Landlord FAQs: the Renters' Rights Act, answered in plain English

Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 was the 'no-fault' eviction notice that allowed landlords to end a tenancy without giving any reason. It was permanently abolished on 1st May 2026, the commencement date for Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Since that date, no new Section 21 notices can be served. Every possession claim must instead cite a specific legal ground under the reformed Section 8 system.

Yes: landlords retain the right to recover possession of their property. The reformed Section 8 grounds provide a comprehensive route to possession when there is a valid legal reason. These include grounds for rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, breach of tenancy conditions, the landlord wishing to sell the property, or the landlord or a close family member needing to move in. The process requires a court possession order in most cases.

If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1st May 2026, you can still issue court possession proceedings until 31st July 2026 at the latest, or sooner if six months from the date the notice was served expires first. After that the notice is invalid and you must restart using Section 8. Pre-1-May proceedings already underway continue to judgment as normal.

Key new and changed grounds include: Ground 1 (landlord or close family member needs to move in): 4 months' notice required; the date in the notice must be at least 1 year after the tenancy began. Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell): new mandatory ground; 4 months' notice required; the same 1-year rule applies. For both, from the day the notice is served until 12 months after the date in it, the landlord cannot let or advertise the property, even if the tenant leaves; breaking this is a criminal offence. Ground 4A (student tenancies): new mandatory ground for full-time student lets; 4 months' notice required; notice end date must fall between 1st June and 30th September; requires a separate prior written notice to the tenant (not the government information sheet) served before or at the tenancy start; for existing tenancies this must be served by 31st May 2026. Ground 6 (demolition or redevelopment), a mandatory ground; Ground 6A (compliance with enforcement action), a new mandatory ground. Ground 8 (serious rent arrears): 4 weeks' notice; tenant must be in at least 3 months' arrears (or 13 weeks for weekly/fortnightly tenancies) at both the notice date and the court hearing date. Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour) has no minimum notice period, but if it is the only ground a possession order cannot take effect within the 14 days beginning with the day the notice is served. All notices must use the updated prescribed forms; existing templates are invalid.

The Government has committed to court reform alongside the abolition of Section 21 to ensure the Section 8 process operates more efficiently. Timescales will vary based on court workload, the ground being used, and whether the tenant contests the claim. Mandatory grounds, where a court must grant possession, are generally faster than discretionary grounds, where the court has a choice. For serious cases such as rent arrears or anti-social behaviour, an expedited process is expected to be available.

Ground 4A only applies to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or properties that form part of an HMO. It does not apply to non-HMO student properties. For Ground 4A to apply, all tenants must have been full-time students when they signed the tenancy (or will become students during it), the landlord must intend to re-let to students, and the tenancy must have been signed less than 6 months before the move-in date. Crucially, the landlord must have given written notice of their intention to use Ground 4A before the tenancy was signed.

There is a transitional arrangement for 2026, but treat the specific figures with caution. Landlord-body guidance indicates that a Ground 4A notice served during a window in 2026 may use a shorter notice period than the usual 4 months. That shortened period and the exact service window are not set out in the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the Housing Act 1988 notice-period table, or the prescribed-forms regulations, so they are secondary guidance rather than settled law; confirm the current position on GOV.UK before relying on a shorter period. The standard Ground 4A notice period is 4 months, and any notice end date must fall between 1 June and 30 September.

Yes: for all new tenancies starting on or after 1st May 2026. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy agreements are no longer valid. Any agreement that purports to create a fixed term is legally invalid and unenforceable. You must use a periodic tenancy agreement that reflects the new rules. All existing assured shorthold tenancies, including those currently on a fixed term, automatically converted to periodic tenancies on 1st May 2026.

A periodic tenancy has no fixed end date: it rolls on indefinitely (typically month-to-month, or week-to-week if rent is paid weekly) until either party takes steps to end it. A tenant can end it by giving two months' written notice at any point, including from the very first day of the tenancy. A landlord can only end a periodic tenancy by obtaining a court possession order using a valid Section 8 ground. Neither party can simply 'walk away' without following the correct legal process.

Not in the form of a fixed-term AST: all new tenancies must be periodic with no fixed end date. However, nothing prevents you from entering into a written tenancy agreement with a tenant. It simply cannot specify a fixed end date. In practice, a tenant must give two months' notice to leave, which creates a de facto minimum period before the tenancy can end. If you want longer-term certainty, registering free on this site means you will be alerted to any future developments.

