Renters' Rights Act 2025: the plain-English landlord guide

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the most significant change to English private renting since the Housing Act 1988. It abolishes Section 21 no-fault evictions, converts every Assured Shorthold Tenancy to a periodic Assured Tenancy, rewrites the Section 8 grounds for possession, makes Section 13 the only route to a rent increase, gives tenants the right to request pets, and creates a mandatory Private Landlord Database and a PRS Ombudsman. This guide explains what it all means for you — in plain English, with concrete action steps.

What the Act actually does

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (originally the Renters (Reform) Bill) creates a single type of tenancy in England — the periodic Assured Tenancy. It removes the ability of landlords to evict tenants without a reason, strengthens the grounds on which landlords can seek possession, and introduces a number of new tenant protections. Here is the full list of changes.

1. Section 21 abolition

Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 — the 'no-fault' eviction route — is repealed from 1 May 2026. From that date, you cannot serve a Section 21 notice. Any Section 21 served before 1 May is still valid if you issue court proceedings within the six-month validity window, but you cannot serve a new one.

This is the headline change. It means every eviction from 1 May 2026 onward must be on a Section 8 ground — a specific, provable reason. The 'no-fault' route that let landlords recover possession at the end of a fixed term without giving a reason is gone.

2. AST to APT auto-conversion

On 1 May 2026, every existing Assured Shorthold Tenancy in England automatically becomes an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT). Fixed-term clauses fall away. The tenancy continues on the same rent, the same payment day, and the same core terms — but it is now periodic, with no end date.

New tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026 must be periodic from day one. You cannot offer a fixed-term AST. The form of tenancy agreement changes accordingly — our Periodic Assured Tenancy template is drafted for the new regime.

3. New Section 8 grounds

Section 8 has been comprehensively rewritten. The key changes are:

• Ground 1 (revised) — landlord or family member intends to occupy. Mandatory. 4 months' notice. Minimum 12-month tenancy.
• Ground 1A (new) — landlord intends to sell with vacant possession. Mandatory. 4 months' notice. 12-month re-let ban.
• Ground 6A (new) — redevelopment requiring vacant possession. Mandatory. 4 months' notice. Planning consent required.
• Ground 8 (revised) — rent arrears threshold moves to 3 months at both service and hearing.
• ASB grounds strengthened — Ground 14 covers nuisance and annoyance more broadly. Ground 14ZA covers drug convictions. Ground 7A covers serious criminal behaviour.
• Ground 14A (new) — domestic abuse occurring in the dwelling. Mandatory.

4. Section 13 — the only rent-rise route

From 1 May 2026, Section 13 is the exclusive mechanism for raising rent on a periodic Assured Tenancy. Contractual rent-review clauses are unenforceable. You may raise rent once per 12-month rolling window, using the prescribed Form 4 notice.

The tenant can refer the notice to the First-tier Tribunal, which will determine the open-market rent. Under the Act, the tribunal cannot set the rent higher than your notice — so there is no risk to the tenant in referring. This means landlords should set realistic increases based on genuine comparables, not aspirational figures.

5. Pet-request right

Tenants can make a written request to keep a pet. You must respond in writing within 42 days. You can only refuse on reasonable grounds — and a blanket 'no pets' clause is unenforceable from 1 May 2026. You can require the tenant to hold pet-damage insurance. Silence counts as consent.

6. Bidding ban

You may not invite, encourage, or accept offers above the advertised rent. The rent you advertise is the maximum you can charge. This applies to both direct lets and lets through agents. The aim is to end bidding wars that price tenants out of affordable housing.

7. Discrimination ban

A blanket refusal of tenants on Housing Benefit ('no DSS') is already unlawful under existing case law. The Act codifies the principle. You must also not discriminate against families with children. Each application must be considered on its individual merits, with a lawful reason for any refusal.

8. Private Landlord Database

The Act creates a mandatory England-wide register of private landlords and let properties. Registration will be required before marketing a property for let. The database launches in phases through late 2026. Failure to register will be a civil offence with penalties up to £40,000 and a bar on serving possession notices.

9. PRS Ombudsman

A compulsory Ombudsman scheme for private landlords is provided for in the Act, expected around 2028. Every private landlord will be required to join. The Ombudsman will hear complaints from tenants that the landlord has failed to resolve through the internal complaints process.

10. Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law

The Act extends the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law (fixed timescales for damp/mould remediation) to the private rented sector. The detailed standards are subject to separate consultations. Once finalised, landlords will need to self-assess and remediate.

What you should do now

Here is the practical action list for every English private landlord in the weeks before 1 May 2026:

1. Check your compliance. Gas CP12, EICR, EPC, deposit protection, Right to Rent, smoke/CO alarms, How to Rent guide. Any gap blocks your ability to use Section 8.
2. Buy the Transition Pack. The Renters' Rights Act Transition Pack (£39) contains the tenant communication letter, the fixed-term FAQ, the rent-review timing playbook, and the Section 21 cliff-edge decision tree.
3. Get the new tenancy template. If you grant any new tenancy on or after 1 May, use the Periodic Assured Tenancy template (£29).
4. Get the Section 8 pack. The Section 8 Notice Pack (£19) covers every mandatory and discretionary ground. Have it ready.
5. Write to your tenants. Send a plain-English letter explaining that their tenancy auto-converts on 1 May, their rent and terms continue, and their deposit remains protected. The Transition Pack includes this letter.
6. Decide on pending Section 21 notices. If you have a valid Section 21 in play, decide now whether to issue proceedings before 1 May or accept that the route is closing.
7. Review your rent-review timing. If your AST has a contractual rent-review clause triggering after 1 May, you must switch to Section 13. Plan the notice period.
8. Check your insurance. Notify your landlord insurance provider of the regime change. Some policies reference ASTs specifically — check the wording.
9. Join the New Landlord Starter Pack. If you are a first-time landlord, the New Landlord Starter Pack (£49) bundles tenancy agreement, Section 8, Section 13, compliance checklist, Right to Rent, inventory, and deposit guide.

Common questions

Q: Do I need to re-sign the tenancy agreement?
A: No. The conversion is automatic. You can re-issue a written APT statement as a courtesy.

Q: Can I still evict a tenant who doesn't pay rent?
A: Yes. Ground 8 is a mandatory ground for rent arrears of 3+ months. Grounds 10 and 11 cover lower arrears and persistent late payment. The route is court-based, not no-fault.

Q: What if I want to sell?
A: Use Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell). 4 months' notice. 12-month tenancy minimum. You cannot re-let for 12 months after the tenant leaves.

Q: Can I still refuse pets?
A: Only on reasonable grounds — and you must respond in writing within 42 days. A blanket 'no pets' clause is unenforceable.

Q: What happens to my fixed-term AST?
A: It auto-converts to a periodic APT on 1 May 2026. The fixed term falls away. The tenant can leave on two months' notice from that date.

Q: Will my deposit protection be affected?
A: No. Deposit protection rules are unchanged. The deposit remains protected in whichever scheme you used.

The paperwork you need to replace