The Complete Guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025
Last updated: 01 August 2026
Table of Contents
Introduction
What Is the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
Key Dates: The Renters' Rights Act Implementation Timeline
The Information Sheet: What Landlords Must Do Now
When Does Section 21 End?
What Happens to Tenancy Agreements?
What Are the New Possession Grounds?
How Can Landlords Increase Rent Under the RRA?
What Property Standards Must Landlords Meet?
Can Tenants Keep Pets?
How Does the RRA Tackle Rental Discrimination?
What Is the PRS Landlord Database?
How Will the Landlord Ombudsman Work?
How Does the Renters' Rights Act Affect Landlord Insurance?
Guarantor Alternatives Under the Renters' Rights Act
How to Prepare
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources and Further Reading
Introduction
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the most significant reform to England's private rental sector in a generation. It received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. Phase 1 took effect on 1 May 2026.
This guide covers every major change, with confirmed dates, practical steps, and links to detailed guidance on specific topics. Whether you're a landlord preparing your portfolio or a tenant trying to understand your new protections, this is the reference point.
At Husmus, we believe the rental market works best when both landlords and tenants have the tools and protection they need. This guide reflects that: balanced, practical, and honest about both the opportunities and the challenges ahead.
What Is the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 reforms the relationship between landlords and tenants in England's private rented sector. It was introduced as a Bill by the Labour Government in September 2024, building on the previous Conservative government's Renters (Reform) Bill which fell before the 2024 general election.
With approximately 11 million people living in privately rented homes in England, these reforms affect roughly one-fifth of the population.
The Act is being implemented in three phases:
Phase 1 (1 May 2026): The headline reforms. Abolition of Section 21, conversion of all tenancies to periodic, new possession grounds, rent increase reforms, discrimination protections, and the rent bidding ban.
Phase 2 (late 2026 onwards): The PRS Database begins regional rollout from late 2026, with mandatory landlord registration expected from 2027. The Landlord Ombudsman is expected to launch in 2028.
Phase 3 (2035 or later): The Decent Homes Standard is extended to private rentals. The government consulted on a target date of either 2035 or 2037 and is currently considering responses.
The government has published comprehensive guidance for landlords, letting agents and tenants at GOV.UK.
At least 12 sets of secondary legislation are required to bring the full Act into effect. Some of the detail is still being finalised.
Key Dates: The Renters' Rights Act Implementation Timeline
These are confirmed dates. Missing any of them could mean fines, invalid notices, or lost legal rights.
27 December 2025 (already in effect): Local authorities gained new investigatory powers, including stronger abilities to inspect properties, demand documents, and access third-party data to enforce housing standards.
20 March 2026: The government published the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 that landlords must give to existing tenants. New assured tenancy forms (including the new Section 8 notice and rent increase forms) were also published in draft.
30 April 2026: The final date on which a landlord can serve a valid Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notice. After 4:30pm on this date, Section 21 ceases to exist. This is also the last date to enter into a new assured shorthold tenancy.
1 May 2026: Phase 1 Implementation Day. All Phase 1 provisions become mandatory. All existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically convert to assured periodic tenancies. New tenancies must include a Written Statement of Terms. The new Section 8 forms and rent increase forms go live.
31 May 2026: Landlords must have served the government's Information Sheet to all existing tenants. Failure to comply can result in fines starting at £4,000, rising to £7,000. Continued non-compliance beyond 28 days can escalate to a criminal offence with fines up to £40,000 or prosecution.
31 May 2026: Student HMO landlords wishing to use Ground 4A (possession at the end of the academic year) must have provided written notice to their tenants.
31 July 2026: If a Section 21 notice was validly served before 1 May 2026, the landlord must have applied to court for a possession order by this date. After this, any remaining Section 21 notices expire permanently.
Late 2026: PRS Database begins regional rollout.
2027 (expected): Mandatory landlord registration on the PRS Database.
2028 (expected): PRS Landlord Ombudsman launches.
2035 or later: Decent Homes Standard applied to private rentals.
The Information Sheet: What Landlords Must Do Now
The government published the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 on 20 March 2026. Every landlord with an existing tenancy needs to act on this.
Who must receive it: Every tenant named on a written or partly written tenancy agreement for an assured or assured shorthold tenancy created before 1 May 2026. You do not need to give it to lodgers. For HMOs or shared households, each tenant must receive the sheet individually unless they share a single written agreement.
Deadline: 31 May 2026. The government's guidance is to serve it as soon as possible.