Under the new rules, tenants must give two months' written notice to end a periodic tenancy. This applies from day one of the tenancy: there is no minimum period before a tenant can serve notice to leave. This replaces the previous one-month notice requirement that applied to most periodic tenancies. The notice must be in writing and comply with any requirements in the tenancy agreement.

All existing fixed-term tenancies automatically converted to periodic tenancies on 1st May 2026, regardless of whether the fixed term had expired. The rent and other contractual terms continue to apply, but the tenancy became periodic from that date: tenants can give two months' notice to leave, and landlords must use Section 8 grounds for possession. You cannot agree a new fixed term now the Act is in force.

No. Sending a link, whether by text message, email body, WhatsApp or any other digital means, does not constitute valid delivery of the government information sheet. The sheet must be provided as a physical document or a PDF attachment. Valid methods of delivery are: a printed copy handed to the tenant in person; a printed copy sent by post to the tenant's address; or the official PDF sent as an attachment to an email or text message. Simply sharing a URL to the GOV.UK website or the PDF download page is not sufficient and does not meet the legal requirement. The document must also be provided unaltered: you cannot edit, annotate or reformat it.

It depends on the arrangement, but in most cases both you as the landlord and your letting agent have an obligation. Where a letting agent manages the tenancy on behalf of a landlord, the agent is typically required to provide the government information sheet to tenants, but it is not an obligation that rests solely with the landlord. However, the ultimate responsibility lies with you as the landlord, so you should confirm with your agent that the sheet is being provided correctly at the start of every new tenancy. For an existing tenancy, failing to serve the information sheet does not bar any possession ground; the consequence is a civil penalty of up to £7,000 (section 16I of the Housing Act 1988).

Yes. Every named tenant on the tenancy agreement must receive a copy of the government information sheet. It is not sufficient to give a single copy to one tenant in a joint tenancy and expect them to share it with the others. Each individual named tenant must be provided with their own copy, delivered in one of the valid ways: printed in person, posted, or as a PDF email attachment (not a link).

The key rule is that a link is never valid: you must not send a link to the PDF by email, text or any other means. The Information Sheet must be the official PDF sent as an attachment, or a printed hard copy given by hand or by post. A PDF attached to an email is the confirmed electronic method; if you are unsure whether another channel counts as valid service, use a printed copy or an email attachment to be safe.

A Written Statement of Terms is a separate document required in two situations: (1) if you have a verbal tenancy agreement that was entered into before 1st May 2026, you were required to provide a Written Statement to your tenant by 31st May 2026 instead of the Government Information Sheet; if you haven't done so, seek legal advice; (2) for all new tenancies created on or after 1st May 2026, the Written Statement must be provided before the tenancy agreement is signed. The information can be included within the tenancy agreement itself or given separately.

You can only increase the rent once in any 12-month period. This applies to all periodic tenancies from 1st May 2026. You cannot make informal rent increase agreements: all increases must go through the formal Section 13 notice process. If you attempt an increase without following the correct process, the increase will not be legally effective, even if the tenant verbally or informally agrees.

A Section 13 notice is the formal legal mechanism for increasing rent in a periodic tenancy. Under the Renters' Rights Act, you must use the prescribed Form 4A and give at least two months' notice (this applies regardless of whether rent is paid monthly or weekly). The notice must state the proposed new rent and the date it takes effect. Any increase not made using a valid Form 4A is legally ineffective, regardless of whether the tenant verbally or informally agrees to pay more.

Yes. A tenant who receives a Section 13 notice can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to have the increase assessed. The Tribunal determines whether the proposed rent is at or below the market rent for the property. If a challenge is submitted, the existing rent remains payable until the Tribunal issues its decision. Importantly, the Tribunal cannot set the rent higher than your proposed figure, so challenging an increase carries no 'backfire' risk for tenants.

Yes: when a new tenancy begins with a new tenant, you can set the rent at whatever figure both parties agree. The once-per-year restriction and Section 13 process apply during an existing tenancy, not at the point of creating a new one with a different tenant. There is no cap on the rent you can advertise or agree for a new tenancy, provided you are not running a bidding process above the advertised figure.

If a tenant challenges a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal, the Tribunal decides the rent and the date from which it takes effect. The once-a-year limit on increases still applies, so the timing of your next permitted Section 13 increase runs from when the new rent takes effect rather than from the original tenancy start date. Track this carefully and check the current GOV.UK guidance before serving the next notice.

No: since 1st May 2026, landlords cannot require more than one month's rent in advance for new tenancies. No rent can be taken at all before the tenancy agreement is signed. Any clause in a new tenancy agreement requiring advance rent of more than one month is void and unenforceable. Tenants can choose to voluntarily pay more after the agreement is signed, but you cannot require or invite this. Note: existing tenancies signed before 1st May 2026 are not affected: existing advance rent arrangements remain valid for those tenancies.

