At the end of October last year, the Renters’ Rights Bill was passed, marking a significant change to private renting law in England.
The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are ten key things you need to know.
From 1st May 2026, under the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA):
1. Fixed-term tenancies will be abolished
This means you can no longer be required to commit to a minimum term – commonly 6 or 12 months – and the assured shorthold tenancy (AST) will be replaced by a new assured periodic ‘rolling’ tenancy agreement (APT).
The most important things to know are that:
a. All fixed-term ASTs will automatically convert to APTs, meaning any fixed end date in your current agreement will no longer be valid.
b. You will be able to give two months’ notice at any point from the start of your tenancy (Giving two months’ notice to the landlord must be in line with the rent due date so care is needed that this may default to three months’ notice if you have just missed the rent due date).
2. All tenancies will need to have a written agreement
Although it is usual and best practice to have a written tenancy agreement, there is currently no legal requirement for this. Under the RRA, all landlords and agents will need to provide you with a written document that contains specific government-mandated information – verbal agreements alone will not be valid.
3. There will be new tenancy documentation from 1st May 2026
If you begin or renew a tenancy after this date, make sure that you are being provided with an up-to-date periodic agreement that reflects all the changes. No reputable agent or landlord should still be using an AST after 1st May.
If you have an existing written tenancy agreement, this does not need to be changed or re-issued. Your landlord or agent will simply need to give you a copy of a government-produced information sheet that explains how the reforms have affected the tenancy.
4. Section 21 will be abolished
Your landlord will no longer be able to evict you unless they have a legally valid ground under section 8. Many of the grounds have also been revised so that landlords have to give more notice.
Two of the most significant changes:
• If you fall into arrears with your rent, notice can’t be served until you are 3 months behind (increased from 2 months) and the notice period has been doubled, from 2 weeks to 4.
• If the landlord wants to sell the property, they can’t evict you within the first 12 months of your tenancy and must give you 4 months’ notice.
5. Rent can only be increased once every 12 months
Landlords must issue you with a section 13, giving you at least two months’ notice, and the increase must be in line with market rates.
If you think the increase is unfair, you can challenge it via the First-Tier Tribunal, and the process has been changed to remove the financial risk for tenants:
• The Tribunal will no longer be able to rule that a fair rent is higher than the amount the landlord is proposing.
• If the new rent is ruled fair, it can no longer be backdated to the expiry of the section 13 notice – it will simply take effect from the date of the ruling.
• If the Tribunal considers you are struggling financially, it could delay the increase taking effect for up to 2 months.
6. Landlords will not be able to refuse pets without a good reason
You will have the right to request a pet – ‘blanket’ bans by landlords will no longer be legal. However this does not automatically mean you can have a pet. For example, if it’s a flat or leasehold house, pets might be banned. If the landlord has an allergy to pets, you may not be able to keep them. Check with your landlord or letting agent first.
7. Landlords won’t be able to refuse tenants because they have children or are on benefits
Discrimination laws have been tightened up so that landlords will no longer be able to reject a tenant simply because they are receiving benefits or have children.
However, you will still need to pass financial checks and be aware that another applicant may be more suitable for the property for an unrelated reason – e.g. the length of time they want to rent for.
8. ‘Bidding wars’ for new tenancies will be banned
Landlords and agents won’t be able to accept offers above the advertised rent amount, so you can no longer ‘outbid’ other tenants to secure a property.
9. Payment in advance will be limited to one month’s rent
Sometimes, in order to secure a property, either a tenant will offer to pay several months’ rent in advance, or the landlord will request it. This is more common if there is some doubt about the tenant’s finances, e.g. if they are freelance and don’t have a consistent income.
Under the RRA, an alternative will be having a guarantor or paying for a guarantor service. This may mean it will be more of a challenge for some tenants to rent post May 1st 2026.
10. Your landlord or managing agent should be informing you about these changes
Our lettings experts are always on hand to answer any questions and you can find more information on the Renters’ Rights for tenants page on our website.
If you have any queries, simply contact your nearest branch and one of the team will be very happy to help.
