Your Questions, 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. After that date the notice is invalid — 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; cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell) — new mandatory ground; 4 months' notice required; cannot be used in the first 12 months; 3-month restriction on re-letting afterwards. Ground 4A (student tenancies) — new mandatory ground for full-time student lets; 4 months' notice required; notice end date must fall between 1 June and 30 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 6A (demolition or redevelopment) — 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) — 2 weeks' notice; strengthened with a faster process for serious cases. 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.

Yes — for 2026 only, there is a transitional rule. Landlords can serve a Ground 4A notice between 1st May 2026 and 31st July 2026 giving tenants only 2 months notice instead of the usual 4 months. The notice period must still end between 1st June and 30th September. This transitional rule only applies for 2026 and will not apply in subsequent years.

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 email attachment. 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 — it is not an obligation that rests solely with the landlord. However, the ultimate responsibility for compliance 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. Failure to ensure it is provided can affect your ability to use certain possession grounds.

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).

Yes — sending the PDF as an attachment to a text message or email is valid. What is NOT valid is sending a link to the document. The PDF must be attached directly to the email or text message. Letting agents must also provide the Information Sheet to tenants even if the landlord has already done so.

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 must provide a Written Statement to your tenant by 31st May 2026 instead of the Government Information Sheet; (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 appeals a rent increase to the First-tier Tribunal and the Tribunal makes a decision, the 12-month anniversary date for the next permitted rent increase resets from the date of the Tribunal decision — not from the original tenancy start date. Landlords should track this carefully as it affects when the next Section 13 notice can be served.

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 pauses the 28-day clock). Failure to respond within 28 days 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.

No — the requirement for pet insurance was removed from the final Act. Landlords cannot make consent conditional on the tenant taking out pet damage insurance. However, if your own building insurance or contents policy requires pet cover, you may ask the tenant to arrange this as a practical matter. You cannot charge a separate pet deposit — the standard deposit rules and caps apply regardless of whether a pet is present.

Not yet. Awaab's Law has been in force for SOCIAL housing only since 27 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). The most informed estimate from sources including NRLA, Goodlord and Shelter is that PRS Awaab's Law will not come into force before 2027. 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 — Phase 3 commencement is TBC subject to consultation, expected late 2026 / 2027+. 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 Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is expected to become enforceable in Phase 3 (late 2026 / 2027+, subject to consultation), 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 TBC, most likely 2027), it will add further statutory timeframes and enforcement rights. Tenants can also use the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman 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 Landlord Database — commonly referred to as the Property Portal — is a new government-backed register of all private landlords and their rental properties in England. All landlords must register themselves and each property they let. Tenants can check their landlord's registration status online. Local authorities use the database to target enforcement action against non-compliant landlords. It is expected to launch in Phase 2, late 2026.

The Property Portal is expected to launch in late 2026 as part of Phase 2 of the Act's rollout. The exact launch date will be set by secondary legislation. Registration windows and any grace periods will be announced by the Government ahead of launch. Register free at RentersRightsAct.info to receive an email alert as soon as the confirmed date is announced.

At registration, landlords will need to provide: their full name and contact details; the address of each rental property they let; and evidence of compliance with key legal obligations. This is expected to include a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), an annual gas safety certificate, and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR, required every 5 years). The exact scope of required information will be confirmed in secondary legislation.

Letting a property without registering is a criminal offence under the Act. Penalties include substantial civil fines and being recorded as a non-compliant landlord on the database itself — which can affect your ability to let properties in future. Additionally, if a tenant discovers their landlord is unregistered, they are entitled to apply for a Rent Repayment Order, potentially clawing back up to 24 months of rent.

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 expected to become operational in late 2026 as part of Phase 2 of the Act.

Yes — membership is mandatory for all private landlords in England without exception, whether you manage your property directly or through a letting agent. Operating as a landlord without being registered with the Ombudsman is a criminal offence. Fines of up to £5,000 apply for non-membership. Note that your letting agent's Ombudsman membership does not automatically cover you as the landlord — 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 Ombudsman; the ability to verify their landlord's registration on the Property Portal; and stronger repair rights (including Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard, both coming for PRS — commencement TBC, likely 2027+).

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. It is a criminal offence with fines for breach. 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.

Attempting possession using grounds that are not legally valid — or using valid grounds in bad faith — is a serious 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. In some cases, illegal eviction attempts result in a Rent Repayment Order requiring the landlord to repay 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. The lookback period has also extended to two years. Offences that can trigger an RRO include operating an unlicensed property, breaching an improvement notice, and misusing possession grounds.