No: rental bidding has been banned since 1st May 2026. You must advertise your property at a set price and cannot invite or accept offers above that advertised rent. Properties must be let at the price they were originally listed.

Not automatically, but you cannot operate a blanket 'no pets' policy. Tenants have a statutory right to make a written request to keep a pet, and you must consider every request fairly and respond in writing within 28 days. Refusal must be based on specific reasonable grounds, not simply a preference not to allow animals. Any blanket 'no pets' clause in a tenancy agreement is unenforceable under the new rules.

The formal process: (1) Tenant submits a written pet request. (2) Within 28 days you must respond in writing with consent, refusal with specific stated reasons, or a request for further information (which moves the deadline to 7 days after you get the information, if that is later). Missing the deadline is a breach of the landlord's obligation but does not automatically grant consent. You cannot charge a separate pet deposit: the standard deposit rules and caps apply regardless of whether a pet is present.

Reasonable grounds for refusal include: the property's own head lease or superior lease prohibits pets; the specific animal is clearly unsuitable for the property (e.g. a large dog in a very small flat with no garden); a documented allergy condition of a planned future resident; or the property's design makes keeping the specific animal impractical. A general preference not to allow pets, or a concern about wear and tear alone, is not a valid reason for refusal under the new rules.

In practice, no. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 permits only a defined list of payments and pet insurance is not among them, so you cannot require the tenant to pay for it as a condition of consent. You also cannot charge a separate pet deposit: the standard deposit rules and caps apply regardless of whether a pet is present. If your own building or contents policy requires pet cover, the cost of that sits with you, not the tenant.

Not yet. Awaab's Law has been in force for SOCIAL housing only since 27th October 2025. While the Renters' Rights Act 2025 contains provisions to extend Awaab's Law to the private rented sector, the Government has explicitly stated that PRS commencement is 'TBC subject to consultation' (per the official Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025 roadmap). No commencement date for PRS Awaab's Law has been confirmed. When it does commence, the timeframes are expected to mirror those for social housing: 24 hours to investigate emergency hazards, 10 working days to investigate significant damp and mould, and binding fixed-period repair obligations. Private landlords should treat this as proactive preparation, not yet a current legal duty. Existing obligations under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 remain unchanged and continue to apply.

The Decent Homes Standard is the minimum quality benchmark long applied to social housing. Under Phase 3 of the Renters' Rights Act, it will be extended to all private rented homes in England. The January 2026 government response confirmed it will apply from 2035 in both the social and private rented sectors; it is not yet in force. To meet the standard, a property must be: free from Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS); in a reasonable state of repair; equipped with reasonably modern facilities; and provide adequate thermal comfort. Landlords with older stock should begin auditing properties proactively.

Local authorities have enhanced enforcement powers to compel landlords to bring properties up to standard. This can include serving improvement notices, prohibition orders preventing letting until repairs are made, and civil penalties. The reformed Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is set to apply from 2035 and is not yet in force, but the underlying HHSRS hazard framework, which overlaps significantly, is enforceable right now. Responding promptly to hazard reports is essential to avoid enforcement action.

Yes, under existing law. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, tenants can already take landlords to court for failure to keep the property in repair or fit for human habitation. When Awaab's Law is extended to the PRS (commencement not yet confirmed), it will add further statutory timeframes and enforcement rights. Once the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman is operational, tenants will also have a route for certain repair-related disputes without going to court. Landlords who fail to respond to hazard reports risk enforcement action from the local authority, civil penalties, and potential civil liability claims if a tenant suffers injury or ill-health as a result.

The Private Rented Sector Database, commonly referred to as the Property Portal, and run on GOV.UK as the 'Register your rental property' service, is a new government register of private landlords and the homes they let in England. Once it is in force, landlords will need to register themselves and each property they let, and local authorities will use the database to target enforcement against landlords who do not comply. England only. Registration is due to open region by region from 15th December 2026, starting with the West Midlands (government guidance, 29th October 2026). The regulations still need final approval from Parliament.

England only. Registration is due to open region by region from 15th December 2026, starting with the West Midlands (government guidance, 29th October 2026). The regulations still need final approval from Parliament.

At registration, landlords will need to provide their name and contact details, the address of each property they let, and details of the property and its safety certificates, where it has them. The exact information is set by regulations that still need final approval from Parliament.

