Renters' Rights Act 2025, Phase 1 commencement
Transition readiness pack
England

England and Wales · LAFRA 2024 · Royal Assent 24 May 2024 · 990-Year Lease Extensions · Marriage Value Abolished for ALL Leases · Service Charge Transparency · Administration Charge Caps · Buildings Insurance Commission Disclosure · Ban on New Residential Leasehold Houses · Phased Commencement

Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 — Landlord Guide to LAFRA 2024

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA 2024, Royal Assent 24 May 2024) is the most significant reform of leasehold law in England and Wales since 2002. Key provisions: 990-year lease extensions (up from 90 years for flats); marriage value abolished for all leases (previously payable for leases under 80 years — often tens of thousands of pounds); service charge transparency (mandatory accounts format; insurance commission disclosure); administration charge caps (subletting consent; assignment; alterations); ban on new residential leasehold houses; right to manage reform. Many provisions require commencement orders. Applies to England and Wales.

14 min readUpdated 7 June 2026Last reviewed: 17 May 2026LAFRA 2024leasehold reform990 year leasemarriage value abolished

990-year lease extensions and marriage value abolished

LAFRA 2024 allows leaseholders in England and Wales to extend their lease to 990 years (up from 90 years for flats; 50 years for houses). Marriage value is abolished for all leases — the additional premium previously payable when an unexpired lease term fell below 80 years is no longer chargeable. The extension premium is now based only on ground rent capitalisation and reversion value. Any lease extension granted under LAFRA 2024 must be at peppercorn (zero) ground rent for the extension period.

Service charge transparency and insurance commission disclosure

LAFRA 2024 introduces a mandatory prescribed format for service charge accounts with greater itemisation. Freeholders and managing agents who receive commissions from buildings insurance providers must disclose these to leaseholders and account for them — hidden commissions are no longer permissible. The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) has expanded jurisdiction to determine service charge disputes, including challenges to compliance with the new mandatory accounts format and administration charges.

Administration charge caps and ban on new leasehold houses

LAFRA 2024 caps administration charges for subletting consent, assignment, alterations, and mortgage consent — replacing the previous reasonableness-only test with prescribed caps (set by secondary legislation). New residential houses in England and Wales cannot be sold as leasehold from the date the relevant provision comes into force — exceptions include shared ownership and community-led housing. The right to manage threshold is expanded to allow RTM in mixed-use buildings up to 75% commercial floor area.

Phased commencement and practical implications for landlords

Many LAFRA 2024 provisions require commencement orders or secondary legislation. Check current commencement status before relying on specific provisions. For BTL leaseholder landlords: short-lease extension becomes significantly cheaper (marriage value abolished); mortgageability of short-lease flats is easier to restore. For freeholder landlords: service charge accounts must be in new prescribed format; insurance commissions must be disclosed; administration charges must comply with caps; failure exposes to FTT challenges.

Templates recommended in this guide

ComplianceLS-E-020

Landlord Annual Compliance Checklist

Annual walk-through of every compliance touchpoint: gas, electrical, EPC, smoke/CO, Right-to-Rent, deposit, licensing, database registration.

£19
Live now

Found a gap or disagree with something?

Reply to any LetSafe email or write to Richard@letsafeuk.co.uk. We rewrite guides when we get something wrong, the sooner we hear, the sooner we fix it.

Related landlord guides

Hand-picked by topic overlap with this guide.

