The Renters’ Rights Act: what landlords need to know

First: give tenants the Information Sheet

If your tenancy has a written agreement and started before 1 May 2026, every tenant named on it must be given the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet. The deadline was 31 May 2026, so if any tenant has not had it, send it now. If an agent manages the property, the agent must give it too. Lodgers do not need it.

• Email or text: attach the PDF itself. A link to the PDF is not valid.
• Post: print it and send it, ideally by recorded delivery.
• In person: hand over a printed copy.
• Use only the exact PDF downloaded from GOV.UK, and keep proof that you sent it.
• Not giving it can lead to a fine of up to £7,000.

New tenancies from 1 May 2026, and older tenancies agreed only verbally, need the key terms of the tenancy in writing instead.

What has changed

Tenancies

Assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, and new tenancies are periodic from the start. You cannot put an end date on the agreement. Tenants can leave by giving two months’ notice.

Section 21 has ended

“No fault” evictions are no longer available. To regain possession you must serve a section 8 notice (Form 3A) relying on a legal ground, and give the notice that ground requires. If the ground or the notice is wrong, the claim will fail. See the main grounds.

Rent increases

Rent can go up once a year, and not in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Use the section 13 notice (Form 4A) and give at least two months’ notice. Rent review clauses in agreements no longer apply, and tenants can challenge an increase above the open market rent at a tribunal.

Letting and advertising

• Adverts must state a rent, and you cannot invite, encourage or accept offers above it.
• You cannot ask for or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed.
• You cannot refuse a tenant, or discourage an enquiry, because someone receives benefits or has children. Affordability checks are still allowed.
• Tenants can ask to keep a pet, and you can only refuse with a valid reason.

Compliance basics

These rules are not new, but they matter more now. An unprotected deposit, for example, can stop a court granting possession.

• Gas safety: an annual check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy to the tenant within 28 days.
• Electrical safety: an inspection (EICR) at least every five years, with a copy to the tenant.
• EPC: a valid Energy Performance Certificate, with a copy to the tenant.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (other than a gas cooker).
• Deposit: protected in a government-approved scheme (DPS, mydeposits or TDS), with the required information given to the tenant.
• Licensing: check whether your council runs an HMO, additional or selective licensing scheme. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence.

Regaining possession: the main section 8 grounds

• Grounds 1 and 1A cannot be used to end a tenancy in its first 12 months. After using them, you cannot re-let or market the property to let for 12 months.
• On a mandatory ground the court must grant possession if the ground is proved. On a discretionary ground the court decides whether it is reasonable.
• If the tenant does not leave when the notice ends, you must apply to court. Never change the locks or remove a tenant yourself.

Still to come

Some parts of the Act depend on further regulations and are being introduced in stages. Check GOV.UK for the dates that apply to you.

• A national private rented sector database, where landlords and their properties will need to be registered.
• A landlord ombudsman, which landlords will need to join.
• The Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law, extended to privately rented homes.

Alternatives to standard letting

If the new rules have you rethinking how you let, these are the main alternatives.

• Company let: the tenant is a company, not an individual, so it is not an assured tenancy and the new tenancy and possession rules do not apply to it in the same way. Safety duties still do. How company lets work.
• Lease to a council, housing provider or company: a fixed rent for an agreed term, with the provider managing the occupants and returning the property at the end. What to ask before you sign.
• Managed corporate lets or serviced accommodation: short stays for working guests, run for you. Would your house suit contractors?
• Selling: to sell with vacant possession, you will normally need Ground 1A and four months’ notice, after the first 12 months of the tenancy. Alternatively, some property investors buy homes with tenants in situ, so you can sell without ending the tenancy.

What to do now

• Check every tenant has the Information Sheet or written terms, and keep proof of how you sent it.
• Check deposits are protected and the required information was given.
• Diary gas, electrical and EPC renewals, and keep copies of what you gave tenants.
• Plan rent reviews around the once-a-year rule and Form 4A.
• Make sure your adverts state a rent and your agent does not run bidding.
• Ask your council whether a licensing scheme covers your property.
• Keep a clear record of notices, certificates and communication with tenants.
• Watch for when database registration opens.

Questions landlords ask

Sources: GOV.UK, The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 and Renters’ Rights Act: an overview for landlords. Shelter, Section 8 notices and Possession when a landlord wants to sell or move in. This guide covers England only and is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, speak to a solicitor or a landlord association.