A New Dawn in Residential Renting

From 1 May 2026, England’s private rented sector undergoes its largest reform in decades, with core provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 coming into force. 

These changes apply to all existing and new private sector tenancies (not social housing).  What does this mean for tenants and what does this mean for landlords?  And, at the end of the day, will it mend our broken rental market?  

From 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer serve Section 21 notices.

• No new s.21 notices can be served from 1 May 2026.
• Existing s.21 notices served before 1 May 2026 remain valid, but court proceedings must be issued by 31 July 2026, after which they are time‑barred.
• Eviction thereafter must proceed exclusively under Section 8, relying on updated statutory grounds.

On 1 May 2026, every AST automatically becomes an open‑ended assured periodic tenancy.

Consequences: 

• No fixed terms remain valid.
• Tenancies roll month‑to‑month (or week‑to‑week depending on rent period).
• No paperwork required for conversion.

Landlords regain possession only using statutory grounds, which are significantly expanded and amended.  Notable grounds include:

• Landlord intends to sell the property.
• Landlord or close family member intends to move in.
• Serious rent arrears.
• Anti‑social behaviour.
• A prohibition on re‑letting or marketing for a period after relying on certain landlord‑use grounds (e.g., sale or move‑in).

Each ground now has revised minimum notice periods. Find out more. 

Tenants may terminate their tenancy with two months’ notice at any time. 

From 1 May 2026:

• Rent can only be increased once annually, using the statutory Section 13 Housing Act 1988 notice.
• Contractual rent review clauses become invalid.
• 2 months’ notice of a proposed increase is required.
• Rent increases may be challenged at the First‑tier Tribunal. 

Landlords cannot request more than one month’s rent in advance for new tenancies. 

Landlords and agents must:

• Advertise one fixed asking rent only.
• Not invite, accept, or encourage offers above the advertised rent.
• Breach penalties start at £4,000. 

It becomes illegal to:

• State “No DSS”, “No children”, or similar blanket exclusions.
• Refuse applicants solely because they receive benefits. 

Landlords may still undertake affordability checks.

• Tenants can formally request a pet; landlords must consider reasonably.
• But a Landlord may require pet‑damage insurance (or reimbursement for policy cost). 

Local authorities receive expanded investigatory and enforcement powers, including:

• Entry to business premises.
• Seizure of documents.
• Fines £7,000–£40,000 depending on breach category. 

Councils are required to enforce the new regime.

Rent increases designed to force tenants out (“backdoor evictions”) can be appealed. 

The long‑criticised distinction between ASTs and assured tenancies disappears - all are simply assured periodic tenancies.  This is long overdue. 

The following do not start on 1 May but are part of the wider roadmap:

• Late 2026:
  • Launch of national Private Rented Sector Database (landlord/property register).
  • Introduction of new PRS Ombudsman for binding out‑of‑court dispute resolution.
• Long‑term (into 2030s):
  • Decent Homes Standard extension to the Private Rented Sector.
  • Time‑limits for damp/mould remediation. 

On 1 May 2026, England moves to a single tenancy type, no more no‑fault evictions, new rent and notice regimes, expanded Section 8 grounds, and tighter rules on fairness, discrimination, pets, and rent practices.  A new dawn.