tenant owes 3 or more months’ rent
  • Requires 4 weeks’ notice.
  • The rent arrears must still be at or above 3 months at the court hearing.

Discretionary Grounds

(The judge decides whether to grant possession)

• Rent arrears or persistent late payment
  • Requires 4 weeks’ notice.

• Breach of tenancy terms
  • Requires 2 weeks’ notice.

• Damage to property or furnishings
  • Requires 2 weeks’ notice.

• Anti-social behaviour by tenant, household member, or visitor
  • No notice period required if severe.
  • Includes illegal or immoral use of premises.

• False information provided during application
  • 2 weeks’ notice.

Student Lets

There are two specific provisions for student lets:

• Educational Institutions:
  • May give 2 weeks’ notice if the property was let to students in the previous 12 months.
• Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs):
  • If let to full-time students and needed for a new group in the upcoming academic year, 4 months’ notice can be given.
  • This ground cannot be used if the tenancy was agreed more than 6 months before it started.

Rent Increases & Tribunal Challenges

Once the new rules take effect:

• Landlords and agents cannot advertise or accept rents above the published asking rent.
• Rent increases are limited to once per year, via a Section 13 (S13) notice with at least 2 months’ notice.
• Tenants may challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal, which will set a fair market rent (but not above the proposed amount) which will be applicable from the date of the Tribunal's decision.
• A Tribunal cannot set rent above the landlord’s proposal and no backdating is allowed.

Note: Existing agreements made before the Act guidelines are introduced will have a transition period. Rents already paid in advance are unlikely to be required to be refunded, but future payments will need to comply with the new rules.

Rent Bidding Ban

Landlords and Letting Agents must advertise properties with a specific rent and cannot invite or accept bids that exceed the amount advertised.

The rent must be clearly specified in the written offer.

Care should be taken when considering very high rents, as tenants may have the right to request a rent reduction within the first six months of the tenancy if the agreed rent exceeds the market rate, even if they originally offered that amount.

Rent in Advance

Landlords cannot request more than one month’s rent (or 28 days) in advance once a tenancy has begun. Tenants may still voluntarily pay more than one month’s rent in advance, but landlords cannot require them to pay beyond the due date.

Right to Keep Pets

Landlords will be required to reasonably consider tenant requests to keep pets.
Reasonable grounds for refusal might include if its shared accommodation or If pets are prohibited under a head lease or block agreement that pre-dates the Renters’ Rights Act.

If deemed unsuitable, properties may be advertised as not accepting pets, however, under the Equality Act, landlords must not discriminate against disabled individuals therefore, service animals must be allowed.

Landlords may not unreasonably refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet once the tenancy has begun.

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

All landlords will be legally required to join a new Private rented sector ombudsman. This body will:

• Handle tenant complaints quickly, fairly, and cost-effectively.
• Provide guidance to landlords on managing complaints.
• Enforce decisions made in tenant complaints.

And:

• Civil penalties apply for failure to join or to market a property without membership.
• Penalties of up to £7,000 for initial breaches, rising to £40,000 for repeated or continuing breaches.

Private Rented Sector Database & Redress Scheme

Landlords will need to register on the new Private Rented Sector Database, which will:

• Record landlord details and property details.
• Provide guidance on legal obligations.
• Increase transparency across the sector.

The scope of public access to the data is still under review, with a balance between transparency and privacy.

Alongside the new database, landlords must also join the new Landlords Redress Scheme before any property can be marketed for rental. Landlords must maintain their membership throughout their letting activities.

Rental Discrimination & Exceptions

All applicants must be treated fairly and assessed according to the same objective criteria, such as affordability, references, and suitability for the property.

A Landlord may not discriminate against prospective tenants on the grounds that they might or will have children visiting the property regularly; or because they are or might be receiving state benefits.

Landlords may lawfully discriminate where an insurance policy predates the Renters’ Rights Act and has not been extended or renewed, and that policy contains a clause prohibiting the letting of the property to tenants with children or those receiving benefits. Any restriction with a new insurance policy, mortgage, or superior lease that seeks to prevent the letting of a property to tenants with children or those on benefits will have no legal effect.

A landlord may refuse an application if it is a proportionate and necessary action to achieve a legitimate aim: for example, refusing to let to a family if doing so would result in the property becoming statutorily overcrowded. Income remains a valid factor in tenant selection. Landlords may refuse tenants, including those on benefits, if there is a genuine concern that they cannot reasonably afford the rent.

Decent Homes Standard & Awaab’s Law

The Decent Homes Standards (DHS) which currently applies to social housing, will be extended to include properties in the private rental sector, though details have not yet been published.

The Act will also extend Awaab’s Law (originally for social housing) to the private sector. This law requires landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards - such as damp and mould - within strict timeframes.

Penalties

Failure to comply with the Renters’ Rights Act may result in:

• Significant financial penalties
• Rent repayment orders to tenants.

Further Information

This summary is accurate as of 28 October 2025 and based primarily on official guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG, formerly known as DLUHC between 2021–2024):

Gov Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act