The Renters' Rights Act 2025: what landlords need to know before May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 represents one of the most significant reforms to the private rented sector in decades. With key provisions expected to come into force from 1 May 2026, landlords must now take proactive steps to understand their obligations and prepare for a more regulated environment.

The Act introduces a more structured, compliance-driven private rented sector. While landlords retain the ability to recover possession, it will now depend on strict adherence to legal requirements and clearly evidenced grounds.

This article outlines the key changes, new compliance requirements, and the practical impact on landlords.

A fundamental shift in the private rented sector

The Act is designed to improve tenant security, transparency, and standards across England. At its core, it introduces:

• Abolition of Section 21 (“no-fault”) evictions
• Expanded and revised possession grounds
• Abolition of Assured Shorthold Tenancies and Introduction of Assured Periodic tenancies for all renters (no fixed terms)
• Greater enforcement powers for local authorities
• New compliance and documentation requirements

This marks a clear shift toward a system where landlords must demonstrate compliance at every stage of the tenancy lifecycle.

New and revised grounds for possession

Section 21 “no-fault” evictions will be abolished. For Section 21 notices served on or before 30 April 2026 court proceedings must be issued before 31 July 2026.

Any Section 8 notices (rent arrears) served on or before 30 April 2026, proceedings must be issued by 31 July 2026 or 12 months after the notice was served, whichever is earlier.

From 1 May 2026, landlords must rely on specific legal grounds to recover possession, including where there are rent arrears, breaches of tenancy, or where the landlord intends to sell or move into the property.

Expected commonly used grounds are detailed further as follows:

• The rent arrears ground (Ground 8) is being strengthened, requiring at least 13 weeks/ 3 months of arrears at both the notice stage and court hearing.
• Where relying on the intention to sell ground (Ground 1A), landlords must be able to demonstrate a genuine intention with supporting evidence (such as agent instruction or marketing). This ground cannot be used within the first 12 months of the tenancy and will require 4 months’ notice. The landlord will further be restricted from re-letting the property for a period of 12 months after using Ground 1A.

It is also important to note that possession may be refused where landlords have not complied with their legal obligations, including failure to provide required documentation or properly evidence the ground relied upon.

Periodic tenancies replace fixed terms

All tenancies will become rolling periodic agreements. This will mean that there will be no fixed end date certainty and tenancies will continue until ended using valid legal grounds.

Rent controls

Rent increases will be limited to once per year with at least two months’ notice, and tenants will have the ability to challenge increases.

New mandatory documentation requirements

The Renters’ Rights Act increases the administrative burden on landlords by introducing new tenancy documentation for new and existing tenancies from 1 May 2026. Further details are as follows:

1. New Tenancies (from implementation)

For any new tenancy agreements created after the Act comes into force (1 May 2026), landlords must:

• Provide prescribed written tenancy terms at the start of the tenancy. It is therefore advisable that this is served prior to the tenancy agreement and includes any special conditions of the tenancy in bold so that they are easily visible.

2. Existing Tenancies

For all existing tenancies, landlords must:

• Provide tenants with a government-issued Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. This document will explain the tenant’s rights under the new system.
  
  While the deadline may seem some time away, we strongly recommend that you do not leave this until the last minute. Providing the document well in advance will help ensure compliance, allow time to address any issues, and avoid unnecessary administrative pressure closer to the deadline.
  
  The information sheet is now published on the government website and can be accessed through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-renters-rights-act-information-sheet-2026

Penalties for non-compliance with serving the written tenancy terms to new tenants and Information Sheet to existing tenants:

• Failure to comply with documentation requirements will result in financial penalties in the form of significant fines. Fines can be up to £7000 and escalate to £40,000 if the breach is not remedied in 28 days.

When possession may be refused under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025

A critical change under the new regime is that courts will place greater emphasis on landlord compliance.

You will not be granted a possession order where:

• You have failed to protect the tenants deposit and/ or failed to serve the prescribed information on the tenant;
• You are not compliant with legal obligations including the mandatory registration to the Private Rented Sector Database and Ombudsman. However, neither are expected to come into force until late 2026.

Practical implications of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 for landlords

The practical implications for landlords under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 are significant.

There will be an increased administrative burden, including the need to carefully monitor key deadlines; particularly those in May 2026, to ensure the correct service of all required documentation, and to prepare for the introduction of the Private Rented Sector Database. Alongside this, landlords will face greater legal risk, as non-compliance will result in significant fines in some cases and invalidate possession claims others. This increased scrutiny opens the window for more landlord and tenant disputes.

In addition, tenancy management will become more structured and formalised, with a clear shift toward an evidence-based possession process, reduced flexibility when seeking to regain possession, and a much greater emphasis on maintaining accurate and comprehensive records throughout the tenancy.

Next and immediate steps for landlords

The most immediate priority is ensuring compliance with documentation requirements, particularly the obligation to provide the Information Sheet to existing tenants by 31 May 2026.

Landlords who prepare early and adapt their processes will be best placed to navigate these changes successfully.

If you would like guidance on how these changes affect your properties, our landlord and tenant specialists are available to help. For clear, practical advice, please contact the team on 01843 234000.