Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act for Landlords 2026

Law & Regulation • 01 May 2026, 08:00

Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act for Landlords 2026

From 1st May 2026, the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act is now in force.

It introduces a number of important changes to how tenancies in England are set up, managed and brought to an end, amongst other things.

Below, we set out what has changed and what you need to do to keep your properties compliant.

When will implementation begin?
A quick overview
Key changes under the Renters’ Rights Act

OpenRent keeps your tenancies compliant with the latest rules, so you can focus on letting without the admin headaches.

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When will implementation begin?

The Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1st May 2026. Not all provisions came into force at once, but several important reforms began on this date.

From 1st May, the following now apply:

Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions have been abolished
Fixed-term tenancies have ended
Most tenancies are now periodicby default
New limits on rent in advance are in place

It’s also now illegal for landlords to:

Increase rentmore than once a year
Encourage bidding wars between tenants
Discriminate against tenants who receive benefits or have children

Local councils have been given stronger enforcement powers, with fines ranging from £7,000 to £40,000 for breaches.

We’ll keep this guide updated as further guidance and documentation are released.

A quick overview

Below is a summary of the key changes now in force under the Renters’ Rights Act. You can see how OpenRent has prepared for these updates in our detailed blog post.

Fixed-term tenancies: Fixed terms have now been removed. All new residential agreements in England run as Assured Periodic Tenancies from the outset, so your tenancy is rolling from day one.
Section 21: You can no longer end a tenancy using a Section 21 “no-fault” notice. If you served one before 1st May 2026, it may still be valid, but only within the relevant time limits and conditions.
Section 8 possession: You now rely on the new and updated Section 8 grounds to regain possession. Notice periods vary depending on the ground, typically between 2 weeks and 4 months.
Rent increases: You must use a Section 13 notice to increase rent, and you can only do this once every 12 months. You can still agree on rent adjustments directly with your tenants through mutual agreement. Tenants can challenge increases they believe are above market rate, with disputes decided by an independent tribunal.
Rental bidding rules: You cannot invite or accept offers above the advertised rent. You must set a clear asking rent and stick to it.
Rent in advance: You can only request up to one month’s rent in advance before the tenancy begins. Any terms requiring more than this are no longer valid.
Pets: Tenants (not applicants) now have the right to request permission to keep a pet. You must consider requests, and you may consider asking for pet insurance where appropriate.
Discrimination rules: You can no longer refuse tenants based on whether they receive benefits or have children.
Enforcement: Local authorities now have stronger powers, including higher civil penalties, improved investigatory tools and more robust reporting requirements.
Penalties and fees: Rent repayment orders now apply more widely, including to superior landlords, with higher maximum penalties and full repayment required for repeat breaches.

More changes to come in later in the year:

Landlord Ombudsman: A new ombudsman service will handle tenant complaints and issue binding decisions.
Private Rented Sector Database: You will be required to register. It will support enforcement, and some possession grounds will only be available if you are registered.
Safer homes: Parts of the Decent Homes Standard now apply to the private rented sector. The Act also extends Awaab’s Law to the sector, but it’s being rolled out in stages. Government plans place Awaab’s Law for the private rented sector in “Phase 3” of the reforms, with exact start dates still to be confirmed.

Key changes under the Renters’ Rights Act

Below, we’re explaining some of the most important changes now in force under the Renters’ Rights Act. They directly affect how you manage your rental properties, so it’s worth making sure you’re familiar with how they apply to you.

1. The end of fixed-term tenancies

The Act has effectively hit the “delete” button on the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), meaning the concept of a “fixed term” has disappeared. Every existing and new tenancy in England has automatically converted into an Assured Periodic Tenancy.

Tenancies now roll forward indefinitely from one rent period to the next (usually monthly) with no set end date.
Tenants now have the right to give 2 months’ notice to leave at any point.
For existing tenancies, you must provide your tenants with an official government “Information Sheet” by 31st May 2026 to remain compliant. OpenRent will be serving this document on your behalf if you’ve set up your tenancies via Rent Now.

The Act has removed the old fixed “guaranteed income window” landlords were used to, but in return, it simplifies day-to-day management by removing the need for constant renewals.

That said, since Section 21 has now been abolished, you’ll need to rely entirely on specific legal grounds if you ever want to end a rolling tenancy yourself.

2. Strict caps on rent in advance

The practice of requesting several months’ rent upfront – a common safeguard when letting to students or international tenants – has ended.

You can now only require a maximum of one month’s rent in advance. Even if a tenant offers a larger lump sum voluntarily, you cannot legally accept it.
You can no longer take “one month plus a pro-rated extra bit” to sync payments to the 1st of the month. Instead, you must use a shorter rental period (e.g., charging for the first 12 days alone) to get the calendar on track.
Taking any rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, or exceeding the one-month cap, is now a “prohibited payment” subject to heavy fines.

For tenants with limited credit history or no UK rental track record, such as students or international applicants, this does change how affordability is demonstrated.

However, you can still request a guarantor and rely on thorough referencing to provide additional security instead of upfront rent.