How to deliver it: Print a hard copy and post or hand it to the tenant, or send the PDF electronically as an attachment (email or text message). You cannot simply email or text a link to the PDF. That does not count as valid delivery.
The document must not be altered. It is only valid when downloaded directly from the GOV.UK page. If you have a letting agent managing the property, the agent must also provide it, even if you have already done so yourself.
What if the tenancy is verbal? If your tenancy is based entirely on a verbal agreement made before 1 May 2026, you cannot use the Information Sheet. You must instead provide a Written Statement of specific tenancy terms.
Penalties for non-compliance are significant. Fines start at around £4,000 and can rise to £7,000 depending on the circumstances. If non-compliance continues for more than 28 days after a penalty is issued, it can escalate to a criminal offence with fines up to £40,000 or prosecution.
For a full step-by-step walkthrough, see our article: RRA Information Sheet: What landlords must do before 31 May 2026.
When Does No Fault Section 21 Eviction End?
30 April 2026 is the last day a landlord can serve a valid Section 21 notice. After that, no-fault evictions are abolished entirely.
Under the current system, Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 allows landlords to evict tenants with two months' notice and no reason given. It has been cited as a leading cause of homelessness, with government data showing the end of private tenancies accounts for roughly 27% of households needing homelessness assistance.
From 1 May 2026, the reformed Section 8 grounds become the only route to possession. Landlords must have a specific, legally valid reason and follow the correct notice procedures.
If you served a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, you have until 31 July 2026 to apply to court for a possession order. After that date, the notice expires and cannot be acted upon.
What this means in practice: landlords lose the ability to end a tenancy without giving a reason, but gain clearer, better-defined grounds for possession when there is a legitimate reason (sale, family use, arrears, anti-social behaviour). The trade-off is a more structured, evidence-based process that takes longer and relies more heavily on the court system.
For tenants, it means greater security. You cannot be removed from your home without a stated legal ground. You can report disrepair, challenge rent increases, and request pets without fear that your landlord will simply issue a no-fault eviction in response.
The removal of Section 21 makes thorough tenant assessment more important than ever. Without the safety net of no-fault evictions, landlords need confidence in their tenants from day one. Husmus AI-powered tenant assessments go beyond traditional credit checks to give landlords a complete, data-driven picture of applicant reliability.
What Happens to Tenancy Agreements?
From 1 May 2026, all tenancies become periodic. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies are abolished. Every existing AST automatically converts to an assured periodic tenancy on that date, and every new tenancy granted from 1 May onwards will be periodic from day one.
This means tenants can end their tenancy by giving two months' notice at any time. No break clause needed. No early termination fees. No lock-in.
Landlords cannot end tenancies during the first 12 months except on specific grounds (such as serious rent arrears or anti-social behaviour). After 12 months, the full range of possession grounds becomes available.
There is no need to amend existing written tenancy agreements. The conversion happens automatically by operation of law.
New tenancies
From 1 May 2026 landlords are required to provide a Written Statement of Terms before the tenancy begins. This must include specific prescribed information: the parties' names, the property address, the rent payable and when it's due, the landlord's address for service of notices, a statement that rent can only be increased via Section 13, and the amount of any tenancy deposit.
The government published the full list of required information on 20 March 2026.
For tenants, this is a significant increase in flexibility. You are no longer locked into 6 or 12-month contracts. If your circumstances change, you give notice and leave.
For landlords, the practical impact depends on property quality and tenant relationships. Properties that are well-maintained and fairly priced will see less turnover. Properties with poor conditions or unresponsive management may see tenants exercise their new flexibility more readily.
What Are the New Possession Grounds?
With Section 21 gone, the reformed Section 8 grounds are the only legal route to possession from 1 May 2026. The government has published new prescribed forms for serving notice, including Form 3A (the new Section 8 notice). Draft versions were published on 20 March 2026, with the usable versions going live on 1 May.
Mandatory grounds for eviction post RRA
The court must award possession if proven:
Ground 1 / 1A: Landlord or family moving in, or selling. Four months' notice. Cannot be used within the first 12 months of the tenancy.
Serious rent arrears: The threshold has increased from two to three months' arrears. Notice period doubles to four weeks. Arrears must exist at both the notice and hearing stage.
Mortgage repossession: Where the lender requires vacant possession.
Ground 4A (student HMOs): Allows repossession at the end of the academic year. Landlords must have given written notice to tenants by 31 May 2026 for existing tenancies.
Discretionary grounds for eviction post RRA
The court considers whether possession is reasonable:
Any level of rent arrears, not just three months
Persistent late payment, even if the tenant is not currently in arrears
Breach of tenancy agreement
Anti-social behaviour
Property damage
What are prior notices?
