The Renters’ Rights Act comes into force on Friday, handing new entitlements to tenants and imposing steep penalties on non-compliant landlords.
They may be fined up to £7,000 for initial, minor breaches and up to £40,000 for serious, persistent or repeat ones.
It’s been hailed as a “huge step forward in correcting the power imbalance” between tenants and landlords by the likes of SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson.
But, just like any rental contract, the terms can be confusing and it’s important to understand the fine print.
We try to help you do so here.
Tenancy end dates
From 1 May, almost all tenancies will become rolling tenancies, meaning any end date in your tenancy agreement will no longer apply.
Just agreed a new fixed-term tenancy? That doesn’t make a difference.
If tenants wish to leave from 1 May, they’ll need to provide two months’ notice, unless the landlord agrees to fewer.
Tenants can stay in the property for as long as they like until a landlord serves a valid notice or obtains a court order.
Evictions
What constitutes a valid notice is changing dramatically. The new rules abolish section 21 “no-fault” evictions, meaning landlords must have a specific, legally valid reason to take possession.
This includes antisocial behaviour or a tenant failing to pay rent or damaging the property, as well as the landlord simply wanting to sell or move into the property.
Importantly, a section 21 notice served on or before 30 April 2026 will still be valid afterwards.
Rent
Landlords will only be allowed to increase the rent once every year.
They’ll need to provide two months’ notice to their tenants.
If the tenants believe the increase is higher than the property’s market value, they can challenge it at a first-tier tribunal.
If a landlord tries to sneak in an extra hike before 1 May, they’ll be disappointed.
The new rules mean any increase from 1 May can only take place 12 months on from the date of the last one, regardless of when that took place.
Some 30% of renters reported a rent increase since the bill became law in October, according to SpareRoom.
If the landlord used a rent review clause to agree an increase with tenants before 1 May, but it takes effect after 1 May, the increase will not apply.
Bidding
Inflating the price of rent through bidding wars will also be banned.
Landlords and letting agents will only be able to accept an offer that is the same or lower than the asking price.
Advances
Landlords will no longer be able to seek large amounts of up-front cash for a tenant to secure a property.
They won’t be able to ask for more than the first month’s rent during the time between all parties signing the tenancy and the tenancy starting .
Tenants will not have to make rental payments before they are due.
This change will mean tenants with poor credit histories or who can’t pass affordability checks will no longer be able to use advances as a tool to access a tenancy.
The government believes other measures in the bill will make renting sufficiently more affordable to increase access without advances.
Parents and claimants
Discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits will be illegal.
Landlords and agents will, however, continue to have the final say on who they let their property to, and may make the decision based on affordability.
Pets
Landlords “must consider” a written request for a pet and provide a valid reason for refusal.
These include another tenant’s allergies or the property being too small.
It does not include having had issues with pets in the past or being concerned about potential damage.
Once a landlord agrees to a pet, they cannot change their mind.
Lodgers beware
A landlord and lodger have a licence instead of a tenancy agreement, which will not be affected by the Renters’ Rights Act.
Lodger landlords or live-in landlords only have to give notice of one rental period to kick out their tenants – that can be as little as a week.
There’s no legal obligation for landlords to protect the lodger’s deposit in a government-approved scheme.
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