3. The abolition of Section 21

Section 21 evictions, commonly referred to as “no-fault” evictions, are officially a thing of the past in England. You can no longer end a tenancy without citing a specific legal ground.

From 1st May 2026, Section 21 has been fully removed for both new and existing tenancies. This ensures all tenancies operate under the same rules from day one, without any transitional system running alongside it.

If you served a Section 21 notice before 1st May 2026, it may still remain valid, but only within the relevant legal time limits. From this point onwards, you must rely on the appropriate Section 8 grounds if you want to regain possession.

4. Expanded Section 8 grounds for possession

Now that Section 21 has gone, you must use Section 8 if you want to regain possession of your property. Unlike Section 21, you now need to give a specific legal reason when you serve notice.

To reflect the range of situations you might face, the Renters’ Rights Act has updated existing Section 8 grounds and added new ones.

These include new mandatory grounds such as where you intend to sell the property, as well as cases where you are required to end a tenancy because continuing it would be unlawful due to enforcement action.

All updated grounds, along with their notice periods, are now in effect and apply from 1st May 2026. You need to rely on these when serving any Section 8 notice going forward.

If you served notices before this date, they remain subject to the rules that were in place at the time, and existing Section 8 grounds still apply where relevant.

5. New rules for rent increases

You can only increase rent once every 12 months using the formal Section 13 process. This means serving tenants with Form 4A, and giving at least 2 months’ notice, which is now double the previous requirement.

Any rent review clauses that you may have had in your tenancy agreements are no longer valid, so you cannot rely on contractual increases.

Tenants now also have the right to challenge your proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal at no cost. If the tribunal decides the rent is above market level, it can reduce the increase or delay it by up to two additional months where it considers there is hardship.

In practice, this means a rent increase could take several months from the date you serve notice before it actually takes effect.

6. The ban on rental bidding

To tackle bidding wars in high-demand areas, the Renters’ Rights Act has introduced a clear ban on rental bidding in England.

You must now set and publish a fixed asking rent for every property you advertise. You cannot invite, encourage or accept any offers above that price.

So if you list a property at £1,500 per month, you cannot accept £1,600, even if a tenant offers it voluntarily to secure the property. The advertised rent is the maximum rent you can charge.

This rule is designed to make pricing more transparent, so tenants know the amount they see is the amount they will pay.

Local authorities can issue significant civil penalties for breaches, so it’s important you keep your advertising and any negotiations fully aligned with the listed rent.

We handle the compliance side so you don’t have to. Rent Now is built to keep you aligned with the Renters’ Rights Act from day one.

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7. New right for tenants to request pets

Tenants now have the right to ask for permission to keep a pet once they are in the property. This right applies to tenants, not applicants, during the initial letting stage.

You must consider each request properly and can only refuse if you have a reasonable justification, such as a restriction in a superior lease or another legitimate constraint. For a closer look at how pet requests now work in practice under the Act, see our guide here.

8. The end of blanket bans

The Renters’ Rights Act has made it illegal to impose blanket bans on renting to people who receive benefits or have children. This applies across England, Scotland, and Wales.

It also extends beyond tenancy agreements in some cases, with similar restrictions affecting clauses in leases, mortgages and insurance policies. Any terms that automatically exclude tenants on these grounds are now invalid.

You can still assess affordability on a case-by-case basis. This means looking at an applicant’s actual income and circumstances to decide whether they can reasonably afford the rent.

9. Private rented sector ombudsman and database

All private landlords in England with assured tenancies will be required to join a new private sector ombudsman.

The ombudsman will be free for prospective, current, and former tenants to use, offering an alternative to council complaints or taking legal action. It will be introduced “as soon as possible” after Royal Assent, with landlords given notice of the start date and sufficient time to make arrangements.

The First-tier Tribunal will be able to issue rent repayment orders for repeated breaches of the ombudsman’s rulings, and landlords will be legally required to comply.

In addition, landlords must register themselves and their properties on a new private rented sector database. Failing to register before advertising or letting a property can lead to civil penalties, and in most cases, prevent landlords from obtaining possession orders.

A registration fee will apply, but the government has confirmed it will be “reasonable” and offer “good value”.

10. Extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector

Awaab’s Law was introduced following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in 2020, caused by mould in his social housing flat. The law requires social housing providers to address serious hazards within a set timeframe.

The Renters’ Rights Act looks at extending similar responsibilities to the private rented sector, though the exact details for private landlords have not yet been confirmed.

It’s worth noting that Awaab’s Law has not yet been fully implemented in social housing. At the time of the 2024 general election, the rules were still under consultation.

Moreover, private landlords may soon face greater responsibilities to ensure their properties meet a reformed Decent Homes Standard and are free from serious hazards. The government confirmed in January 2026 that the Decent Homes Standard will become a legally enforceable requirement for all private rented homes in 2035.

This long lead-in time is intended to give landlords a decade to plan and fund major works (such as kitchen or bathroom remodelling) without causing a sudden spike in rents or a mass exit of landlords from the market.