Landlords across the UK should prepare for a range of new measures which have now passed through parliament as part of the government’s Renters’ Rights Act, according to an expert in landlord and tenant litigation.
The Act received Royal Assent in recent weeks, which means it will now become law in the UK. It includes stronger rights and better protection for 11 million tenants, including the end of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, a ban on fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies, as well as the introduction of new enforcement powers against landlords by local authorities.
The Act will be introduced from May 1, 2026 and Katie Wright, senior associate solicitor and head of civil litigation at Woodcock Haworth and Nuttall (WHN) Solicitors says landlords should use the coming months to prepare for the phased introduction of the changes.
She said: “Landlords who are granting new fixed term tenancies now need to be aware that the tenancy will be affected by the new rules that come in to force in May, and therefore even tenancies granted today, for say a fixed 12-month period, will automatically revert to monthly periodic tenancy as of May 1, 2026.
The abolition of Section 21 notices means that landlords are unable to evict tenants without a reason for doing so and can only evict according to a number of reasons stated within the Act., with strict time limits being put in place, and extended, before a possession notice can be served.
Phase One will also see the end of fixed-term tenancies, meaning landlords cannot tie tenants into rental agreements for any fixed period of time. All tenancies, including current tenancies, will instead become periodical and can be ended by a tenant with two months’ notice. The limit of rent increase will also mean that from May, any increases must reflect market value and rents can only be increased once per year.
“Landlords may wish to use this period to plan for the coming years and act accordingly,” added Katie. “If they believe their circumstances may change, for example they wish to move back into a property in the months ahead, they will need to consider whether to do this before the new Act is introduced.
“They should also make sure all tenancy agreement documents are updated to reflect the implications of the Act.”
There are several other measures the Act introduces through further phases, including protection against discrimination and rental bidding, restricting rent in advance payments, ensuring high property standards through the application of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rental sector as well as new local authority enforcement powers for landlords breaching rules.
Notably, the Act will also include a new private rented sector database, managed by local authorities, to improve transparency and enable tenants to access key documents.
Katie added: “Landlords are already required to provide tenants with key information such as Gas Safety Certificates, Energy performance Certificates, and the Government’s How to Rent Guide, but the Renters’ Rights Act will mean they must provide this via a central portal. Local authorities will be able to see if landlords fail to provide information and issue penalties.
“It will be towards the end of 2026 that those changes are introduced, but we would advise landlords prepare now to avoid a last-minute panic of making sure their documents are ready.”
The Act will also introduce a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service which will be rolled out between 2026 and 2028 and private landlords will be obliged to join.
Katie added: “We would advise landlords take legal advice from a qualified solicitor to understand the upcoming changes, when these will take effect and ensure their tenancy agreements are compliant. Particularly if they are considering a change in their portfolio, speaking to a legal expert will help them plan for months ahead and prepare for the Act’s introduction.”
