The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on October 27th, 2025 and its core provisions took effect on May 1st, 2026. It fundamentally changes how private renting works in England. If you're a private tenant, virtually every aspect of your tenancy has been affected.
The headline change is the abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions, meaning landlords can no longer evict you without a reason. Every eviction now requires a specific legal ground under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, and the grounds themselves have been expanded and reformed to cover situations like the landlord wanting to sell or move in.
All tenancies are now periodic by default, and there are no more fixed terms. You can leave with two months' notice at any time, and your landlord can only end the tenancy through the courts. Rent increases are limited to once per year using the formal Section 13 process, and you can challenge any increase you believe is above market rate at the First-tier Tribunal.
The Act also bans rental bidding (landlords can't accept offers above the advertised rent), limits advance rent payments to one month, makes it illegal to discriminate against tenants who receive benefits or have children, and gives tenants the right to request pets (which landlords can only refuse on reasonable grounds).
Further phases of implementation are planned for late 2026 and beyond, including a new Private Rented Sector Database, a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, the extension of Awaab's Law to private rentals, and a new Decent Homes Standard for the private sector.
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