Get on top of the renting changes
New rights and responsibilities for landlords in England.
Renting is changing
Reforms to the private rented sector in England are bringing in new rights and responsibilities for landlords, letting agents and tenants.
As a landlord, you play an important role in delivering these reforms and will need to understand what these changes mean for you and your business. That way, you can be confident that you are complying with the law and providing your tenants with a safe, affordable and decent home.
This web page is for private landlords with rental properties in England only. These changes will not apply to private registered providers of social housing until 2027.
Our guidance is designed to help you understand how the reforms will affect you when you rent out a home in the private rented sector. It’s written in clear and accessible language, and it’ll help you get on top of these important changes.
The following changes will happen on 1 May 2026. If a letting agent acts on your behalf, then they will need to follow these rules too.
New rules on starting and ending tenancies
Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished:
- you’ll no longer be able to use Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict your tenants
Reformed possession grounds will be fairer for both parties:
- you’ll only be able to evict tenants when you have a specific, legally valid reason, otherwise known as a ‘possession ground’
- possession grounds will be extended to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants when they want to sell the property, move into the property or move in members of their family
- the changes will also make it easier to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour
Fixed term tenancies will be banned:
- most new and existing tenancies in the private rented sector will become assured periodic tenancies, or ‘rolling tenancies’
- this means renters will be able to stay in their property until they end the tenancy or until a landlord serves a valid notice to end it or obtains a court/possession order
Changes to rent and payments
Rent increases limited to once per year:
- you’ll have to follow the new legal process for increasing the rent
- this will include providing the tenant with notice, detailing the proposed rent increase at least two months before that increase is due to take effect
Rental bidding will be banned:
- you’ll have to include a specific price on any written property advertisement
- you won’t be allowed to ask for, encourage, or accept an offer that’s higher
Requiring large amounts of rent in advance will be banned:
- you’ll only be able to require up to one month’s rent in the period between all parties signing the tenancy and the tenancy starting
- you won’t be able to accept any payment of rent before this period
- once the tenancy’s begun, you won’t be able to require any payment of rent before it’s due
New requirements for tenancies
As a landlord, you’ll need to understand the new rules for tenancy agreements.
You’ll need to make sure that you give your tenant written information about the terms of their tenancy:
- For most tenancies that started before 1 May 2026 you won’t need to change or re-issue any existing written tenancy agreements. Instead, you’ll need to send your tenants a copy of the government-produced Information Sheet, either digitally or on paper. You have until 31 May 2026 to send this to all your tenants. You’re able to do this as soon as the Information Sheet is published
- If there’s no written record of the tenancy terms – because the tenancy is based on a verbal agreement, for example – you’ll need to provide tenants with a written record of specific terms of the agreement. We’ve published details of what must be included
- For tenancies that start on or after 1 May 2026 you’ll need to provide your tenants with certain information about the tenancy in writing. You could do this in a tenancy agreement. We’ve published details of what must be included to give you sufficient time to prepare your tenancy agreement template
Discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits will be illegal:
- you won’t be able to do anything to make a tenant less likely to rent a property (or prevent them from renting it) because they have children or receive benefits
- this includes withholding information about a property (including its availability), preventing them from viewing it, and refusing to grant a tenancy
You must consider tenant requests to rent with a pet:
- you’ll have to consider and respond to your tenant’s request within a set timeframe and will have to provide valid reasons if you 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 and your business nearer the time.
As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to read the guidance in full. You must make the necessary changes to your letting practices to ensure you’re compliant with the new law when it’s implemented on 1 May 2026.
The existing law will remain in place until 30 April 2026.
What you need to do
These steps apply if you’re a landlord of a tenancy that was created before 1 May 2026.
