Renters
The Renters’ Rights Act 2026: What Every Tenant Needs to Know
⚡ QUICK ANSWER
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is a landmark piece of UK housing legislation that received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and takes effect on 1 May 2026. On that date, all fixed-term tenancies become rolling periodic tenancies with no end date. Landlords lose the power to evict without legal cause. Rent increases are limited to once per year with two months’ notice, and tenants can challenge them at tribunal. Discrimination against families and benefit recipients is now illegal. Deposits are capped at one month’s rent, and rental bidding is banned.
This is the biggest shift in tenant protections in a generation. Fixed-term tenancies end. No-fault evictions vanish. Rents become challengeable. For landlords, the entire business model changes.
Most tenants and landlords are still unprepared. Here is what actually changes, when it changes, and what you need to do about it.
Renters’ Rights Act 2026 — Key Numbers
1 May 2026
All existing fixed-term tenancies automatically convert to rolling periodic tenancies
Renters’ Rights Act 2025, Royal Assent 27 Oct 2025
37
Legal grounds for eviction under the expanded Section 8, up from 17 under old law
GOV.UK Grounds for Possession Guidance
What happens to fixed-term tenancies on 1 May 2026?
For 30 years, the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) fixed term has been the standard. You sign for six months or a year. At the end of the term, your landlord can simply refuse to renew without giving any reason. That system is over.
If you are renting now on a fixed-term contract, here is the critical piece: your existing tenancy automatically converts to a periodic (rolling) tenancy under the new rules. You do not need to sign anything. Your rent, deposit, and other terms carry over.
The conversion happens on 1 May 2026, or when your current fixed term ends, whichever is later. If your contract expires on 10 March 2026, you convert when it expires. If it expires on 1 June 2026, you convert on that date.
| Feature | Fixed-term AST (old law) | Periodic Tenancy (from 1 May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Fixed term (6m, 1y, 2y, etc.) | No end date. Continues indefinitely. |
| How it ends | Landlord can refuse renewal for any reason | Only if landlord has legal grounds |
| Tenant notice to leave | Typically 1 month | 2 months’ notice required |
| Rent increases | Fixed for term. Can increase at renewal | Maximum once per year with 2 months’ notice. Challengeable at tribunal. |
| Eviction without cause | Section 21: landlord evicts for any or no reason | Section 21 abolished. Landlord needs legal grounds (Section 8). |
| New fixed terms? | Yes (before 1 May 2026) | No (from 1 May 2026 onwards) |
⚠️ SECTION 21 IS BEING PHASED OUT, NOT INSTANTLY
Landlords can still serve a Section 21 notice up to 30 April 2026. If they serve it before 1 May, they must pursue the court case by 31 July 2026. After 31 July 2026, Section 21 is dead. Any notice served after 1 May 2026 is invalid.
How does eviction work now that Section 21 is gone?
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 let landlords evict tenants without needing any reason at all. A notice and a court date was all it took. That power is gone from 1 May 2026.
Instead, landlords can only evict if they have a legal reason. These reasons are called Section 8 grounds, and there are now 37 of them (up from 17 under the old law).
| Ground | What it means | Notice required |
|---|---|---|
| Serious rent arrears | Tenant owes 3 months’ rent. Universal Credit delays are excluded. | Four weeks |
| Persistent late payment | Pattern of late rent payments, even if not in arrears | Four weeks |
| Breach of tenancy terms | Tenant breaks the agreement (e.g., subletting, damage) | Four weeks |
| Landlord to occupy (Ground 1) | Landlord or close relative wants to live in property as main home | Four months |
| Sale of property (Ground 1A — NEW) | Landlord intends to sell the property | Four months |
| Antisocial behaviour | Tenant or guest causes harassment, disturbance, or damage | Four weeks |
| Abandoned property | Tenant has abandoned the tenancy | Varies |
✅ THREE-MONTH ARREARS THRESHOLD IS CRUCIAL
Under old law, landlords could evict for arrears of just two months. Now the threshold is three months (or 13 weeks for weekly/fortnightly payments). If the arrears are due to delays in Universal Credit payments, they do not count toward the threshold at all. Tenants on benefits have real protection now.
How do rent increases work from 1 May 2026?
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Rent can be increased only once per calendar year |
| Notice | Landlord must give at least two months’ written notice |
| Method | Landlord must use Form 4A (statutory notice). Automatic review clauses in the tenancy agreement are void. |
| Market rate | Increase must be in line with local market comparables |
| Challenge | Tenant can apply to First-tier Tribunal within one month of the notice |
| Tribunal decision | Tribunal can reset the rent to market level. New rent starts from tribunal decision date. |
The key word here is challengeable. If your landlord proposes a rent increase that exceeds what similar properties rent for in your area, you can take them to tribunal. You are not forced to accept it.
Current rent: £900/month
Landlord proposes: £1,100/month (22% increase)
Local market rate for similar 1-bed flat: £950/month
Sarah applies to tribunal within one month of the notice. The tribunal considers local comparables and rules that £1,100 is unreasonable. Tribunal resets rent to £950.
Result: Sarah saves £150/month — that is £1,800/year — by going to tribunal.
What discrimination protections does the Act introduce?
