The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (RRA) received Royal Assent and commences in stages through 2025 and 2026. From 1 May 2026, every new and existing assured shorthold tenancy in England becomes a single periodic assured tenancy. Section 21 'no-fault' evictions are abolished. Fixed-terms disappear. Bidding wars and rental discrimination are banned. The Private Landlord Database and the PRS Ombudsman follow in later commencement tranches.
If you let property in England, every agreement, notice, and compliance document you rely on needs to be rewritten against the new regime. LetSafe UK ships regulation-current templates reviewed against the exact commencement regulations — so you are not trying to retrofit an old assured shorthold template into a world where ASTs no longer exist.
What the Renters' Rights Act 2025 actually changes
The Act rewrites the Housing Act 1988. The headline changes for England are:
- Section 21 abolished. 'No-fault' possession notices can no longer be served. Possession must now be based on a statutory ground under the expanded Section 8.
- Periodic assured tenancies replace ASTs. Every tenancy becomes periodic from day one. Tenants can end the tenancy with two months' notice at any time.
- Expanded Section 8 grounds. New and amended grounds cover landlord sale, landlord/family moving in, repeated rent arrears, and anti-social behaviour.
- Section 13 is the only route for rent increases. Rent-review clauses, fixed escalators and contractual increases no longer bite.
- Private Landlord Database. Mandatory registration of every landlord and property on a government database, with civil penalties for non-compliance.
- PRS Ombudsman. A single redress scheme for tenants to bring complaints about private landlords.
- Decent Homes Standard + Awaab's Law. Both extended from the social rented sector into the private rented sector.
- Bidding wars + blanket bans. It becomes unlawful to ask for rent above the advertised amount, or to refuse tenants because they receive benefits or have children.
Commencement dates (live tracker)
Different parts of the RRA commence on different dates. Shipping an English tenancy template before the abolition of Section 21 would give you an invalid document. LetSafe UK tracks commencement regulations and marks any product whose regulation is not yet in force as 'Pre-order — ships on [date]'.
The critical date for most landlords is <strong>1 May 2026</strong>: the single implementation day for the abolition of Section 21, the move to periodic tenancies, and the prescribed written statement of terms. Our England flagship catalogue ships on or before that date.
The three documents every English landlord needs ready
You do not need the whole catalogue to be compliant. You need three core documents and the knowledge of when to use which.
- Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (LS-E-001). Replaces your existing AST on 1 May 2026. Periodic from day one, prescribed written statement built in, pet-request clause with the new reasonableness test.
- Section 8 Notice Pack (LS-E-010). All expanded grounds covered — rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, landlord sale, family moving in. Each with service instructions and the correct prescribed form for the ground.
- Section 13 Rent Increase Pack (LS-E-011). The only valid route to raise rent once fixed terms disappear. Includes the prescribed form, market-rent evidence template, and tribunal referral guidance.
How LetSafe UK keeps templates current
Every English template carries a 'Reviewed [date] against [commencement regulations]' footer. When a commencement regulation lands, we update the template and re-issue the PDF — existing customers re-download the current version from their account.
We track the commencement status of the RRA openly. Any SKU whose underlying regulation is not yet in force is marked Pre-order rather than shipped, so you never receive a template that would be invalid at the point of use.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Renters' Rights Act 2025 actually start?+
The Act received Royal Assent in October 2024. Different provisions commence on different dates through 2025 and 2026. The single implementation day for the abolition of Section 21 and the move to periodic assured tenancies is 1 May 2026. Private Landlord Database and PRS Ombudsman follow in later tranches.
Do my existing ASTs automatically convert to periodic assured tenancies?+
Yes. On the implementation day, every existing assured shorthold tenancy in England converts to a periodic assured tenancy by operation of law. You do not need to serve a notice. However, you do need to issue a new written statement of terms to each tenant within the prescribed window.
Can I still use a fixed-term tenancy in England after 1 May 2026?+
No. Fixed-term ASTs are abolished for residential lettings. All new tenancies are periodic from day one. Tenants can end the tenancy on two months' notice at any point. Landlords can only end the tenancy using a statutory Section 8 ground.
Does the Renters' Rights Act apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?+
No. The Act applies to England only. Wales is governed by the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Scotland has the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. Northern Ireland is governed by the Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022. LetSafe UK ships separate compliant templates for each jurisdiction.
Are LetSafe UK templates drafted by solicitors?+
LetSafe UK provides self-help templates for private landlords. We are not a firm of solicitors and do not provide legal advice. Each template is reviewed against the named commencement regulations — but for advice on your specific circumstances, please consult a regulated solicitor.