Provide information to your tenants:
- you’ll need to give a copy of the government-produced Information Sheet to your tenants. This explains what the new rules mean for their tenancy
- you’ll need to send this to your tenantseither digitally or on paper, on or before 31 May 2026. Landlords are able to do this as soon as the information sheet is published
- if your current tenancy is based entirely on a verbal agreement, you’ll need to give your tenant a written record of specific terms of the agreement. You’ll have to do this instead of providing the Information Sheet
- we’ve published guidance on the information you’ll need to provide. You’ll have to give this information to your tenants in writing on or before 31 May 2026
If you’re a student landlord, prepare to use Ground 4A:
- if you’re a student landlord and want to use Ground 4A to evict your tenants in the future, you’ll need to write to them to let them know
- if you’re an existing student landlord, you’ll have until 31 May 2026 to give your current tenants a written notice that you may evict them using ground 4A
- you can then serve the notice of possession between 1 May 2026 and 30 July 2026, giving your tenants 2 months’ notice instead of 4 months
- we’ve published further guidance on how to do this
If you’re a charity and run a ‘stepping stone’ scheme or similar, prepare to use Ground 5H:
- if you think you meet the criteria to use Ground 5H and think you may need to use it in the future for an existing tenancy, you’ll need to give your tenants a written statement setting out the eligibility criteria that applies to the tenancy. You’ll need to do this by 30 April 2026
- you can only use eligibility criteria that relates to the tenant’s age, or whether they are in work and/or looking for work
Familiarise yourself with the new forms
- as a landlord, you’ll need to use forms at different points in a tenancy, for example, when you need to increase the rent or take possession of your property
- although the new forms can’t be served on tenants until 1 May 2026, to support the reforms we’ve published watermarked versions now so you can familiarise yourself with them before then
- On 1 May, when the reforms take effect, versions of the forms which can be served on tenants will be published
If you’re planning to create new tenancies on or after 1 May 2026
Prepare for them:
- if you create a new tenancy on or after 1 May 2026, you’ll need to provide the tenants with certain information about the tenancy in writing. You can do this by including it in a written tenancy agreement
- we’ve published guidance on the information you’ll need to provide to give you time to update your tenancy agreement templates
Read the guidance and think about other ways you can prepare for your next new tenancy. Some of what you might consider includes:
- on or after 1 May 2026, you’ll need to publish an asking rent for your property in any written adverts you put out
- you won’t be able to ask prospective tenants to bid above this amount (or accept any such bids), and you won’t be able to ask them to pay more than a month’s rent in advance
Taking professional advice
If you’re using a letting agency, you should consider talking to them about what these changes mean for you. You should also consider taking your own legal advice about complex matters.
How will my existing tenancies be affected?
On 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 agree a fixed rental term with your tenant or create a tenancy with an end date. Instead, the tenancy will continue until either party ends it.
You’ll no longer be able to evict your tenants from a property without giving them a legally prescribed reason that you can evidence. You’ll be able to regain possession of your property in a range of circumstances, but you’ll need to have a specific, legally valid reason to do so.
Your tenant will need to give you two months’ notice when they want to leave. They can do this at any time during their tenancy.
Will I need to issue a new tenancy agreement for my tenants?
If you already have a written record of the terms of the tenancy agreement, then you won’t need to change or reissue it. Instead, you’ll need to provide the tenant with a copy of the new government-produced Information Sheet explaining how the tenancy has changed.
If your existing tenancy doesn’t have any written record of the terms of the agreement – perhaps because it’s based on a verbal agreement between you and your tenant – then you’ll need to provide certain information about the tenancy to your tenant in writing. You’ll need to do this instead of providing the Information Sheet. We’ve published guidance on this.
What will these changes mean for me when I set up new tenancies?
The things that are likely to make the biggest difference to how you start or conduct future tenancies are:
- changes to rental bidding
- rent in advance
- rent increases
- pet requests
- discrimination against tenants
Can I still end tenancies when I need to?
Yes, you can. You’ll no longer be able to use Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, which are being abolished. Instead, you’ll need to use a specific legally defined possession ground, such as:
- selling the property
- moving into the property yourself
- moving family members into the property
- tenants breaching tenancy terms.
What will happen if I don’t comply?
As a landlord, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the new requirements and take any necessary actions to make sure you comply. If you don’t comply with the law, local councils may impose a civil penalty on you of up to £40,000 or, in some cases, start a criminal prosecution.
Where can I get more help and information?
The government is providing comprehensive guidance for landlords before the new laws take effect. There will be important updates to the guidance that you will need to be aware of. You should check GOV.UK regularly for updates or sign up for alerts.
Reputable landlord and letting agent organisations are also likely to provide information and guidance on the new requirements, and how to comply with them.