The Renters rights Act was passed by the government on October 27th 2025 with the implementation being split across 3 Phases. Below are the outlined phases along with the proposed implementation dates.
Under phase 1, the changes will come into play from 1st May 2026. While landlords won’t be required to give any existing tenants a new or updated contract (Unless the contract is verbal), there will be a requirement to provide them with a government produced information sheet, which will explain how the changes may affect their tenancy.
Below are some of the key points which will come into play on 1st May
New council powers
These came into place from 27th December 2025 and give stronger powers to the council, in relation to the requesting of documents and the ability to give fines and in larger amounts
Abolishing section 21ss
You will not be able to serve a section 21 notice, any notice given to the tenants will be a section 8 notice, under the new grounds
New grounds for a section 8s
There will be more grounds for a section 8, and a change in some of the ones already used, as an example, ground 8 for rent arrears now requires 3 months of arrears and a 4 week notice period, instead of the previous 2 months of arrears and a 2 week notice period.
Can’t discriminate against tenants on benefits or with children
No blanket ban on a tenant receiving benefits or with a child. Whist Landlords and agents have the final say on who moves into the property, this should be based on affordability and not external factors, and suitability of the property when it comes to children
No more rental biddings
The property can only be let for the advertised rent, or below. You cannot accept an offer on a property at a higher rent than advertised, no matter what the circumstances are. This is to prevent higher rents and exploitation of tenants.
No more rent in advances
No rent in advance can be charged which is in line with the removal of fixed term tenancies. The helps reduce barriers for tenants who feel they are required to pay rent before it is due, or in large lump sums up front.
Strengthened rights for tenants to have pets in a property
This must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and a pet can not be denied without valid reason. I.e the property is a high story flat, the superior lease does not allow, or the pet is illegal to own
No more fixed term tenancies
This means tenants will be able to stay in their property until they give 2 months’ notice or they are evicted using the section 8. No fixed terms give’s an increased flexibility for the tenants.
Rental increases
Under section 13 a landlord must now provide 2 months’ notice of a proposed increase in rent (previously 1 month notice). Rent increases can only be applied once a year and must be consistent with the local rental market.
Phase 2 is likely to be implemented from 2026 all the way up until 2028, with the ombudsman more likely to be brought in to affect late 2028.
New private rental ombudsman
New ombudsman which will be a requirement for all landlords to join, if they have an agent or not. There will be penalties for those who fail to join, and tenants will be able to use the service for free to issue rent repayment orders.
Private sector database
The database will also be required for all landlords to join directly, even if they have an agent. The information for the database is yet to be confirmed however it is suspected to have information about the landlord and the property, along with certificates.
Phase 3: Timelines subject to consultation
Apply decent home standard to the PRS
Appling the decent home standard to the private rental sector to ensure all properties are up to an appropriate standard. If the standard is not met, this would cause fines under the new council powers or rent repayment orders, determined by the property ombudsman
Apply Awaab’s law to the PRS
Awaab’s law was introduced to the social sector in October 2025 and will apply to the PRS from the determined start date. This gives set time frames for dealing with things such as damp and mould
For full details of the legislation and supporting guidance, you can view the official documents from the Governments website below:-
If you are at risk of homelessness you can contact the housing solutions team for support by completing a referral via the below link:-
Further information on support for housing and homelessness can be accessed via the below link:-
If you are experiencing issues with a private rented property due to any of the following reasons:
You can contact Environmental Health by following the below link:-