Renters Rights Act is Official

The Government has announced that the first phase of the Renters’ Rights Act will come into effect on 1st May 2026. We are now ready to implement our rollout plan to manage these changes for all landlords.

Below is a summary of the implementation timetable. You do not need to take any action at this stage we will contact you if we require any information or confirmation. Our current priority is ensuring a smooth trarnsition for all elements included in Phase One of the Act.

The rollout will take place across three phases:

Phase 1 – From 1st May 2026 (Confirmed date)

• Periodic tenancies – fixed-term tenancies will no longer be used
• Section 21 abolished – all grounds for possession will fall under Section 8
• Ban on rent in advance – more than one month’s rent in advance cannot be demanded
• Ban on rental bidding – unlikely to be relevant to almost all tenancies as it is not a practice we engaged in before this bill
• Anti-discrimination rules – protections for families with children and tenants on benefits, with referencing processes continuing as usual
• Annual rent reviews via Section 13 – ensuring alignment with market rent
• Tenant right to request a pet – landlords may still refuse on reasonable grounds (tbc)

Phase 2 – Late 2026 (Estimated date)

• Launch of the new PRS Database
• Introduction of the Landlord Ombudsman

Phase 3 – TBC

• Implementation of the Decent Homes Standard
• Introduction of Awaab’s Law

Over the coming weeks, we will be sending out a mini-series of newsletters that break down each part of the Bill in more detail. These updates will help you understand the finer points of the legislation, how we are adapting our processes to ensure landlords remain fully protected, and the steps we can take to mitigate any areas of the new laws that may leave landlords more exposed than under the current regulations.