England · LURA 2023 New STL Use Class · Article 4 Directions in Hotspot Areas · London 90-Night Rule (Deregulation Act 2015 s.44) · Mandatory STL Registration Scheme England · Scotland Mandatory STL Licensing (Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982) · Edinburgh Principal Home Exemption · FHL Abolition Interaction
Short-Term Lets Planning UK 2026 — Landlord Guide to STL Planning and Licensing
Short-term lets planning UK landlord guide 2026: LURA 2023 new STL planning use class; Article 4 Directions enabling councils to require planning permission in hotspot areas; London 90-night rule (Deregulation Act 2015 s.44); mandatory national STL registration scheme England; Scotland mandatory STL licensing (Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 as amended); Edinburgh STL licensing and principal home exemption; FHL abolition interaction.
UK-Wide · BTL Mortgages Typically Unregulated Commercial Products · Minimum 25% Deposit (75% LTV) · Rental Coverage Stress Test 125%-145% · Interest-Only Widely Available · Portfolio Landlord PRA Rules (4+ Properties) · Limited Company SPV BTL Mortgages · Section 24 Impact on Personal Borrowing
Buy-to-Let Mortgage Guide UK 2026 — Criteria, Rates, and Portfolio Landlord Rules
Buy-to-let mortgage guide 2026: BTL mortgages typically unregulated commercial products; minimum 25% deposit (75% LTV); rental coverage ratio stress test 125%-145% at 5.5%-6.5% notional rate; interest-only widely available; portfolio landlord PRA rules (4+ mortgaged properties); limited company SPV BTL mortgages — full mortgage interest deduction vs corporation tax; section 24 impact on personal borrowing; remortgage triggers; specialist BTL lenders.
England and Wales · Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 · Structure and Exterior · Water, Gas, Electricity, Sanitation Installations · Space Heating and Hot Water · Cannot Be Excluded (s.11(4) Void) · Duty Arises After Notice · Defective Premises Act 1972 s.4 · Scotland: Repairing Standard (Housing (Scotland) Act 2006)
Section 11 Repair Obligations UK 2026 — Landlord Guide to LTA 1985 Duties
Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 repair obligations guide 2026: implied covenant in tenancies under 7 years to keep structure and exterior in repair; keep water/gas/electricity/sanitation installations in repair and proper working order; keep space heating and water heating installations in repair; cannot be excluded by agreement; duty arises only after notice of defect; repair vs improvement vs design defect; Defective Premises Act 1972 s.4; reasonable repair timeframes; remedies; Scotland Repairing Standard.
England and Wales · CCJ for Rent Arrears Alongside Possession (PCOL) or Standalone Money Claim (MCOL) · 14 Days for Tenant to Pay or Respond · Judgment in Default · Enforcement: Warrant of Control · Attachment of Earnings · Third Party Debt Order · Charging Order · CCJ on Credit File 6 Years · Limitation Act 1980 6-Year Limit
County Court Judgment for Rent Arrears UK 2026 — Landlord CCJ Guide
County court judgment (CCJ) for rent arrears landlord guide UK 2026: money judgment alongside possession claim (PCOL) or standalone MCOL; judgment in default if tenant does not respond in 14 days; CCJ registered at Registry Trust 6 years; enforcement options (warrant of control; attachment of earnings; third party debt order; charging order; oral examination); CCJ interest 8% pa above £5,000; 6-year Limitation Act 1980 deadline; small claims track under £10,000 (no legal costs).
England · RRA 2025 · Section 21 Abolished 1 May 2026 · Pre-Commencement Notices Transitional Window · Must Have Been Fully Valid Under Old Rules · Section 8 Only for New Possession Claims Post-1 May 2026
Section 21 Transitional Arrangements 2026 — Landlord Guide to Pre-Commencement Notices
Section 21 transitional arrangements 2026 complete landlord guide: Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026 (Renters' Rights Act 2025 commencement); pre-commencement Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 that were fully valid at commencement can be relied upon during the transitional window; validity requirements (Form 6A; 2 months' minimum notice from deemed service date; deposit protected within 30 days with prescribed information served; EPC provided at tenancy start; Gas Safety Certificate provided annually; How to Rent guide provided; no retaliatory eviction bar under Deregulation Act 2015; no s.48 LTA 1987 bar); existing court proceedings issued pre-commencement continue under old rules; Section 8 is the only route for new possession claims post-1 May 2026; all ASTs converted to periodic Assured Tenancies from 1 May 2026; Ground 8 (mandatory 3+ months arrears); Ground 8a (new persistent arrears mandatory); Ground 1A (new discretionary sale — 4 months' notice).
England and Wales · MEES Regulations 2015 · EPC E Current Minimum · PRS Exemptions Register gov.uk · All Improvements Made (5 Years) · High Cost £3,500 Cap (5 Years) · Third Party Consent (5 Years) · Devaluation RICS (5 Years) · New Landlord 6-Month Exemption
EPC Exemptions UK 2026 — Landlord Guide to PRS Exemptions Register
EPC exemptions landlord guide UK 2026: Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations 2015 require private rented property in England and Wales to achieve EPC E or above; landlords who cannot meet the standard can register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register (gov.uk); five exemption types — all improvements made (all relevant measures installed and property still below EPC E; 5 years); high cost (cheapest measure or combination exceeds £3,500 cost cap; 5 years); third party consent refused (mortgage lender; freeholder; planning authority; 5 years); devaluation (RICS surveyor confirms improvements would devalue by more than 5%; 5 years); new landlord (property acquired at distressed sale — probate; repossession; court order — 6-month transitional exemption); exemption does not transfer to new landlord on sale; local authority enforcement — up to £5,000 penalty; breach published on public register; proposed EPC C minimum (2028-2030) will require re-assessment of current exemptions.