Landlord and tenant law is changing
Are YOU up to date with the changes?
If you are a Landlord Law member
The Renters Rights Act will come into force (in part) on 1 May 2026. It will bring about big changes for tenancies in England.
For example:
- The loss of fixed terms
- The loss of Section 21
- Changes to the rules on tenancy agreements
But not EVERYTHING is changing. Some things will remain the same.
- The rules about holding deposits and tenancy deposits have not changed although the penalty for non compliance with the tenancy deposit rules will change slightly.
- Although Section 21 will no longer be available, section 8 evictions will still be available, although some of the grounds have been amended.
- Most of the law relating to the property condition and health and safety will remain the same (although new rules will be coming in the 2030's).
- The rules regarding HMO properties and Local Authority licensing will be largely unchanged.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a guide to renting property with the changes included in context?
I may just be able to help you there!
I’m Tessa Shepperson.
I’ve been a solicitor for well over 25 years, specialising in landlord and tenant law. I am also a writer and trainer.
In order to help landlords cope with the new regime, I have created this online course to help landlords (and also agents) cope with the new rules.
The Landlord Law Essentials Free Course for Landlords (and Letting Agents)
This course, which I am giving away entirely free of charge:
- Goes through all the main topics that landlords need to know about
- Explains how this is going to be changed by the Renters Rights Act
- Gives details of the new rules and
- Links to where you can find out more.
The course will primarily be about the law in England but will also be helpful for landlords in Wales.
So what will you learn?
The Course Contents
Each part will include:
- An explanation of the legal rules which apply
- How the Renters' Rights Act will change things for landlords
- The penalties if you get things wrong
- Tips for good practice and
- Further reading.
Part 1
Landlord Responsibilities
This introduces the course and the responsibilities of being a landlord. We look at the reasons why the Renters Rights Act changes were thought necessary by the government.
We also look briefly at the law in Wales and why it is different.
Part 2
Legal Background
In this legal background section, you will discover what a tenancy really is and the legal codes that govern them. You will find what the Housing Act 1988 (the main ‘statutory code’) does and how this is going to be changed by the Renters’ Rights Act.
Part 3
Letting Agents
We consider whether you really need a letting agent or whether you could self-manage (and save money). You will learn about the rules that letting agents have to comply with, what bad agents sometimes do, and how to find a good one.
Part 4
Choosing and Checking Tenants
This is enormously important. With no-fault Section 21 evictions no longer available, choosing a good tenant will be critical – even more than it is now. We take a look at the things you need to do.
Part 5
Tenancy Agreements
Under the new rules, these will be mandatory, and you can be fined if you don’t provide one to your tenant. Plus, there will be new rules about their content.
Part 6
Tenancy Deposits
This will be largely unchanged by the Renters Rights Act, but it is something that landlords often inadvertently get wrong – causing big problems for them. We look at the different schemes and also what you need to do if deductions are not agreed at the end of the tenancy.
Part 7
Rent
You will start by learning a few facts about rent which you may not be aware of, and then find out at how the existing rules are due to be changed. We also take a look at the vexed issue of rent arrears and some ways of dealing with this without having to evict.
Part 8
The Property Condition
This is a long section, and you will learn not only about the legislation regarding repairs and the condition of the property but also about health and safety regulations. For example, regarding gas and electricity. The Renters Rights Act main changes may not be coming into force until the 2030’s, but enforcement of existing laws is likely to increase.
Part 9
Shared Properties and HMOs
Most rented properties have more than one tenant or occupier. In this part, you will learn the various ways this can be dealt with under the law. Some shared propertis will fall within the HMO rules and you will learn when this happens and what they are.
Part 10
Eviction of Tenants
Something I am sure you hope you will never have to do! In this part you will learn the four stages of eviction and how the rules are due to be changed by the Renters Rights Act.
Part 11
Protecting your Position
As you will have seen as we go through the course, Local Authority enforcement is likely to increase, as will the penalties. In this important section, you will learn the various ways you can protect yourself from enforcement action.
Part 12
Summary and Checklist
In this final part, you will have a checklist of the paperwork you will need and the things you will need to do at the various stages of a tenancy.
How to get the course:
If you are not a Landlord Law member, sign up below.
You will be redirected to the introduction page and will be sent a link to Part 1 within a few minutes.
You will then receive regular emails with links to the subsequent parts of the course.
Landlord Law members will get instant access to all parts of the course immediately so will not get any emails.
The Landlord Law Essentials Free Course
Sign up here
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