Renters' Rights Act 2025: The 1 May 2026 Changes Explained

The biggest shake-up to England's private rented sector in 30 years takes effect on 1 May 2026. Here's what every landlord needs to know — from the end of Section 21 to mandatory Ombudsman registration.

<h2The Renters' Rights Act Is Here</h2 <pAfter years of debate, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025. The first major wave of reforms came into force on <strong1 May 2026</strong, and it changes almost everything about how landlords operate in England.</p <pThat first wave is now in force. Here's a plain-English breakdown of every key change.</p <hr / <h2Section 21 No-Fault Evictions — Abolished</h2 <pSince 1 May 2026, Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 has been repealed. Landlords can no longer serve a &quot;no-fault&quot; notice to end a tenancy.</p <p<strongWhat this means in practice:</strong</p <ul <liAll evictions must now rely on specific grounds under a reformed Section 8</li <liA valid Section 21 notice (Form 6A) served before 1 May 2026 can still be relied on, but court proceedings must commence before the notice expires or by 31 July 2026, whichever is earlier</li <liThis applies to <strongall tenancies</strong — not just those created after the commencement date</li </ul <pThe government has published detailed guidance at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renting-out-your-property-guidance-for-landlords-and-letting-agents/repossessing-your-privately-rented-property-on-or-after-1-may-2026" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"GOV.UK — Repossessing your property from 1 May 2026</a.</p <hr / <h2New Possession Grounds</h2 <pThe reformed Section 8 introduces several new and amended grounds:</p <table<thead<tr<thGround</th<thType</th<thNotice</th<thWhen to Use</th</tr</thead <tbody <tr<td<strongGround 1</strong — Landlord/family occupation</td<tdMandatory</td<td4 months</td<tdYou or a close family member intends to live in the property</td</tr <tr<td<strongGround 1A</strong — Sale of property</td<tdMandatory</td<td4 months</td<tdYou intend to sell (evidence required)</td</tr <tr<td<strongGround 6</strong — Redevelopment</td<tdMandatory</td<td4 months</td<tdSubstantial redevelopment or demolition</td</tr <tr<td<strongGround 8</strong — Serious rent arrears</td<tdMandatory</td<td4 weeks</td<td3+ months' arrears at notice and hearing</td</tr <tr<td<strongGround 8A</strong — Repeated arrears</td<tdMandatory (new)</td<td4 weeks</td<td1+ month arrears on 3+ occasions in past 3 years</td</tr <tr<td<strongGround 14</strong — Anti-social behaviour</td<tdDiscretionary</td<tdImmediate / 2 weeks</td<tdNuisance, illegality, or harassment</td</tr </tbody</table <p<strongImportant:</strong Grounds 1 and 1A cannot be used within the first 12 months of a tenancy.</p <hr / <h2All Tenancies Become Periodic</h2 <pFixed-term assured shorthold tenancies are abolished. From 1 May:</p <ul <liAll existing fixed-term tenancies automatically convert to periodic</li <liTenants can leave at any time by giving <strong2 months' notice</strong</li <liTenancy agreements remain valid — only fixed-term and break clauses are overridden</li <liLandlords cannot include clauses preventing tenants from ending with 2 months' notice</li </ul <hr / <h2Rent Increases — Strict New Rules</h2 <ul <li<strongOnce per year maximum</strong — rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period</li <li<strongSection 13 process only</strong — rent review clauses are no longer enforceable. All increases must use Form 4A</li <li<strong2 months' notice</strong required for any rent increase</li <li<strongTribunal challenge</strong — tenants can refer the increase to the First-tier Tribunal</li </ul <p<strongAction point:</strong Set rents at a sustainable level from the outset.</p <hr / <h2Pets — Right to Request</h2 <pTenants gain a statutory right to request permission to keep a pet:</p <ul <liLandlords must respond within <strong28 days (initial consideration period)</strong</li <liFailure to respond is treated as <strongconsent</strong</li <liBlanket &quot;no pets&quot; policies are no longer enforceable</li <liConsent can only be refused on <strongreasonable grounds</strong</li <liLandlords can require <strongpet damage insurance</strong at the tenant's expense</li </ul <hr / <h2Private Rented Sector Ombudsman (Phase 2 — not 1 May 2026)</h2<pThe Act establishes a new PRS Ombudsman that all private landlords will eventually be required to join. This is <strongnot</strong a 1 May 2026 change — government has indicated regulations bringing mandatory membership into force are expected in <strongPhase 2 of the rollout (approximately 2028)</strong. Non-membership will be a civil financial penalty, not a criminal offence.</p <ul <liHandles complaints about property condition, repairs, and landlord conduct</li <liCan order compensation, apologies, and remedial action</li <liTenants must use your complaints process first — so have one ready</li </ul <hr / <h2Property Portal — Phase 2, regional rollout from late 2026 at earliest</h2 <pA new digital Property Portal will require landlords to register all rental properties:</p <ul <liUpload compliance certificates and tenancy details</li <liGives tenants and councils visibility of compliance status</li <liNon-registration may prevent use of certain possession grounds</li </ul <hr / <h2What's Coming After May 2026?</h2 <ul <li<strongPhase 3 (date to be confirmed)</strong — Awaab's Law extends to private landlords. Repair timescales will follow the social-sector benchmark (emergency hazards within 24 hours; significant hazards begin investigation within 10 working days and complete safety works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding). No October 2026 deadline has been confirmed.</li <li<strongLate 2026</strong — Decent Homes Standard extends to private rented housing</li <li<strongLate 2026 onwards (Phase 2, regional rollout)</strong — Property Portal phased launch</li </ul <hr / <h2Your Preparation Checklist</h2 <ol <li<strongAudit your compliance</strong — gas safety, EICR, EPC, deposit protection, smoke/CO alarms</li <li<strongReview tenancy agreements</strong — remove conflicting clauses</li <li<strongSet sustainable rent levels</strong — i

Sources: - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3764 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/contents

Published: 2026-03-20.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30.

General summary; not legal advice.