Renters’ Rights Act: A Straightforward Landlord Guide

Overview of the The Renters’ Rights Act

• The purpose of the Renters’ Rights Act is to transform the experience of private renting in England, with a primary focus on giving renters “greater security and stability“
• Phase 1 of the Act will come into force on 1st May 2026, with Phases 2 and 3 to follow.
• The most significant changes you need to know about today (Phase 1), include:
  • End of Section 21 “no-fault” repossessions
  • End of fixed term tenancies
  • Introduction of a “written statement of terms” that must be issued to new, prospective tenants
  • Local councils will have stronger enforcement powers, with non-compliance carrying civil penalties of £7,000 to £40,000
• Here is a link to the Gov issued Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act. I recommend reading it for further details – it covers everything I will touch in this post, plus a bunch more.

Action Required: The Renters’ Rights Act ‘Written Statement of Terms’ & ‘Information Sheet’

Truth be told, it was this little nugget that finally shoved a rocket up my arse, made me face reality, and chain myself to my computer to crank out this inevitable and dreaed blog post – giving you ample time to handle your business.

First and foremost, as per Section 12 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, if you have a tenancy created before 1st May 2026, you must issue each named tenant a copy of the The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet or a Written Statement of Terms by 31st May 2026. Which one you are required to serve will depend on your specific circumstances (most landlords will need to issue the Information Sheet).

1) The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet

If you have a written assured or assured shorthold tenancy currently in place for a tenancy that was created before 1st May 2026, then this applies to you.

• The Information Sheet is a document produced by the government for tenants. It explains how their tenancy may be affected by the changes introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
• You must issue this Information Sheet if the tenancy:
  • is an assured or assured shorthold tenancy
  • was created before 1 May 2026
  • has a wholly or partly written record of terms (including a written tenancy agreement)
• If you use a letting agent to manage your property, they are responsible for providing the Information Sheet. However, you probably shouldn’t assume they will, so I’d recommend obtaining confirmation from the agent, with a clear record of correspondence.
• You must issue this Information Sheet by 31 May 2026, or you could be fined up to £7,000.
• You must provide this to the tenants by either:
  • printing a hard copy, which is posted or given to the tenants by hand
  • sending the PDF electronically as an attachment, for example, to an email or text message
  • You must not email or text a link to the PDF to the tenant, as this will not be valid.

2) Written Statement of Terms

If you only have a verbal agreement in place (no idea why you would – that’s mental!), then you will need to issue key terms of the tenancy (“Written Statement of Terms”) – not the Information Sheet – by 31 May 2026 to each named tenant.

As per the Gov guide:

If you have a tenancy based entirely on a verbal agreement, that was made before 1 May 2026, then you cannot give this Information Sheet. You must provide certain written information about key terms of the tenancy instead.

From 1 May 2026, all landlords and letting agents in England will be required to issue a written statement of terms to tenants before they sign any new tenancy agreement. This information can be included in a written tenancy agreement, or as a separate document.

Interestingly, every key term required is already tucked into the tenancy agreements I use – it’s mostly stuff that should already be there anyway (e.g. contact details, tenancy start date, rent amount, etc.) – so this is probably going to be the most obvious and common way landlords provide the info, rather than a separate document.

I’ve already written a complimentary blog post covering the written statement of terms in more detail – including which key terms of the tenancy need to be provided to the tenant, and a downloadable template. Bon appetit!

The Renters’ Rights Act (Phase 1) – What You Need To Know

The Act is being rolled out in three phases, but for now I won’t inundate you with everything – I’ll focus only on the provisions in Phase 1, which are confirmed and will apply from 1 May 2026.

Phases 2 and 3 remain on the roadmap and, I believe, are subject to change and probable delays. I’ll keep you updated as and when there’s confirmation.

I’ll do my best to blast through Phase 1, keeping it breezy by summarising what I feel to be the key points, because every point is already covered in more detail in the Gov issued Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act.

1. Abolition of Section 21 Evictions & Assured Shorthold Tenancies

   • From 1st May 2026, all tenancies, including existing fixed term tenancies, will automatically become periodic tenancies. In other words, all tenancies will become open-ended, rolling on a monthly basis.
   • Bye-bye! No more Section 21 no-fault repossessions.
   • Bye-bye! No more fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies.
   • No minimum or fixed terms for new or existing assured tenancies – all agreements will be periodic, with tenants able to remain in the property until they choose to leave by giving two months’ notice (although tenancy agreements may allow for a shorter notice period, they cannot require more than two months).
   • If you enter into a new tenancy agreement before 1st May 2026, it will start as assured shorthold tenancy and be treated as an existing tenancy under the Act, even if the tenant moves in on or after that date.

