1 May 2026 is the biggest single-day change to the English private rented sector in almost 40 years. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (RRA 2025) Phase 1 commences today. This guide sets out every change that takes effect at midnight, what you must do in the next 30 days, and the paperwork that keeps you compliant.
From today, serving a Section 21 notice carries a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Every existing AST has automatically converted to a periodic Assured Tenancy. You cannot grant a new fixed-term AST from this date. Read every section below, your compliance clock is running.
1. Section 21 is permanently abolished
Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, the 'no-fault eviction' notice, is abolished for all purposes from 1 May 2026. You may not serve, rely upon, or threaten a Section 21 notice on or after today.
If you serve a Section 21 notice from today, the notice is void and you face a civil penalty of up to £7,000 issued by the local authority. Repeated service can attract penalties of up to £40,000.
If you served a valid Section 21 before today, you may still rely on it, but only if you file court proceedings (Form N5 at the County Court) before the notice expires and, in any event, before 31 July 2026. After that hard deadline, all pre-commencement Section 21 notices become permanently unenforceable. See our companion guide on the Section 21 Court Deadline.
2. All new tenancies must be Periodic Assured Tenancies
From today, the Assured Shorthold Tenancy ceases to exist as a category that can be newly created. Every tenancy you grant from 1 May 2026 onward must be a periodic Assured Tenancy (often called an APT or PAT).
An APT is periodic from day one, there is no fixed term. The tenant can end it on two months' written notice at any time. You can only end it by serving a Section 8 notice citing a valid ground for possession.
Our Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (£29) is drafted for the post-commencement regime and ready to use today.
3. All existing ASTs convert automatically
Every Assured Shorthold Tenancy in force at midnight last night has automatically converted to a periodic Assured Tenancy. This includes fixed-term ASTs in their first year, renewals, and statutory periodics that rolled on after a fixed term ended.
You do not need to sign a new agreement, the conversion is automatic by operation of law. Your existing terms (rent amount, payment day, obligations) survive conversion. What falls away is the fixed-term element and any contractual rent-review clause that conflicts with Section 13.
You should write to each tenant confirming the conversion. Our Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack (£39) contains the tenant notification letter, an FAQ handout and the Section 21 cliff-edge decision tree.
4. Information Sheet, serve by 31 May or face a £7,000 fine
You must serve a government-prescribed Information Sheet on every tenant within 28 days of commencement, that is, by 31 May 2026. Failure to serve carries a civil penalty of up to £7,000 per tenancy. This is a standalone obligation (the old How to Rent guide was withdrawn in June 2026).
The Information Sheet summarises the tenant's rights under the new regime: how rent increases work, how to challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal, how to request a pet, and how the possession process works. You must serve it in writing (email or hard copy) and retain proof of service. Our Information Sheet Pack (£14.99) includes the prescribed sheet, a cover letter, and a proof-of-service log.
5. Section 8 Form 3A is now the only valid possession notice
The old Section 8 Form 3 is revoked. From today, Form 3A is the only prescribed form for serving a notice seeking possession under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988.
Form 3A requires you to specify the ground(s) relied upon, the particulars of each ground, and the notice period (which varies by ground, see the table below). The notice must be served in writing and cannot be served before the tenancy has existed for at least four months (for Grounds 1, 1A, 1B, 2 and 6A).
| Ground | Reason | Minimum notice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (revised) | Landlord/family intends to occupy | 4 months |
| 1A (new) | Landlord intends to sell | 4 months |
| 6A (new) | Redevelopment requiring vacant possession | 4 months |
| 8 | Rent arrears, 3 months at service and hearing | 2 weeks |
| 10/11 | Rent arrears (lesser) / persistent late payment | 2 weeks |
| 14 (revised) | Anti-social behaviour | Immediate |
| 14A | Domestic abuse | 2 weeks |
Our Section 8 Notice Pack (£19) contains Form 3A pre-populated for every mandatory and discretionary ground, with guidance notes and a service checklist.
6. Rent increases, Section 13 Form 4A only
From today, the only lawful way to increase rent on a periodic Assured Tenancy is by serving a Section 13 notice using the new prescribed Form 4A. Any contractual rent-review clause that conflicts with Section 13 is void.
The rules: one increase per 12-month rolling window; two months' written notice using Form 4A; the proposed rent must be the market rent for the property; the tenant can refer the increase to the First-tier Tribunal within 28 days for a market-rent determination.
Our Section 13 Rent Increase Pack (£19) includes Form 4A, a comparables evidence template, and a step-by-step Tribunal response guide.
7. Awaab's Law applies to the private rented sector
Awaab's Law, named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 from prolonged exposure to mould in social housing, is extended to the private rented sector from today.
Under the law, when a tenant reports a health-threatening hazard (principally damp and mould, but the framework extends to all Category 1 and serious Category 2 hazards under the HHSRS), you must respond within 14 calendar days with an investigation and action plan. Emergency hazards must be addressed within 24 hours.
Failure to comply can result in enforcement action by the local authority, including civil penalties and Rent Repayment Orders. See our detailed guide on Awaab's Law for private landlords.
8. Pets, no blanket refusals
Tenants now have the right to make a written pet request. You must respond in writing within 42 days. You may only refuse on reasonable grounds, for example, a pet that is too large for the property, a lease restriction from a superior landlord, or a specific insurance exclusion.
A blanket 'no pets' clause in a tenancy agreement is unenforceable from today. You can require the tenant to take out pet-damage insurance (the premium is the tenant's cost). You cannot charge a higher deposit, the five-week cap remains.
Our Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (£29) includes a pet-request clause and a model pet-insurance requirement.
Commencement day checklist
Use this checklist to ensure you are fully compliant by the end of May 2026.
- Stop serving Section 21 notices. Remove any Section 21 templates from your files. If you have a valid pre-commencement Section 21, decide today whether to file court proceedings before 31 July 2026.
- Write to every tenant. Confirm their AST has converted to a periodic Assured Tenancy. Confirm rent, payment day, deposit protection and contact details are unchanged.
- Serve the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Use the government-prescribed format. Retain proof of service (email read receipt or signed-for post).
- Replace your tenancy template. Any new tenancy from today must use a periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement, not an AST. Order our PAT Agreement if you haven't already.
- Switch your Section 8 template to Form 3A. The old Form 3 is revoked.
- Switch your rent-increase notice to Form 4A. Any rent increase served from today using the old form is invalid.
- Update your pet policy. Remove any blanket 'no pets' clause. Prepare a pet-request response template.
- Review your damp/mould response process. Under Awaab's Law you must respond within 14 days of a hazard report.
- Brief your letting agent. If you use an agent, confirm they have updated their templates, notices and processes for the new regime.
LetSafe products for commencement day
| Product | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement | Post-commencement compliant tenancy agreement | £29 |
| Section 8 Notice Pack | Form 3A for every ground, guidance notes, service checklist | £19 |
| Section 13 Rent Increase Pack | Form 4A, comparables template, Tribunal response guide | £19 |
| Information Sheet Pack | Prescribed sheet, cover letter, proof-of-service log | £14.99 |
| New Landlord Starter Pack | PAT Agreement + Section 8 + Section 13 + Compliance Checklist | £49 |
| Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack | Tenant letter, FAQ handout, Section 21 decision tree | £39 |
The New Landlord Starter Pack (£49) bundles the PAT Agreement, Section 8 Pack, Section 13 Pack and the Annual Compliance Checklist, everything you need for day one at a 40% saving over buying separately.