Prior Notices are a new requirement that landlords need to understand. For certain grounds (including landlord moving in and sale), landlords should serve a Prior Notice before the tenancy begins, informing the tenant that these grounds may be relied on. Failure to serve a Prior Notice doesn't prevent use of the ground, but can result in a fine.
Protecting your rental income under the new rules is essential. With the arrears threshold rising to three months before mandatory possession applies, and court backlogs adding further delays, landlords face a longer period without income when things go wrong. Husmus Rent Shield (starting from £160 per year) covers lost rental income and legal costs during the possession process, keeping your cash flow protected.
How Can Landlords Increase Rent Under the RRA?
The Act does not introduce rent caps. What it does is standardise the process and add protections against abuse.
No rent increase in the first year. This is new and catches many landlords off guard. From 1 May 2026, you cannot increase rent during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, you are limited to one increase per year.
All increases must use the Section 13 process. You must complete Form 4A (Landlord's notice proposing a new rent), give at least two months' notice, and the increase must reflect open-market rent. The form is available on GOV.UK.
Existing rent review clauses are void. Any contractual rent review clause, including RPI or CPI-linked increases, has no effect from 1 May 2026. All increases must follow the statutory Section 13 process, regardless of what the original tenancy agreement says.
Rent increases agreed before 1 May but taking effect after 1 May are not permitted if they were agreed under a rent review clause. If you served a Form 4 rent increase notice before 1 May, the existing rules still apply to that specific increase.
Rent bidding is banned. Landlords must publish a specific price when advertising a property and cannot ask for, encourage, or accept offers above that price.
Tenants can challenge increases at the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal can set the rent at, or below, the landlord's proposed amount. Importantly, the Tribunal can no longer set a rent higher than what the landlord asked for, which was previously possible. If the tenant would suffer undue financial hardship, the Tribunal can delay when the new rent takes effect.
Backdating of rent increases is banned.
What Property Standards Must Landlords Meet?
The Decent Homes Standard will extend to private rentals for the first time, but not until 2035 at the earliest. The government consulted on either 2035 or 2037 and is currently reviewing responses.
In the meantime, existing obligations remain and enforcement is getting stronger. Since 27 December 2025, local authorities have had enhanced investigatory powers to inspect properties, demand documents, and access third-party data. Civil penalties can reach £30,000, or £40,000 in serious cases. Rent Repayment Orders allow tenants to claim back up to 24 months' rent for substandard conditions.
Awaab's Law will also extend to private rentals, requiring landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards like damp and mould within specific timeframes. The government is consulting on the detail and will announce an implementation timeline.
While the full Decent Homes Standard is years away, the direction is clear: property standards are rising, enforcement is tightening, and the financial consequences of non-compliance are increasing.
Husmus Landlord Insurance can include boiler and home emergency cover, helping landlords respond to urgent repair needs within the timeframes regulators expect.
Can Tenants Keep Pets?
The Act gives tenants a statutory right to request keeping a pet. Landlords must consider each request on its merits and cannot unreasonably refuse. Blanket "no pets" clauses are effectively over.
Only around 7% of UK private rentals are currently advertised as pet-friendly, despite roughly 44% of UK households having pets. That gap is about to narrow.
Landlords can require pet insurance to cover potential damage. They can also refuse where a property is genuinely unsuitable for a specific animal, or where a superior landlord (freeholder or head leaseholder) prohibits pets. The test is reasonableness, assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If a tenant feels their request has been unreasonably refused, they will be able to escalate the complaint to the Landlord Ombudsman (once launched) or take the case to court.
Husmus Landlord Insurance includes options for pet damage cover, so landlords can approve reasonable requests with confidence.
How Does the RRA Tackle Rental Discrimination?
From 1 May 2026, it becomes explicitly illegal for landlords and agents to discriminate against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits. This includes withholding information about a property, preventing viewings, and refusing to grant a tenancy.
Rent in advance is limited to one month's rent, payable only in the period between signing the tenancy and the tenancy starting. Landlords cannot accept any payment of rent before this period, and cannot require any payment before rent is due once the tenancy has begun.
Guarantor liability is not capped by the Act. A six-month cap was proposed during the Bill's passage but never enacted. The Act does, however, release guarantors from rent falling due after a tenant's death, for guarantees signed on or after 1 May 2026.
These changes remove some of the financial barriers that have disproportionately affected certain groups: immigrants, care leavers, people estranged from family, and those on lower incomes who could never produce a wealthy guarantor.