These rules are not yet in force. Once the database is live, registration will become a precondition to obtaining a possession order: a court may not make a possession order while the landlord is in breach of the registration duty, except on Grounds 7A and 14. Once the scheme is in force, most breaches, such as failing to register, will carry a council penalty of up to £7,000, not a criminal offence; knowingly or recklessly giving false or misleading information, or carrying on or repeating a breach after a penalty, will be an offence (a fine, or up to £40,000 as a council penalty). False information, and carrying on a breach after a penalty, will also be able to lead to a Rent Repayment Order once those provisions are in force.

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) Ombudsman is a new mandatory dispute resolution scheme for the private rented sector in England. It gives tenants a free, independent route to resolve complaints about their landlord without needing to go to court. The scheme handles disputes about landlord conduct, repair failures, deposit handling, and communication failures. Decisions are binding on landlords. It is a Phase 2 measure that is not yet in force; mandatory membership is expected around 2028.

Yes. When the scheme is in force, membership will be mandatory for all private landlords in England without exception, whether you manage your property directly or through a letting agent. Breaching the membership duty will be a civil penalty of up to £7,000 in the first instance, not a criminal offence; criminal liability arises only from a continuing breach more than 28 days after a penalty is imposed, or a repeat breach within five years. Note that your letting agent's Ombudsman membership does not automatically cover you as the landlord, so check with your agent whether separate registration is required.

The Ombudsman will handle tenant complaints about: failure or unreasonable delay in carrying out repairs; unlawful or unfair treatment; communication failures and lack of responsiveness; deposit disputes (in cases not covered by a deposit protection scheme adjudication); and breaches of the new rules introduced by the Act such as the pet request process or rent increase procedures. It will not handle disputes about rent levels or possession proceedings - these remain matters for the courts.

Yes. The Ombudsman can make binding decisions including: requiring landlords to carry out specific repairs or take specific action; requiring landlords to change their conduct going forward; and ordering the payment of financial compensation to tenants for distress, inconvenience and financial loss caused by the landlord's failure. Landlords who refuse to comply with an Ombudsman decision face further financial penalties and enforcement action.

Tenants in England gain a comprehensive new set of rights including: genuine security of tenure with no more Section 21 evictions; a periodic tenancy with no artificial end date; the right to challenge rent increases at the Tribunal; a statutory right to request a pet; protection from 'No DSS' and family status discrimination; free access to the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman (a Phase 2 measure, not yet in force); and stronger repair rights (Awaab's Law and the reformed Decent Homes Standard are both coming for the PRS but not yet in force, with the Decent Homes Standard set to apply from 2035).

No. It is now explicitly unlawful to refuse to rent to a prospective tenant solely because they receive housing benefit, Universal Credit, or other state benefits. The 'No DSS' practice is banned. This applies from the point of advertising: you cannot market a property with conditions such as 'Working tenants only', 'No housing benefit' or 'No Universal Credit'. Letting agents are also directly liable for applying such policies on behalf of a landlord.

Landlords and letting agents are prohibited from inviting, encouraging or accepting offers above the advertised asking rent. Every rental property must be advertised with a clearly stated rent figure. You cannot invite 'best offers', run competitive bidding rounds, or accept voluntary above-asking offers, even if the tenant initiates the offer. Breach carries a civil penalty of up to £7,000; it is not a criminal offence. This change most significantly affects high-demand areas such as London, Bristol and Manchester, where bidding wars had become widespread.

Since Section 21 is completely abolished, the most common tool for retaliatory eviction, serving a no-fault notice after a tenant complains about repairs or exercises a legal right, is entirely removed. Under the new system, a landlord who uses a Section 8 ground for possession shortly after a tenant has asserted a legal right may face court scrutiny over whether the ground is being used in bad faith. The Ombudsman also provides a route for tenants experiencing unfair treatment.

Relying on a possession ground you do not reasonably believe applies is a breach of the Act. Tenants can defend possession proceedings in court and judges can dismiss claims where the landlord's case is not made out. If the tenant leaves within 4 months without a court order, the council can impose a penalty of up to £7,000, and doing it knowingly or recklessly is a criminal offence (a fine, or a council penalty of up to £40,000) that can also lead to a Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent. In the most serious cases, criminal prosecution for unlawful eviction remains possible.

Since 1st May 2026, the maximum RRO claim covers two years of rent, up from one year. On a property renting at £1,500 per month, a single tenant could claim up to £36,000. Offences that can trigger an RRO include operating an unlicensed property, breaching an improvement notice, and knowingly or recklessly misusing a possession ground where the tenant then leaves within 4 months.