The Landlord Law Renters Rights Act Page
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The Renters Rights Act 2025, the main part of which will come into force on 1 May 2026, will bring about massive changes in English tenancy law.
Landlord Law will be bringing you detailed guidance on the new legislation.
This page contains links to the content we have created or significantly updated on the new legislation so far. We are using the same ‘topics’ as we have for the rest of the site content.
If you are looking for post Renters Rights Act guidance on a particular issue and don’t find it below, this will either be because we have not created that new content yet, have not yet updated our existing content, or because that issue has not been changed by the act. Although note that content that has had minor updates is not included below.
Any questions on the new legislation, please put them in the members’ forum.
Existing tenancies as at 1 May 2026
All landlords of existing assured and assured shorthold tenancies (i.e., created before 1 May 2026, including new tenancies), must serve the government’s information form on tenants before 31 May 2026.
The form has now been published and can be downloaded from here.
It is important that you are able to prove that the form has been served on your tenants or you can be fined up to £7,000 by your local authority. For existing tenancies we suggest you serve it personally on your tenants (e.g., during an inspection visit) and get them to sign and date a copy of the form.
See our FAQ for more information.
Letting agents – if you are managing the property, you need to serve the form even if it has already been served by your landlord.
The Renters Rights Bill has received the Royal Assent and is now the Renters Rights Act 2025. The main commencement date is 1 May 2026.
Links to our other Renters Rights Act pages
Terminology & Government Documents
Unlike the Welsh legislation (which created a new code) the Renters Rights Act works by amending existing legislation, mainly the Housing Act 1988.
However you may find the following list of new and existing terminology helpful.
Terminology
The Housing Act 1988 created two new tenancy types, which are regulated by that act. These were assured and assured shorthold tenancies.
The only real difference between the two was the availability of the no-fault section 21 procedure for ASTs.
ASTs have now been abolished (along with s21) meaing that the only tenancy type regulated by the Housing Act 1988 is the assured tenancy.
On the commencement of the Renters Rights Act 2025 this will become the default tenancy type in England.
All assured shorthold tenancies and fixed-term assured tenancies will, on commencement of the act, be converted to periodic assured tenancies.
Fixed terms will no longer be possible. Indeed trying to create an assured fixed term tenancy will make landlords vulnerable to a fine of up to £7,000
This is generally taken to mean the law which has been built up by Judges’ decisions in cases over the years (along with custom and practice), as opposed to the law which is set out in an Act of Parliament or statute.
Some common law rules can date back to Medieval times or even earlier. Find out more here.
These are tenancies which are not regulated by an Act of Parliament. So the rules which apply to them will be ‘common law’ rules rather than the rules set out (for example) in the Housing Act 1988 or the Rent Act 1977.
This phrase is used in the Act which requires a ‘statement of terms’ to be given to tenants before the tenancy is ‘entered into’. It means effectively a tenancy agreement.
Government documents and guidance
Some of this guidance is aimed at Local Authorities rather than landlords, but they will help you understand the new rules and how Local Authorities are being advised to enforce them. Items with a * contain links to other information pages.
- Implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Our roadmap for reforming the Private Rented Sector
- Renting out your property: guidance for landlords and letting agents*
- Renters’ Rights Act: guidance for local authorities and councils*
- Investigatory powers guidance for Renters’ Rights Act 2025 – the government guidance for Local Authorities on how to use their new powers
- Civil penalties under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation
- Government Housing Hub for landlords
- Draft versons of the new forms
Documents and Forms
I have prepared an ‘interim’ AST agreement for you to use before the commencement of the Renters Rights Act 2025. There is now
- A version for standard ASTs for a let to one person or to two or more tenants renting jointly
- A version for a room in a shared house.
A fully Renters Rights Act compliant tenancy agreement will be available for members from 1 May.
Find out more about our tenancy agreements in the open access Which Tenancy Agreement Guide (now updated).
The link below will take you to the tenancy agreements page. If this is the first time you have used one of our agreements, please scroll up and read the rest of the page.
Other forms
Note that many of the forms on our main documents and forms page will still be relevant.
If you are not sure, post a question on the Members Forum.
Checklists
These are the standard Landlord Law checklists which we are periodically updating to include reference to the changes brought by the new legislation. We have created new versions of checklists 4 and 5 which are linked.
The Landlord Property Audit Kit
This is being periodically updated to include guidance on the new legislation. All landlords should do an audit using our kit at least once every year.
Occupation Types
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- I let out a self contained flat in the building where I live. What tenancy type is this?
- What is different about common law tenancies?
- Longer lets – what is the significance of giving a tenant a fixed term of more than three years?
- What is a periodic tenancy?
- What are the differences between fixed term and periodic tenancies in England?
- What are the main types of tenancy?
- What is Rent to Rent?
- What are the differences between joint and several tenancies and renting individual rooms in a shared house?
