Private Rented Tenants
These changes do not apply if you received a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice before 1 May 2026. For more information, please read the frequently asked questions.
Understanding what the new law means for private renters in England
On 1 May 2026, private renting will change.
The Renters’ Rights Act is delivering new rights and responsibilities for tenants, landlords, and letting agents living and working in the private rented sector (PRS) in England. As a tenant, you’ll face fewer barriers when you’re looking for a property to rent, and more security and stability once you’re in it.
This page provides an overview of the key changes and how you can prepare. It only applies to tenants in the PRS in England with an assured or assured shorthold tenancy. Different rules apply if you:
- rent from a housing association or local council
- are renting in student halls (university owned or private)
- are a lodger
The key changes
New rules on starting and ending tenancies
Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished:
- your landlord will no longer be able to issue a new notice under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict you
- your landlord will only be able to evict you when they have a specific, legally valid reason, otherwise known as a ‘possession ground’. This includes if they need to sell or move into the property
Fixed term assured tenancies will be banned:
- all new and most existing tenancies in the private rented sector will become assured periodic tenancies, or ‘rolling tenancies’
- this means you’ll be able to stay in the property until you decide to end the tenancy, or until your landlord serves a valid notice to end it and obtains a court/possession order from the court
Changes to rent and payments
Rent increases will be limited to once per year:
- your landlord will need to follow the new legal process for increasing the rent
- they’ll need to provide you with a notice, detailing the proposed rent increase, at least two months before that increase is due to take effect
- if you think the proposed rent increase is higher than the property’s market value, you’ll be able to challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal
Rental bidding will be banned:
- landlords and letting agents must publish the asking rent for the property in any written advert
- they won’t be allowed to ask for, encourage, or accept an offer that’s higher than this
Requiring large amounts of rent in advance will be banned:
- all parties will need to have signed the tenancy agreement before any rent is paid
- your landlord won’t be able to ask you for more than one month’s rent in the time between all parties signing the tenancy and the tenancy starting
- once the tenancy’s begun, your landlord won’t be able to ask you for any payment of rent before it’s due
Removing barriers to renting
Discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits will be illegal:
- a landlord or anybody acting on their behalf, such as a letting agent, won’t be able to do anything that makes it less likely for you to rent a property (or that prevents you from renting it) because you have children or receive benefits
- this includes withholding information about a property (including its availability), preventing you from viewing it, or refusing to grant you a tenancy
New requirements for tenancies
We’re introducing new rules around tenancy agreements. Your landlord will need to give you written information about the terms of your tenancy:
- for most tenancies that started before 1 May 2026, your landlord will need to send you a copy of the government-produced Renters‘ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026, either digitally or on paper. This is a new government-produced document which landlords must send to all existing tenants, who already have a written record of the tenancy terms
- for tenancies that start on or after 1 May 2026, or those that started before 1 May and which don’t have a written record, your landlord will need to provide you with certain information about the tenancy in writing. They may do this in a tenancy agreement
You’ll be able to request a pet:
- your landlord must consider your written request within a set timeframe and should provide valid reasons if they choose to refuse it
Other elements of the Renters’ Rights Act will take effect in later phases. In the future a database, an ombudsman, Awaab’s Law, and the Decent Homes Standard will all be implemented in the private rented sector. We’ll publish guidance to help you understand what these changes mean for you closer to the date of their implementation.
Student tenancies
If you’re a student:
- and you sign a contract after 1 May 2026 to move into purpose built student accommodation (PBSA – commonly referred to as ‘halls of residence’), your tenancy won’t be impacted by the Renters’ Rights Act. This means, for example, you may still have a fixed term tenancy
- and you live in other student accommodation (e.g. a student house share) or you’re already living in PBSA, from 1 May 2026 you’ll no longer have a fixed term tenancy
- for 2026 only, if you’re an existing student tenant in non-PBSA accommodation you may be served a notice to end your tenancy between 1 May 2026 and 30 July 2026 and will have a two-month notice period to move out. This will help facilitate the availability of potential homes for students needing them ahead of the 2026/27 academic year. From 2027, your landlord will need to provide you with four months’ notice to end a tenancy between 1 June and 30 September
How to prepare
It’s important that you understand your new rights and responsibilities under the Renters’ Rights Act and feel empowered to act if things go wrong.
