Renters' Rights Act

The following changes come into force from 1 May 2026.

End to section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions 

Section 21 eviction notices will be abolished.

Landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants without a specific, legally valid reason (known as a ‘possession ground’).

Possession grounds will be extended to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants when they want to sell the property, move into the property, or move in members of their family. It will also make it easier to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour

End to fixed-term tenancies 

Fixed-term assured and assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will become periodic assured tenancies or ‘rolling tenancies’. 

Tenancies will roll over until either party choose to end it.

Tenants will be able to stay in the property until they decide to end the tenancy.

Landlords will have to serve a valid notice and obtains a court/possession order from the court to end a tenancy.

Rent increases (within a tenancy)

These will be limited to once a year at the market rate. 

Landlords have to follow the new legal process for increasing the rent.

This will include providing the tenant with at least two months notice.

Advance rent 

Landlords will only be able to request a maximum of one month’s rent in advance.

Ending rental bidding 

It will be illegal for landlords to encourage, or accept an offer that’s higher than the published rent amount.

End to discrimination 

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

This includes withholding information about a property (including its availability), preventing people from viewing it, or refusing to grant a tenancy .

Right to request a pet 

Landlords must consider tenant requests to rent with a pet:

Landlords must respond to a tenant’s request within a set time frame and will have to provide valid reasons if they choose to refuse it.