The Private Rented sector in England is on the brink of a massive transformation following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act. This landmark legislation, has marked a significant reform to tenant rights, by rebalancing the relationship between England’s 2.3m landlords and 11m private renters.
(Source: gov.uk, 27 October 2025)
Implementation timetable…
This new law is now on the statute books, and will be introduced in stages, with the first stage applying from 1 May 2026.
The End of ‘No-Fault’ Evictions
The cornerstone of the new Act is the abolition of Section 21 evictions. This move consigns the so-called ‘no-fault’ eviction process to history, ending the ability of landlords to uproot tenants with just two months’ notice, without needing to state a reason.
For renters, this provides greater security and stability, empowering them to challenge poor practice and demand repairs without the fear of immediate homelessness.
In its place, the Act introduces a new framework where all tenancies will be periodic, replacing the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) system.
Landlords will now only be able to regain possession using the Section 8 grounds, which have been reformed and expanded to ensure legitimate reasons for possession are available, such as wanting to sell the property or move in themselves.
Crucially, these new grounds include safeguards for tenants, such as a 12-month protected period at the start of a tenancy, assuming certain criteria are met.
Key Developments for Renters
The Act brings in several other protections:
Pets: Tenants will now have the right to request a pet, which a landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse.
Decent Homes Standard: For the first time, this will be applied to the private rented sector, ensuring all rental properties meet a basic minimum quality.
Abolition of Rental Bidding: To stop competitive bidding wars, landlords and agents are now banned from inviting, encouraging, or accepting offers of rent above the initial advertised price.
Discrimination Ban: Landlords and agents are prohibited from imposing blanket bans on renting to prospective tenants who receive benefits, or who have children.
Annual Rent Increases: Rent increases are limited to once per year, with tenants gaining the power to challenge excessive rises at a tribunal.
New Requirements for Landlords
To manage and enforce the new system, the Act establishes a mandatory Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, which all private landlords must join. This service will offer an impartial and binding route for tenants to resolve disputes without going to court. Furthermore, a Private Rented Sector Database will be introduced, requiring all landlords and their properties to be registered.
Possible impact on the Rental marketplace
The unintended downside of delivering greater protections for those renting (along with the property tax reforms that were announced in the Budget), is that it could drive more landlords out of the market, reducing availability, and pushing rents higher.
This sentiment was echoed by some research amongst our fellow advisers, which showed that four out of five felt that these issues would have a negative impact on both landlords and tenants.
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