For landlords, the changes mean a wider tenant pool and reduced void periods, but also less ability to collect large upfront sums. The key is having the right protection in place instead.
Husmus Tenant Shield offers deposit replacement and guarantor replacement products, giving landlords equivalent financial protection while removing the barriers that locked many reliable tenants out of housing entirely.
What Is the PRS Landlord Database?
The Act creates a mandatory Private Rented Sector Database. Think of it as a Companies House for landlords.
The timeline is more gradual than many assume. A regional rollout begins in late 2026. Full mandatory registration is expected from 2027. Properties will not be able to be marketed without a valid registration number once the requirement is live in your area.
Landlords will need to provide basic information: contact details, property details, and Energy Performance Certificates. An annual fee will apply, though the amount has not been confirmed.
For tenants, the database means the ability to verify that a landlord is registered and legitimate before signing anything. For local authorities, it means better data to target enforcement.
What landlords should do now: ensure your property information, contact details, and EPCs are up to date. You cannot register yet, but you can be ready.
How Will the Landlord Ombudsman Work?
The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is expected to launch in 2028, later than many landlords expect. Membership will be mandatory for all private landlords.
The Ombudsman will provide impartial, binding dispute resolution between landlords and tenants, offering a faster and cheaper alternative to court. It will have powers to compel landlords to issue apologies, provide information, take remedial action, and pay compensation.
Penalties for not joining the scheme include fines of up to £7,000 for initial breaches and up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for continued non-compliance.
Until the Ombudsman launches, disputes continue through existing routes: the courts, local authority enforcement, and the First-tier Tribunal for rent disputes.
How Does the Renters' Rights Act Affect Landlord Insurance?
The Act does not directly change insurance requirements. But its knock-on effects reshape what landlords need from their cover.
Rent Guarantee Insurance becomes more important. The eviction timeline is longer under the new regime. The mandatory arrears threshold has risen from two to three months, notice periods have doubled, and court backlogs remain a reality. That means a longer period without rental income before possession is granted. Rent Guarantee Insurance covers this gap.
Husmus Rent Guarantee Insurance is designed for the post-RRA landscape, covering lost rental income and legal costs during the extended possession process.
Referencing and insurance are directly linked. Many Rent Guarantee Insurance policies are only valid if the tenant passed appropriate referencing checks. Under the new rules, where removing a problem tenant takes longer, ensuring your insurance is valid from day one matters more than ever.
Husmus tenant assessments are directly integrated with our insurance products. Every tenant who passes assessment is eligible for Husmus Rent Protection. No gap between referencing and cover.
Property obligations create new risks. Stricter enforcement, higher penalties, and the eventual Decent Homes Standard mean landlords need responsive maintenance cover. Comprehensive landlord insurance that includes home emergency and boiler cover helps you meet obligations within the timeframes regulators expect.
Traditional financial safety nets are shrinking. With rent in advance limited to one month, landlords who relied on large upfront payments or personal guarantors need alternative protection.
Guarantor Alternatives Under the Renters' Rights Act
The traditional guarantor model is under pressure. Rent in advance is limited to one month. Guarantors who sign on or after 1 May 2026 cannot be held liable for rent falling due after the tenant's death. Beyond that, their liability remains uncapped. And for many tenants, finding a guarantor has always been the hardest part of renting: if you are new to the country, estranged from family, a care leaver, or simply don't have someone wealthy enough to sign for you, the requirement can lock you out of housing entirely.
Guarantor replacement products like Husmus Tenant Shield Guarantor serve the same function as a personal guarantor, backed by regulated insurers. The landlord gets reliable, consistent protection. The tenant doesn't need to find a willing third party. It works within the Act's anti-discrimination provisions by removing a barrier that disproportionately affects certain groups.
Deposit replacement products like Husmus Tenant Shield Deposit replace the traditional tenancy deposit with a smaller, non-refundable fee, reducing upfront costs for tenants while still protecting landlords.
These products are particularly relevant under the RRA because they comply with the new limits on upfront costs, don't rely on a third party whose circumstances might change, and are backed by regulated insurers, providing more reliable protection than many personal guarantors.
How to Prepare
For Landlords
Do this now:
Download the Information Sheet from GOV.UK and send it to all existing tenants named on written tenancy agreements. Send the actual PDF as an attachment. Do not send a link. Do not alter the document. Deadline: 31 May 2026. Fines for non-compliance start at £4,000.