   • You do not need to re-issue a new tenancy agreement!

     If you have a written tenancy agreement that started before 1st May 2026, you do not need to reissue or update the agreement to reflect the changes introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act. The legislation does not require any modifications to existing written tenancy agreements.

     From 1st May 2026, the tenancy will automatically convert to a periodic tenancy, overriding the fixed term and replacing any other affected terms automatically. Landlords only need to serve the Information Sheet mentioned earlier, by 31st May 2026.

     However, be aware, that if you enter into a new assured periodic tenancy with the same tenant on or after 1 May 2026, that tenancy is no longer considered an existing tenancy. In this case, you should update the tenancy agreement to reflect the Act’s requirements and issue the Written Statement of Terms.

2. New Grounds for Possession

   • Section 8 will be the only route for landlords to evict tenants.
   • Section 8 grounds for possession have been expanded/updated – see full details here.
   • The mandatory threshold for rent arrears increases from 2 to 3 months, and the notice period increases from 2 weeks to 4 weeks.
   • Landlords can repossess the property if they intend to sell or move in, but tenants will benefit from a 12-month protected period at the start of the tenancy (with safeguards in place to prevent abuse of this ground).

3. No More Rental Bidding Wars

   • Rental bidding is no longer permitted.
   • Landlords and agents can only accept the advertised rent (or lower) and cannot take any offers above this amount.

4. Restrictions on Rent in Advance

   • Landlords will only be able to require up to one month’s rent (or 28 days’ rent for tenancies with rental periods of less than one month) once a tenancy agreement has been signed and before commencement.
   • Once the tenancy starts, landlords cannot enforce clauses requiring rent paid in advance of the agreed due date.

5. Rent Increases

   • Rent increases will be limited to once per year, in line with the market rate.
   • For most tenancies, rent cannot be increased within the first 52 weeks of the tenancy.
   • Tenants will be able to challenge unreasonable rent increases, with disputes referred to a free of charge first-tier Tribunal (FTT).
   • The only way to increase rent will be by serving a Section 13 notice, which sets out the new rent and provides at least two months’ notice before it takes effect. Rent increases by any other means, such as rent review clauses, will not be permitted.

6. Renting with Pets

   • Tenants in assured tenancies have the right to request permission to keep a pet.
   • Landlords can reasonably request further information about the pet before giving consent.
   • Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse consent. Reasonable grounds to refuse include situations where keeping the pet would breach an agreement with a “superior” landlord or the pet is unsuitable for the property.
   • Tenant requests must be in writing and include a description of the pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 28 days of the request.
   • Courts may order landlords to comply if they unreasonably refuse consent.

   Note: aside from a few updated notice periods and correspondence protocols, I don’t really see anything drastically different from the current rules.

   More details: Guide For Landlords On Pets in Rental Properties (this may not be updated – but it will be before the Renters’ Rights Act commences)

7. Prohibiting Rental Discrimination

   • “Rental discrimination” is now banned – landlords and agents cannot automatically exclude people who receive benefits or have children.
   • Property adverts can no longer specify requirements like “working professionals” or “No DSS“
   • Landlords and agents must assess all prospective tenants based on affordability, not family status or benefits.
   • Landlords and agents still have the final say on who they let their property to and can carry out referencing checks to ensure tenancies are sustainable for all parties.

8. Extending Enforcement and Investigatory Powers to Local Councils

   • Local councils will receive additional powers to help enforce the Act (essentially, everything outlined above).
   • Councils will be able to collect and retain revenue from financial penalties issued to landlords who break the rules, to fund future enforcement work.
   • Initial or minor non-compliance can incur a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Serious, persistent, or repeat breaches can result in a civil penalty of up to £40,000, or potentially a criminal prosecution.

The Renters’ Rights Act Phases 2 & 3

If you’re sitting there thinking, “oh, I thought there was more?” – don’t worry, I’ve got a special treat for you.

The roadmap for rolling out Phases 2 & 3 is available for your viewing pleasure. As mentioned, I’m not quite sure how finalised they are at this point – I suspect plenty could change – I’ll keep you updated. From what I read, the full rollout might not even happen until 2037 (LOL).

