The Renters Rights Act received Royal Assent on Monday 27^th October 2025.

The Act introduces significant changes for landlord and tenants in the private rented sector. If you live in social housing or are a lodger, the new rules will not usually apply to you.

For more information please see The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026

These major changes will take effect from 1^st May 2026. It is important to note that that a landlord may not put anything into a tenancy agreement which will stop the new changes applying. They will also apply even if your landlord does not update the tenancy that you already have.

If you do not have a written tenancy agreement, then your landlord must provide you with certain information before 31^st May 2026.

Changes to fixed terms

From 1^st May 2026 it will not be possible for a tenancy to last for a fixed period or end on a set date. Your tenancy will be on a rolling basis and if it had an end date this will no longer apply.

This means that your tenancy will continue until you and your landlord decide together to end it, or you end the tenancy by giving notice or if you landlord ends it, and they must have a valid reason to do this.

Change to tenancy names

Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreements will be abolished on 1 May 2026 and will automatically become called an Assured Periodic Tenancy. Please note this wil

Rent increases

Your tenancy agreement may contain rent review clauses. These are terms in the agreement that allow the landlord to increase the rent. If you have a rent review clause in your current tenancy agreement, it will not apply after 1^st May 2026.

Landlords must instead use the process in section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 for increasing the rent. They will only be allowed to increase the rent once a year. To do this they will need to give you written notice of the proposed rent increase at least 2 months in advance using a form called Form 4A.

Any rent increase must be no higher than the open market rent. If you think the proposed increase is above market rate, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

If your landlord wants to end your tenancy

Your landlord will not be able to end your tenancy without a reason.

Until now a tenancy agreement may say that your landlord can evict you without a reason. This was known as a section 21 (or no fault) eviction. These notices can no longer be issued from 1^st May 2026. even if your tenancy agreement says that they can.

Your landlord will now need a legal reason to evict you. These reasons are called grounds for possession. They can include reasons like you have not paid your rent on time or you have committed anti-social behaviour. There are many more grounds and a full list of these grounds can be found here.

You cannot be required to leave under some grounds for the first 12 months of a tenancy. These include if your landlord intends to sell the property, if your landlord or their family member wants to move into the property. For more information visit the above link.

Your landlord will need to give you a section 8 notice of seeking possession, using one or more of the grounds for possession. A section 8 notice must state the date by which your landlord is asking you to leave. They must give you the required amount of time under each ground.

If you have not left by the end of the notice period, your landlord will need to apply to court to get the property back. This is called applying for a possession order.

At court, the landlord must provide evidence that they have a valid reason to evict you. You will have the opportunity to explain why the eviction is unreasonable under certain grounds.

If you want to end the tenancy

You will be able to end the tenancy at any time by giving your landlord two months’ notice in writing. You must make sure that the tenancy ends on a day when the rent is due or the day before the rent is due. You can agree a shorter notice period with the landlord in writing.

New rules on pets in rentals

You will will have the right to request to keep a pet, and your landlord cannot unreasonably refuse and if they do so they will need to explain why in writing. You will also be able to challenge this decision in court.

Stronger protections against tenant discrimination

The new law bans discrimination against tenants on benefits or with children.

Landlords and agents will still have the final say on who they let their property to and can carry out referencing checks to make sure tenancies are sustainable for all parties. They will be able to do this based on affordability, but not on the basis the prospective tenant has children or is in receipt of benefits.

Further Information

The government has a detailed advice page that will help provide further information about tenancy changes, and they have also published a full guide to the Renters rights Act.