Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act Timeline: Three Phases of Change
The Act rolls out across three distinct phases, from May 2026 onward. Here is what changes when, and exactly what you need to do to stay ahead of each deadline.
Phase 1
1st May 2026
Tenancy Reform
Phase 2
Dates TBC
Registration
Phase 3
2035
Standards
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 delivers its changes across three phases. Phase 1 (1st May 2026) is the most immediate: Section 21 abolished, all existing tenancies convert to periodic, and new Section 8 possession grounds take effect. Phase 2 introduces the mandatory Private Rented Sector Database and landlord ombudsman; mandatory ombudsman membership is expected around 2028 and the database has no confirmed start date yet. Letting while unregistered will be a civil penalty of up to £7,000 first, not automatically a criminal offence. Phase 3 extends the Decent Homes Standard to all private rented properties from 2035; the government also has the power to extend Awaab's Law to the private sector, but no date is confirmed.
Tenancy & Eviction Reform
The largest and most immediate set of changes - affecting every private tenancy in England from day one. Phase 1 abolishes Section 21, ends fixed-term tenancies, and introduces a comprehensive new framework for rent, possession and tenant rights.
What changes in this phase
- ✕Section 21 'no-fault' evictions permanently abolished - all possession must use Section 8
- ↻All new tenancies must be periodic from day one - fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies abolished
- ⚖Reformed Section 8 possession grounds take effect, including new grounds for selling and moving in
- £Rent increases limited to once per 12 months via formal Section 13 notice - tribunal challenge rights enhanced
- ⛔Rental bidding wars banned - inviting or accepting offers above the advertised rent carries a civil penalty of up to £7,000, not a criminal conviction
- 🐾Tenants gain a statutory right to request permission to keep pets - blanket 'no pets' clauses unenforceable
- 🚫'No DSS' and family status discrimination explicitly unlawful from point of advertising
- 📋All existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies automatically convert to Assured Periodic Tenancies on 1st May 2026 - regardless of whether the fixed term has expired or not
What landlords must do
- Update all tenancy agreement templates - any fixed-term clauses are now invalid
- Replace Section 21 notice templates with updated Section 8 forms
- Live Section 21 notices: court proceedings must be filed by 31st July 2026 at the latest, or sooner if six months from the date the notice was served expires first
- Remove discriminatory terms from all advertising and agency instructions
- Set up a Section 13 rent review process for all upcoming increases
- Update your pet policy - blanket bans are unenforceable, establish a formal request process
Need the full detail on each Phase 1 change?
Read all 16 key changesRegistration & Dispute Resolution
Phase 2 establishes the infrastructure that underpins the new regulatory framework. The Private Rented Sector Database and the mandatory landlord ombudsman will require every private landlord in England to register. Neither is in force yet: mandatory ombudsman membership is expected in 2028, and no start date has been set for the database. Once they are live, non-compliance will be a civil penalty of up to £7,000 first, not automatically a criminal offence.
What changes in this phase
- 🏛Private Rented Sector Database (Property Portal) opens - all landlords must register themselves and every property
- 📋Tenants can verify landlord and property registration online before signing a tenancy
- ⚖Private Rented Sector Ombudsman becomes operational - all landlords must join the scheme, with membership expected to become mandatory in 2028
- ⚠Non-membership of the Ombudsman scheme will carry a civil penalty of up to £7,000; criminal liability (up to £40,000) arises only on a continuing or repeat breach
- 🔍Local authorities gain direct portal access, enabling targeted enforcement against non-compliant landlords
- 📁Landlords are expected to demonstrate current compliance at registration - the exact requirements will be set by secondary legislation
What landlords must do
- Register on the Private Rented Sector Database as soon as it opens - do not wait
- Join the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman scheme as soon as membership becomes mandatory - expected in 2028
- Renew your Energy Performance Certificate if it will expire in 2026
- Ensure gas safety certificates are current (renewed annually)
- Commission an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) if overdue (required every 5 years)
- Monitor official Government announcements for confirmed launch dates
Property Standards Enforcement
Phase 3 extends the Decent Homes Standard - long applied to social housing - to all private rented properties from 2035. The government also has the power to extend Awaab's Law hazard timelines to the private sector, though the date for that is still to be confirmed. Together these changes represent the most significant shift in physical property standards for the private rented sector in decades.
What changes in this phase
- 🏠Decent Homes Standard formally applied to all private rented properties in England
- ✓All private rentals must be free from Category 1 HHSRS hazards, in good repair, and thermally comfortable
- 🔧Awaab's Law may be extended to the private rented sector - the government holds the power, but no date and no private-sector timescales have been confirmed. The current 24-hour emergency and 10-working-day damp and mould deadlines apply to social housing only
- 🔍Local authorities gain enhanced inspection and enforcement powers to compel property improvements
- ⚠Landlords who fail to meet the standard face enforcement action, civil penalties and potential prohibition orders
- 📋Full secondary legislation provisions in force - the complete regulatory framework is operational
What landlords must do
- Commission a property condition audit now - especially for older or pre-1980s stock
- Address Category 1 HHSRS hazards proactively - do not wait for a tenant complaint
- Upgrade heating systems that may not meet the thermal comfort standard
- Implement a formal maintenance logging system for all tenant-reported issues
- Set up written records of every complaint, inspection and repair - these are evidence
- Monitor secondary legislation for exact compliance timeframes and grace periods
Immediate Actions
What Landlords Should Do Right Now
These are the five most important steps every private landlord should take now to ensure full compliance with the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
Read all 16 key changes
Understand the full scope of Phase 1 changes - now in force, every change explained in plain English.
Read the key changesUpdate your tenancy agreements
Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy templates are now legally invalid for any tenancy starting after 1st May 2026. Act now.
Open the checklistReview any live Section 21 notices
If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1st May 2026, court proceedings must be filed by 31st July 2026 at the latest, or sooner if six months from the date the notice was served expires first.
Learn moreCheck your compliance documents
Ensure your EPC, gas safety certificate and EICR are all current - they are expected to be required for the Phase 2 Property Portal registration.
Open the checklistRegister free for update alerts
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