Currently, it includes the following:

• Phase 2:
  • Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman
  • Private Rented Sector Database
• Phase 3:
  • Decent Homes Standard
  • Awaab’s Law
  • Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) of EPC C or equivalent (by 2030)

New Tenancies & Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreements

So what happens if you start a new tenancy in the coming weeks, before 1st of May rolls around? Good question.

Think of it this way: the changes take effect on 1st May 2026, and under no circumstances will they apply sooner.

Any tenancy started before that date will remain an assured shorthold tenancy and will automatically convert to a periodic tenancy on 1st May 2026.

In the coming weeks, I should have some template Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreements available for download – ready for use once we kick off. I’ll let you know as soon as they’re available.

My Final Thoughts – How Bad Is The Renters’ Rights Act?

In short, it probably won’t be as ghastly as anticipated by many. ‘spose time will tell. But I do have a few specific thoughts and predictions swirling around the dome.

I think it’s undeniable: the Renters’ Rights Act looks, sounds and smells diabolical for most landlords in many respects, and I remain unconvinced that the perspectives of genuine landlords were even considered by the powers that be. But I won’t let that stop me from acknowledging that it does bring a few sensible rules to the table.

This is something I’ve said before: my primary issue with the Act isn’t the policies themselves, but rather the precedent it sets – the gradual erosion of our control over our own possessions by the state. Where does that overreach end? Don’t worry, I’ll spare you from dragging you down that rabbit hole today, I just wanted to make my point.

As for the day-to-day impact on private landlords, I believe most sensible landlords can and will carry on with business as usual, and simply navigate the new challenges.

The new challenges landlords (and tenants) face

I’ve never been opposed to providing greater security for tenants, in fact I’ve always been an advocate for it. But when that security is achieved at the expense of the counterparty’s own security, that’s when imbalances start to form. It risks creating an environment where landlords are incentivised to be far more cautious when selecting tenants, abandoning any flexibility or leniency that may have been previously available.

I think many of us – and rightly so – are pulling lemon-sucking faces and squealing like pigs because we’re now being forced down the Section 8 route when shit hits the fan, and that’s a journey already proven to be expensive, inefficient, and generally insufferable – and that’s not going to change anytime soon. If anything in this Act is going to bring the PRS to its knees, or make life more difficult for many tenants, it’s removing Section 21 without a sensible alternative in place.

Am I right?

I don’t think most armchair supporters in favour of the Act even consider the obvious outcome – what happens when landlords know exactly what kind of treacherous journey lies ahead if they end up with a dud tenant.

It seems like an obvious flaw to me, which is why I genuinely believe the Renters’ Rights Act isn’t as much of a win as most tenants think, and the government may have shot themselves in the foot with this one.

The solution that may cause more problems than it solves!

The obvious outcome: thorough tenant referencing is more important than ever, and Rent Guarantee Insurance (RGI) has become an even hotter commodity.

Oh, lookie, here are a couple of my RGI affiliate partners for you to feast on:

Landlord Rent Guarantee Insurance (RGI) Providers

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Please note, I try my best to keep the information of each service up-to-date, but you should read the T&C's from their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

If landlords tighten their screening process to avoid Section 8 at all costs, which is a likely and objectively sensible outcome, then more tenants may struggle to pass those checks, let alone qualify for RGI. That’s why my initial view is that the Act may create more problems than it solves for wider society.

No one normal thinks discrimination is a good thing, and while the increased emphasis on anti-discrimination policies is welcome and necessary, I’ve never quite understood how they can be effectively policed. If landlords and agents are forced to remove application filters and prerequisites (e.g. “NO DSS”), what will that actually change, other than creating false hope and more applications, but ultimately leading to the same outcome (i.e. picking the strongest and safest applicant)? This, sadly, doesn’t seem like it will solve any practical problems for anyone.

However, perhaps naively, I’m a tiny bit hopeful that things won’t be as bad as they seem, with the potential for further relief in the future. Over time, the system will likely improve (because it will have no other choice), and landlords may gradually become incentivised to be less stringent.

Ultimately, I believe I’m aware and prepared for the new challenges, and it will be business as usual for me, with the primary objective unchanged: build great relationships with long-term tenants based on mutual respect. Meanwhile, I’ll continue doing my best to help landlords who remain in the game to select their tenants more wisely than ever before.

Let’s run a poll: Now that the Renters’ Rights Act is laid bare in front of you, is it more or less painful than you expected?

Landlord out xo