Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Explained: Key Changes, Deadlines and Landlord & Tenant FAQs
In this article, our Landlord and Tenant Solicitors answer your frequently asked questions on the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
Call OTS Solicitors for specialist landlord and tenant legal advice.
When did the Renters' Rights Act become law?
The Renters' Rights Act became law in October 2025, but the Act is being implemented in stages. The first part of the Act comes into force on 1 May 2026.
What does the Renters' Rights Act 2025 change on 1 May 2026?
From 1 May 2026 onwards:
- Landlords cannot serve valid Section 21 notices for no-fault evictions.
- Assured shorthold tenancies will be changed into assured periodic tenancies.
- Landlords can only increase rent once a year by using the Section 13 notice procedure.
- Tenants must be given a government-produced information sheet.
- Landlords cannot ask for more than a month's deposit for assured periodic tenancies.
- Rental bidding wars are stopped with a requirement for rental adverts to include a rental price. There is a ban on landlords from accepting or encouraging offers above the advertised rental price.
- New rules will prevent discrimination against tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits.
What is the 31 May 2026 deadline?
31 May 2026 is the deadline by which landlords must serve their tenants with the government information sheet. Failure to do so could result in substantial fines.
What is the 31 July 2026 deadline?
31 July 2026 is the deadline by which landlords must start possession claims if they served a valid Section 21 notice before 31 May 2026. After 31 July, landlords will no longer be able to initiate new no-fault eviction claims. There are transitional provisions for no-fault eviction claims started before the 31 July 2026 cut-off date.
Can landlords end tenancy agreements if their tenant is not at fault?
Landlords cannot serve valid Section 21 notices after 31 May 2026 and cannot start no-fault eviction proceedings after issuing a Section 21 notice after 31 July 2026.
After 31 May (if a landlord has not served a Section 21 notice), to obtain possession, a landlord must serve a valid Section 8 notice and then secure a possession order. Some of the revised Section 8 grounds for possession allow a landlord to secure possession even when the tenant is not at fault. For example, where the landlord wants to sell the property or return to live in it.
Can landlords create assured shorthold tenancy agreements?
If a landlord creates an assured shorthold tenancy rather than an assured periodic tenancy, they could be fined under the new legislation.
The Renters' Rights Act converts existing tenancy agreements from assured shorthold tenancies into assured periodic tenancies.
All relevant fixed-term assured tenancies will become periodic tenancy agreements or rolling contracts, without a specified end date. Instead, to end the tenancy agreement, tenants will need to give two months’ notice of their intention to terminate the assured periodic tenancy. The amount of notice a landlord must give a tenant is governed by the 2025 Act.
What assured shorthold tenancies will become assured periodic tenancies?
An assured shorthold tenancy will convert into an assured periodic tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 if it falls into these criteria:
- The property is the tenant’s main home.
- The tenant is an individual/s, rather than a company or an organisation.
- The landlord is not living at the same address as the tenant.
What is a Section 13 notice?
If a landlord wants to increase the rent on an assured periodic tenancy, they must serve the tenant with a Section 13 notice. The 2025 Act allows landlords to serve only one Section 13 notice per year. Tenants must be given two months’ notice of any proposed rent increase.
Can a tenant challenge a Section 13 notice?
A tenant can challenge a proposed rent increase after a landlord has served a Section 13 notice. The grounds to do so include that the new rent is not in line with local rental values for comparable properties or is unfair. To challenge a rent increase, a tenant must follow the procedure and pay an application fee.
Can landlords refuse to rent to tenants with pets?
From 1 May 2026, the 2025 Act gives tenants the contractual right to request that their landlord allow them to keep a pet at the rental property. Tenants must give written notice and provide details about the pet. A pet is defined as any animal kept by a tenant mainly for personal interest or companionship.
Under the Renters' Rights Act, a landlord may refuse a request to keep a pet only if it is reasonable to do so. If a landlord refuses and a tenant believes their landlord is being unreasonable, the tenant can apply to the court. A landlord who refuses a pet request should specify why either the pet or the property is unsuitable, rather than say they operate a general pet ban.
What discrimination protection does the Renters' Rights Act provide?
The Equality Act 2010 already prevents landlords from discriminating directly or indirectly against tenants if a tenant has a protected characteristic of race, sex or sexual orientation, religion, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity.
The Renters' Rights Act also prohibits discrimination against:
- Tenants with children under the age of 18.
- Tenants in receipt of benefits.
A landlord could face a civil penalty fine from a local authority if it is found that the landlord discriminated against a tenant or prospective tenant.
Landlord and Tenant Solicitors in London
OTS Solicitors provides specialist legal advice for landlords and tenants on the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Whether you are a tenant, a landlord with one rental property or a portfolio across London, or a letting agent, our expert team of Landlord and Tenant Solicitors can provide the legal advice you need on your rights as a tenant or your legal obligations as a London landlord or letting agent.
Call OTS Solicitors for legal advice on:
- Existing assured shorthold tenancies and assured periodic tenancies.
- The transitional provisions in the Renters' Rights Act and Section 21 notices and no-fault evictions started before 31 July 2026.
- The grounds for eviction and possession claims under the Renters' Rights Act.
- The prescribed information sheets.
- Housing disrepair claims.
- Deposit disputes.
- Tenant rights and landlord obligations after 1 May 2026.
Contact OTS Solicitors For Landlord and Tenant Legal Advice on the Renters' Rights Act.
Appointments are available at our offices in central London, by phone, or via online consultation.
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A Comprehensive Guide to Possession Proceedings and Eviction Under the Renters’ Rights Act