The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (RRA) represents the most significant reform of the private rented sector in England for a generation. Receiving Royal Assent in October 2025, the Act delivers on the Government’s commitment to rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants, primarily by abolishing “no‑fault” evictions and fundamentally reshaping how assured tenancies operate.
Most of the headline reforms take effect from 1 May 2026, applying not only to new lettings but also critically, to most existing assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs). Landlords and managing agents therefore need to understand both the new framework for letting property going forward and the transitional impact on their current portfolios.
Key changes at a glance
As set out in our previous tip of the month the RRA introduces the following core changes across the private rented sector:
- Abolition of Assured Shorthold Tenancies: all new and existing ASTs transition to assured periodic tenancies, with no fixed end date.
- End of Section 21 “no‑fault” evictions: landlords must rely on revised Section 8 grounds for possession.
- Restrictions on rent increases: rents may generally only be increased once in any 12‑month period, following the statutory notice procedure, with enhanced rights for tenants to challenge excessive increases.
- Rental bidding and advance rent bans: landlords and agents must advertise an asking rent and may not invite or accept offers above it, nor demand excessive rent in advance.
- Greater tenant protections: including strengthened rights to request pets and prohibitions on discrimination against tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits.
Alongside these tenancy reforms, the RRA lays the groundwork for enhanced regulation and standards, including a Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, a national landlord/property database, and the future extension of the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
What this means for future lettings
For new tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026, the RRA introduces a fundamentally different starting point for landlords:
- All new lettings must be granted as assured periodic tenancies from the outset. Fixed terms and contractual end dates will no longer be permitted.
- Tenants will be able to bring the tenancy to an end by giving at least two months’ notice.
- Landlords may only recover possession by establishing a statutory ground.
- Rent increases must follow the statutory notice process rather than contractual rent review clauses.
- Pre‑letting practices must ensure compliance with the bidding ban, advance rent restrictions and anti‑discrimination provisions.
What this means for existing ASTs
One of the most significant features of the RRA is its retrospective effect.
From 1 May 2026, most existing assured and assured shorthold tenancies will automatically convert into assured periodic tenancies by operation of law, regardless of the contractual terms originally agreed.
In practice, this means:
- Fixed terms fall away, even if time remains to run
- Section 21 notices can no longer be relied upon (subject to limited transitional arrangements for notices served before commencement)
- Rent review clauses and other provisions inconsistent with the new statutory framework may cease to be enforceable going forward
Landlords therefore need to assess their existing portfolios carefully, particularly where possession strategies or rent increases were historically tied to fixed‑term cycles.
Written information for tenants
The RRA also introduces new obligations on landlords to provide prescribed written information to tenants. For new tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026, landlords (or their letting agents) must provide tenants with a written statement of key tenancy terms before the tenancy is entered into, setting out prescribed information about the tenancy, rent, termination, landlord obligations and tenant rights. This requirement applies to all new assured periodic tenancies. and failure to comply may attract penalties.
In addition, for existing assured or assured shorthold tenancies which are wholly or partly in writing, landlords must provide tenants with the Government‑published Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet explaining how the RRA affects their tenancy. This must be given to each tenant by 31 May 2026 and must be provided in the prescribed form.
A failure to comply with these obligations may attract penalties.
Preparing for the new regime
With the commencement date now quickly approaching, landlords and agents should be taking steps to:
- Audit existing tenancies and identify those affected by the transition
- Update precedent documentation, policies and letting practices, and
- Ensure internal processes align with the new possession, rent and enforcement framework
While secondary legislation and guidance will continue to flush out detail, the direction of travel is clear: open‑ended tenancies, regulated rent increases and stronger tenant protections will form the backbone of the private rented sector going forward.