Other content:
The Tenancy Trail – this is a section of the trail which sets out the law after the commencement of the Renters Rights Act. You can tell is apart from the rest of the trail as it has an orange logo. This guide is available to non members.
About letting agents
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Consumer Law
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- Will it be more difficult for me to evict a tenant if they are disabled?
- Can I refuse to accept applications from applicants on Universal Credit or Benefit?
- Can I refuse to accept tenants with children in my rented property?
- Do I have to tell anyone or get permission before I let my property? England
- My tenants have allowed others to move in making the property overcrowded. What can I do?
- How can I best avoid unlawful discrimination when choosing new tenants?
Articles
Shared properties and HMOs
Checks and rental payments
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What is the law on Rent Repayment Orders?
- What occupation types does the Tenant Fees Act apply to?
- What payments and fees am I entitled to charge my tenant?
- What are prohibited payments and what are the penalties?
- What should I look out for when buying a property with sitting tenants?
- What documents do I need to get from the seller when buying a property with sitting tenants?
- What is the proposed rent which I must cite in all property adverts?
- What are the rules on rent in advance?
- How can I tell if an email sent to me is fraudulent or not?
- Can I evict sitting tenants after I have bought a property?
- Can I refuse to accept applications from applicants on Universal Credit or Benefit?
- Can I refuse to accept tenants with children in my rented property?
- Can tenants challenge the rent?
- Can we change the date that the tenant pays rent?
- How can I increase my tenant’s rent?
- What happens to a guarantee when the tenant dies?
- How do I increase rent by the notice procedure?
- What happens if my tenant applies to challenge my rent to the First Tier Tribunal?
- Right to Rent – can we make the checks stricter?
Other content:
The Dealing with Local Authority Enforcement Kit. This kit explains the rules which apply to Local Authority enforcement action, looks at all the different breachs and offences which can be the subject of Civil Penalty Notices and also considers Rent Repayment Orders..
Articles:
Tenancy Agreements
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- How should I serve The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026?
- What should we do if we are renting accommodation to an employee?
- What is the ground 4A notice to serve on student tenants?
- What are the grounds for possession where prior notice must be given before the tenancy is entered into?
- What are the rules on rent in advance?
- Can I put what I like in the tenancy agreement?
- Can we change the date that the tenant pays rent?
- How long should the fixed term of the tenancy agreement be for?
- My lender has asked for a Ground 2 notice in the tenancy agreement, what does that mean?
- When is a tenancy agreement ‘entered into’.
- What happens if a new tenancy agreement is not given to the tenant at the expiry of the old one?
- What is the situation if there is no written tenancy agreement?
- What other paperwork needs to be served on the tenant with the tenancy agreement?
- Why is a written tenancy agreement necessary for Landlords?
- Can we start a new tenancy with a short period if it is to start before our preferred rent payment date?
- Should I allow tenants to keep pets, and what are the implications for the tenancy agreement?
Articles:
Other content:
Landlord Law Procedures and forms These set out procedures to be followed in specific circumstances. They should be incorporated into your tenancy to make life easier for both landlord and tenants.
The Property Condition
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What can the Landlord do if the tenant won’t let him in to do inspections and repairs?
- What can the landlord do if the tenant is not looking after the property properly?
- Do landlords need to get a new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if it runs out before the end of the tenancy?
- When do landlords need to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
- What are the penalties for not providing an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
- What rules do landlords need to comply with under the Gas Regulations?
Other content:
The Property Access Kit. This is a very detailed kit with not only guidance on how to gain access but also a lot of helpful information about your legal obligations as a landlord.
Ending Tenancies
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What procedure should we follow if we want to pay our tenant to vacate (cash for keys)
- How should I respond to a tenants Notice to Quit?
- What do I need to do before I can serve a section 21 notice?
- What is a Break Clause?
- Can I evict sitting tenants after I have bought a property?
- How long do the possession notices last before the Landlord needs to serve another one? England
- How much notice should a tenant give if he wants to leave?
- How should I activate a break clause?
- Our tenant is in prison – how do we deal with this?
- What is a Notice to Quit?
- What notice should I serve if I want to end a periodic tenancy?
- What notices need to be served on the tenant if you want to evict?
- What should landlords do if lodgers or household members stay on after the tenants have left?
- What happens if there are joint tenants and one tenant leaves?
Articles:
Other content:
The End of Tenancy Checklist. This is a new version of the checklist for the post Renters Rights Act world. It will replace the existing checklist on 1 May 2026 but is available for you to read now.
Court Proceedings
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- How long do the possession notices last before the Landlord needs to serve another one? England
- How long will the eviction process take?
- What is a Notice to Quit?
- What notice should I serve if I want to end a periodic tenancy?
- What notices need to be served on the tenant if you want to evict?
- When can a landlord evict a tenant? England
Other content:
The Which Possession Proceedings Guide now has a separate section for post 1 May 2026 evictions.
Mandatory and Discretionary Grounds for Eviction under the Housing Act 1988