If you need to serve a Section 21 notice, do it before 30 April 2026. If you have already served one, apply to court before 31 July 2026 or it expires.
Do this before 1 May:
Prepare your tenancy agreement template for new tenancies. From 1 May, you must provide a Written Statement of Terms before a tenancy begins. The required information has been published.
Familiarise yourself with the new Section 8 forms. Form 3A (possession notice) and Form 4A (rent increase notice) are live on GOV.UK.
Review your insurance. The new possession timelines make Rent Guarantee Insurance more valuable than ever. Ensure your referencing process is robust enough to keep your cover valid.
Consider whether Prior Notices are relevant to your lettings.
Do this before late 2026:
Prepare for PRS Database registration. Gather your property details, contact information, and Energy Performance Certificates.
Ongoing:
Review your portfolio against incoming standards. Join a landlord association such as the British Landlords Association or the NRLA for updates, guidance, and templates. Invest in thorough tenant assessment to reduce risk at the point of letting.
For Tenants
From 1 May 2026, you cannot be evicted without a specific, legally valid reason. Familiarise yourself with the grounds on which landlords can still seek possession so you know when a notice is legitimate.
You should receive the Information Sheet from your landlord before 31 May 2026. Read it carefully. It explains how your tenancy changes under the new law.
Document everything. Save communications with your landlord or agent. Take dated photos of property condition. Keep copies of your tenancy agreement, inventory, and rent payment records.
Know your options on rent increases. Increases are limited to once per year, with two months' notice, and cannot happen in the first year of a tenancy. You can challenge excessive increases at the First-tier Tribunal.
If you are struggling with upfront costs, deposits, or guarantor requirements, products like Husmus Tenant Shield can reduce these barriers.
Connect with Crisis UK and Shelter for guidance and support.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Section 21 actually end? The last day to serve a valid Section 21 notice is 30 April 2026. If a notice was served before 1 May, the landlord must apply to court by 31 July 2026 or it expires permanently.
Can landlords still evict tenants who don't pay rent? Yes. The mandatory ground for serious arrears now requires three months' arrears (up from two), with a four-week notice period (up from two). Discretionary grounds also exist for any level of arrears and persistent late payment.
Is there rent control? No. The Act regulates the process, not the amount. Landlords are limited to one increase per year (none in the first year), must use a formal Section 13 notice with two months' warning, and cannot backdate increases. Tenants can challenge at the Tribunal, which can reduce but no longer increase the proposed rent.
Do existing rent review clauses still work? No. All contractual rent review clauses, including RPI and CPI-linked increases, are void from 1 May 2026. Every rent increase must follow the statutory Section 13 process.
How does the RRA affect student housing? Student accommodation follows the same rules, with one exception: Ground 4A allows landlords of student HMOs to regain possession at the end of the academic year. Landlords must give written notice to existing tenants by 31 May 2026 to use this ground. Purpose-built student accommodation registered with approved codes (UNIPOL, ANUK) is generally exempt.
What happens to existing tenancy agreements on 1 May 2026? All existing ASTs automatically convert to assured periodic tenancies. No action is required from either party. Tenants can then give two months' notice to leave at any time. There is no need to amend or reissue the existing written agreement.
Do I need to give my tenants the Information Sheet? If you have an existing assured or assured shorthold tenancy with a wholly or partly written agreement created before 1 May 2026, yes. You must send the official PDF (downloaded from GOV.UK) as an attachment by 31 May 2026. Fines for failure start at £4,000. If the tenancy is entirely verbal, you must provide a Written Statement instead.
Do landlords need Rent Guarantee Insurance? It's not legally required. But with the arrears threshold rising to three months and possession timelines lengthening, the financial exposure from unpaid rent is greater than before. Rent Guarantee Insurance covers lost rent and legal costs during the process.
What is a guarantor replacement? An insurance-backed product that serves the same function as a personal guarantor, without requiring a tenant to find a third party. Husmus Tenant Shield Guarantor acts as the guarantor, backed by regulated insurers. The landlord gets reliable protection; the tenant doesn't need to rely on family or friends.
What if I need to move out quickly as a tenant? Tenants must give two months' notice. There is no shorter period except in cases of domestic abuse or other exceptional circumstances covered by specific provisions.
When do landlords need to register on the PRS Database? The database begins a regional rollout in late 2026. Mandatory registration is expected from 2027. The exact dates and fee structure have not been confirmed.
Resources and Further Reading
Government sources:
Support organisations:
Husmus products:
Related posts on the Husmus blog:
The RRA Information Sheet: What Landlords Must Do Before 31 May 2026