Renters' Rights Act: What it means for tenants and landlords

Described as the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, new laws giving tenants more rights will be introduced on Friday 1 May.

The Renters' Rights Act aims to give more than 11 million people who rent from a private landlord more stability and security.

The new rules also mean big changes for landlords, with some warning that there could be delays evicting bad tenants from their properties.

Fixed term tenancies, where renters are tied into a 12 or 24-month contract, are banned under the new rules. Instead, properties will be rented on a "periodic" or rolling basis.

This means that tenants who wish to remain in a property can do so. The government says the change will provide renters with greater security.

Tenants who want to leave can give two months' notice. The government says this will end "the injustice of tenants being trapped paying rent for substandard properties".

Existing tenants do not need to sign a new contract as the change happens automatically.

If you are a renter, your landlord or agent is required to provide you with an information sheet about the changes.

The Renters' Rights Act applies to England. Scotland has had periodic agreements for tenancies since 2017, but Wales and Northern Ireland still allow fixed-term contracts.

More than 11,000 households in England had their homes repossessed by bailiffs following a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction in the year to June 2025.

Under the new law, the grounds for evicting tenants are significantly tightened up.

Any eviction notices issued before the end of April 2026 still apply.

But from 1 May, a landlord deciding to evict a tenant must have a valid legal reason to do so.

This includes wanting to sell or move into a property themselves. (But not within the first 12 months of a tenancy).

Tenants can also be evicted if they damage the property, or commit antisocial behaviour.

If they fall significantly behind paying the rent - known as rent arrears - the landlord can give notice at any point.

Under the new rules, if a tenant does not leave after the four months' notice period, a court will decide whether to order possession of the property.

Landlords will also no longer be able to evict tenants for complaining about poor conditions.

In a later phase of changes to England's renting rules, expected by 2027, "Awaab's Law" will take effect.

Named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after being exposed to mould in his Rochdale home, this will require hazards to be repaired within a certain timeframe.

However, a mandatory "Decent Homes Standard", to bring conditions in line with the social sector, won't be enforced until 2035.

Landlords will need to give two months' notice and can only increase rent once a year to "the market rate".

If a tenant believes the amount is excessive, they can challenge the landlord at a type of civil court called a first-tier tribunal.

The new law will also end the practice of "bidding wars", so new tenants cannot be asked to pay more than the advertised price.

Average UK monthly private rents increased by 3.5%, to £1,367, in the 12 months to January 2026 according to a provisional estimate by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Some campaigners in England feel the act doesn't go far enough to help with affordability and would like rent caps to be introduced.

Scotland has introduced rent controls, which are expected to start in 2027.

There are no changes to the rules of the protected deposit schemes currently operating in England to cover potential damages.

The maximum a landlord can ask for remains:

However, landlords will only be able to request one month's rent in advance to secure a tenancy - or 28 days' rent for tenancies with rental periods of less than one month.

Some landlords warn this could mean groups with insecure income, or overseas students, could be less likely to find a home in future. Many would previously have paid several months' rent in advance.

It will be illegal for landlords and agents to discriminate against prospective tenants who receive benefits or who have children.

However, landlords and agents will still be able to do reference and affordability checks before selecting a tenant.

A landlord must consider a request to have a pet and cannot "unreasonably" refuse.

Tenants will be able to challenge decisions of they think they are unfair.

Councils will be required to ensure landlords are complying.

Landlords seriously or repeatedly breaking the law will face fines of up to £40,000.

The government says councils have received a share of £60m to pay for enforcement.

Landlords need to go through the courts to get possession of their home if a tenant refuses to leave.

Some landlord groups are concerned that scrapping section 21 "no fault" evictions and requiring court hearings for disputes could worsen already lengthy court delays.

According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, private landlords currently wait 26 weeks - a median figure - between bringing a claim and being able to repossess a property. Ten years ago, it was approximately 16 weeks.

Data from the National Residential Landlords' Association suggests the average rent loss per property is more than £12,000 nationally, and more than £19,000 in London per property.

The government says it is recruiting up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all courts and tribunals.

It says that it expects reforms to reduce pressure on the courts in the long-term.

Some landlords have warned that they could leave the market because of the changes.

The National Residential Landlords Association says it does not believe there will be an "exodus", but that some landlords may be more risk averse about who they rent to.

Advice for landlords published by the government includes a reminder that tenants must be given the information sheet on how the Renters' Rights Act affects their tenancy.