Previously, landlords could display “No DSS” adverts or say “no children” without facing any real legal consequence. These practices happened everywhere. From 1 May 2026, they are explicitly forbidden and carry severe penalties.
| Protected group | What is now banned |
|---|---|
| Families with children | Refusing to let based on tenants having dependent children |
| Benefit recipients | Refusing to let based on receipt of housing benefit, Universal Credit, or any social security |
| Pet owners | Blanket “no pets” policies are illegal. Landlord must consider requests reasonably. |
Penalties for discrimination: Up to £40,000 fine and potential rent repayment orders. Tenants can pursue legal claims and report to local councils.
What are the new rules on pets and deposits?
From 1 May 2026, you have the right to request permission to keep a pet. Your landlord cannot refuse unreasonably. The process works like this:
1. You make a written request describing the pet.
2. Landlord has 28 days to respond in writing.
3. Landlord can only refuse if there is a valid reason (property too small, damage risk, etc.).
4. If the refusal is unreasonable, you can apply to court.
Blanket “no pets” policies are now illegal. This applies to new and existing tenancies from 1 May 2026.
Deposits: landlords can no longer ask for or accept more than one month’s rent as a deposit. Holding deposits are forbidden entirely. Rental bidding — where landlords invite tenants to offer above the advertised rent — is also banned.
⚠️ HOLDING DEPOSITS VS. TENANCY DEPOSITS
A holding deposit is a separate payment to “hold” a property while paperwork is processed. These are now forbidden entirely. A tenancy deposit (one month’s rent) is still standard and must be held in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of payment.
What is the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman?
The Act creates a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service. This is a free, impartial service for tenants to resolve complaints against landlords, with decisions that are legally binding.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Scope | Every stage of renting: advertising, letting, during tenancy, and after moving out |
| Cost to tenant | Free |
| Binding decision | Yes. Decisions are legally binding on the landlord. |
| Landlord registration | All landlords must register. Failure carries penalties up to £40,000. |
| Available from | Database starts late 2026. Ombudsman service expected 2028. |
When does the Decent Homes Standard apply to private renting?
The Act introduces a Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector. However, enforcement is delayed until 2035 to give landlords time to upgrade their properties.
| Criterion | What it means |
|---|---|
| Free from hazards | No serious health/safety hazards (damp, mould, unsafe electrics, broken heating) |
| Repairs | Property must be in a reasonable state of repair |
| Modern facilities | Bathrooms, kitchens must be modern and functional |
| Energy efficiency | Appropriate thermal comfort and insulation |
| Structural integrity | Building fabric in reasonable condition |
Currently, 21% of private rental homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard. Landlords have until 2035 to bring properties up to standard before enforcement begins.
What should tenants do before 1 May 2026?
✅ ACTION ITEMS FOR EVERY TENANT
Get a copy of your tenancy agreement and read it carefully. Clauses about fixed terms, automatic rent review clauses, and other provisions will become unenforceable on 1 May 2026.
Document deposits above one month’s rent. If your landlord has asked for deposits above one month’s rent or holding deposits, note the date and amount. These may be recoverable under the new rules.
Photograph the property condition. Take detailed photographs and video of every room. The Act strengthens your position in deposit disputes, but evidence from day one is invaluable.
Keep all written communication. Email is best. Text messages work too. These prove what was agreed and when.
If you receive a Section 21 notice after 1 May 2026, it is invalid. Seek legal advice immediately.
Frequently asked questions
When exactly does the Renters’ Rights Act come into force?
The first major phase begins on 1 May 2026. This includes the abolition of fixed-term tenancies, the end of Section 21 evictions, and the new periodic tenancy rules. The PRS database starts rolling out late 2026. The ombudsman service arrives in 2028. The Decent Homes Standard enforcement is delayed until 2035.
Can my landlord still evict me?
Yes, but only with a legal reason (Section 8 grounds). Serious rent arrears (three months or more), breach of tenancy, antisocial behaviour, or landlord intention to occupy or sell are the main grounds. Simply wanting your tenancy to end is no longer a valid reason. Court proceedings can take months, and you have the right to contest it.
Can a landlord refuse me because I have children or receive benefits?
No. This is now explicitly illegal. Landlords cannot ask screening questions about children or benefits status, and they cannot refuse to let on these grounds. If a landlord refuses you on these grounds, you can report them to your local council or pursue a legal claim. Penalties reach up to £40,000.
How long do I have to challenge a rent increase?
One month from receiving the notice. You must apply to the First-tier Tribunal within this timeframe. The tribunal can reset the rent to market level if it decides the increase is above what similar properties in your area rent for.
Can my landlord ban pets entirely?
No. You have the right to request permission to keep a pet, and your landlord must consider the request reasonably. They can refuse only if there is a valid reason (property unsuitable, damage risk, etc.). A blanket “no pets” policy is illegal from 1 May 2026.
What is rental bidding, and why is it banned?
Rental bidding is when landlords invite tenants to offer more than the advertised rent to secure a property. It inflates rents and favours wealthier tenants. From 1 May 2026, landlords cannot invite or encourage bidding. The advertised rent must be the rent they are prepared to accept.
Know your rights. Document your home.
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