What Do I Need to Do on 1st May 2026 as a Landlord?

1st May 2026 is the biggest day in private renting in 30 years. Here is exactly what you need to do as a landlord before, on, and after that date.

The 1st May 2026 is not just another date in the calendar. It is the day the Renters' Rights Act 2025 comes into force — the biggest change to private renting in England since 1988. Every private landlord in England needs to be prepared.

Here is exactly what you need to do.

Before 1st May 2026

Understand what is changing

From 1st May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) automatically convert to assured periodic tenancies. This means your fixed-term tenancies become rolling monthly tenancies whether you like it or not. You do not need to issue new tenancy agreements — this happens automatically by law.

Section 21 — the no-fault eviction notice — is abolished entirely from this date. You will no longer be able to ask a tenant to leave without a legally valid reason.

Review your tenancies

Go through each of your properties and check:

Is there a written tenancy agreement in place?
Who are the named tenants?
What is the current rent and when was it last increased?

This information is important because the new rules affect each tenancy differently depending on its current status.

On and After 1st May 2026

Issue the Government Information Sheet

Every landlord with an existing tenancy must give their tenants a copy of the official Government Information Sheet by 31st May 2026. This is a legal requirement. Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to £7,000.

The information sheet must be delivered in one of these valid ways:

Printed hard copy by post
Printed hard copy by hand
PDF attached to an email

Sending a link to the document is not valid. Sending a text message is not valid.

Stop using Section 21

From 1st May 2026, any Section 21 notice you serve will be invalid. If you need to regain possession of your property, you must use a Section 8 notice with a valid legal ground.

Rent increases

From this date, you can only increase rent once per year. You must use a Section 13 notice (Form 4A) and give your tenant at least two months' written notice. Any rent review clauses in existing tenancy agreements that allow more frequent increases will no longer apply.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

If you ignore these changes you risk:

Fines of up to £7,000 for a first breach
Fines of up to £40,000 for repeated breaches
Invalid eviction notices that courts will throw out
Damaged relationships with your tenants

Summary Checklist

[ ] Understand your tenancies convert automatically on 1st May 2026
[ ] Obtain the Government Information Sheet from GOV.UK
[ ] Deliver the Information Sheet to every named tenant by 31st May 2026
[ ] Stop using Section 21 from 1st May 2026
[ ] Use Section 8 with valid grounds for any possession claims
[ ] Only increase rent once per year via Section 13 / Form 4A