Read our guidance:
We’ve published new private renting guidance for tenants, which explains the reforms and what they mean for you. Read the guidance now so you know what to expect on 1 May 2026:
To get updates when we publish new guidance, sign up to GOV.UK alerts
Look out for our communications campaign:
We’ll be sharing information about the Act and what it means for you across radio, social media, mainstream media and through partner organisations.
Get advice, if you need it:
- if you need advice on your specific circumstances, you can seek support through a housing advice provider, like Shelter and Citizens Advice. You can also search for an advice provider in your area through Advice local
- your local council’s PRS or Housing Options team can also offer you housing support
- if you’re at risk of losing your home, you can get free legal advice through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service
Frequently asked questions
What will happen to my tenancy?
From 1 May 2026, any existing assured shorthold tenancy will automatically become an assured periodic tenancy – or ‘rolling’ tenancy. Under an assured periodic tenancy, you’ll no longer be able to have a tenancy with an end date. Instead, the tenancy will continue until either party ends it or a court makes a possession order.
Your landlord won’t be able to evict you from a property without giving a legally valid reason. These reasons are known as ‘grounds for possession’ and include circumstances where your landlord needs to sell the property, move into the property, or where you’re in rent arrears.
You’ll need to give your landlord two months’ notice in writing when you want to leave, unless your landlord agrees with you in writing that you can provide less notice. You can do this at any time during your tenancy.
I’ve just agreed a fixed term tenancy with my landlord that ends after 1 May 2026. What will happen to this?
Even if your fixed term tenancy is due to end after 1 May 2026, on 1 May 2026 it will become an assured periodic tenancy.
The tenancy will then continue until either party ends it or a possession order is made.
You’ll need to give your landlord two months’ notice in writing when you want to leave, unless your landlord agrees with you in writing that you can provide less notice. You can do this at any time during your tenancy after 1 May 2026.
I’ve been served a Section 21 notice on or before 30 April 2026. Will I still be evicted?
If your landlord has followed the correct process, a Section 21 notice (or a notice under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988) served on or before 30 April 2026 will still be valid. In these cases, the reforms in the Renters’ Rights Act won’t apply to your tenancy on 1 May 2026. In most cases your landlord can still apply to the court for a possession order until 31 July 2026 if you have not left the property by the date specified in the notice. If you’ve been served a Section 21 notice and require advice or support, you can contact a specialist housing advice provider like Shelter or Citizens Advice, or your local council.
Similarly, if your landlord has served a Section 21 notice and started court proceedings for possession before 1 May 2026, the reforms in the Renters’ Rights Act will not apply to your tenancy whilst those proceedings are taking place.
From 1 May 2026, your landlord will no longer be able to serve a Section 21 notice and will only be able to evict you for certain reasons. These are called ‘grounds for possession.’
My landlord increased my rent on or before 30 April 2026. Do they still need to wait a full year before increasing it again?
Yes. From 1 May 2026, a landlord can only increase your rent once every 12 months from the date of the last increase, regardless of whether the last increase came before 1 May 2026, was carried out via a Section 13 notice, or by using a rent review clause.
What do I do if my landlord doesn’t follow the new rules?
If your landlord is non-compliant, you can report them to your local council.
They may be fined up to £7,000 for initial or minor non-compliance. Serious, persistent or repeat non-compliance may result in a fine of up to £40,000, with the alternative of a criminal prosecution.
You may also be able to apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO). This allows you to seek recovery of up to 24 months’ rent where you believe your landlord has committed certain offences. We’ve published guidance on Rent Repayment Orders.