The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in late 2025 and is being rolled out in phases through 2026. It replaces the bulk of the assured shorthold tenancy regime that has governed private renting in England since the Housing Act 1988, and it applies to all private and most social sector tenancies in England. The Act does not apply to Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland — each of those nations has its own rental law.
This guide explains the practical effect of the Act for the two groups who actually have to live with it: tenants who want to know what changes for them, and landlords who need to stay compliant. Housing law is complex and this article is general information, not legal advice for your specific situation — always check with a solicitor, Shelter, or Citizens Advice before acting on anything here.
Section 21 no-fault evictions are abolished
The biggest single change. Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 let a landlord in England end a tenancy without giving a reason, as long as the correct notice period and paperwork were served. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolishes Section 21 entirely for tenancies that fall under the new regime.
For tenants, the practical effect is that a landlord can no longer serve a notice to quit simply because the fixed term has ended or because they want the property back without explanation. A landlord who wants possession now has to rely on one of the fault-based or landlord-circumstance grounds in Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 — those grounds are expanded and modified by the Act, but the basic principle is that the landlord has to give a legally recognised reason.
For landlords, the change means that every possession claim has to be justified and documented. Serving the wrong notice form or using the wrong ground will result in the claim being struck out at court. The NRLA and other landlord bodies have produced updated template notices, but many landlords will need to get solicitor input for the first few claims they make under the new regime.
Fixed-term tenancies end — everything becomes periodic
Under the old regime a private tenant would typically sign a 6 or 12 month fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy, after which it rolled into a statutory periodic tenancy. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 there is no fixed term — every new assured tenancy is periodic from day one.
Periodic tenancies run month to month. The tenant can give two months' notice at any point and leave. The landlord cannot lock the tenant into staying for a minimum period beyond the end of the relevant notice period they themselves have served under Section 8.
This is a significant change for landlords who relied on fixed terms for income planning and for tenants who preferred the certainty of a 12-month commitment. In practice most tenants stay longer than the old fixed term anyway, so the effect on actual length of tenancy is expected to be modest.
Rent increases limited to once per year via Section 13
Under the old rules a landlord could raise the rent more or less when they wanted, provided they served a Section 13 notice or the tenancy agreement allowed for a specific mechanism. The Act limits rent increases to once per 12 months, and the only mechanism for imposing an increase is a statutory Section 13 notice.
A tenant who thinks the increase is above market rate can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a determination. The tribunal can decide the rent should be lower than the landlord proposed. Tenants cannot, however, use the tribunal to lock in a rent below current market rate — the tribunal determines market rent, not what the tenant can afford.
Rent bidding wars, where a tenant offers above the advertised rent to secure a property, are also banned. Landlords must advertise a fixed rent and cannot accept offers above that figure.
Decent Homes Standard extended to the private rented sector
The Decent Homes Standard has applied to social housing since 2006. The Act extends it to the private rented sector. Every privately rented home in England must meet minimum standards on:
- Structural integrity and weatherproofing
- Reasonable state of repair for roofs, walls, windows, doors
- Reasonably modern facilities (kitchen, bathroom, heating)
- Absence of Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
A private tenant whose home fails the Decent Homes Standard can complain to their local council's environmental health team. The council has the power to serve improvement notices and in serious cases can take enforcement action including prosecution.
Awaab's Law applies to private landlords
Awaab's Law, which originated in response to the death of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale in 2020, was first introduced for social landlords in October 2025 via the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 extends equivalent obligations to private landlords.
In practice, this means a private landlord who receives a written complaint about damp, mould, or another serious hazard must:
- Investigate the hazard within a set number of days of receipt (14 days for the most serious Category 1 hazards)
- Tell the tenant in writing what has been found
- Complete repairs within the statutory timeframe
- Take emergency action where there is an immediate risk to health
Private tenants who are being ignored on a damp or mould complaint can now refer the case to the new PRS Ombudsman or to their local council's environmental health team. Keeping written evidence of when the complaint was made and what the landlord did — or failed to do — is essential.
The Private Rented Sector Ombudsman
Until the Act, private tenants had no single place to take a complaint about their landlord short of going to court. The Act creates a statutory PRS Ombudsman scheme that all private landlords in England must join.
The Ombudsman can:
- Investigate complaints from tenants about their landlord
- Make binding decisions
- Award compensation of up to a statutory maximum
- Order specific action to be taken by the landlord
Landlords must be members of the scheme before they can market a property for rent or serve a possession notice. Operating outside the scheme is an offence.
For tenants, the Ombudsman is a free alternative to court. For landlords, membership is a compliance obligation that needs to be kept current — the scheme will charge an annual fee and non-members face enforcement.
The Private Rented Sector Database
The Act also creates a statutory landlord database — a national register of private landlords and their properties. Every landlord operating in England has to be registered before they can market a property for rent.
The database is intended to give tenants a way to check whether the person offering to rent them a property is actually the lawful landlord and whether the property itself is compliant with minimum standards. It also gives local councils a clearer enforcement target for rogue landlord action.
Landlords must keep the register up to date with any changes to their portfolio, rental prices, and compliance certificates. Failure to register is an offence.
Discrimination against tenants with children or on benefits is banned
Historically many private landlords refused to consider tenants on housing benefit ("no DSS") or with children. The Act makes both forms of discrimination unlawful — landlords and letting agents cannot refuse a tenancy on those grounds alone.
Landlords can still make lettings decisions based on legitimate affordability and suitability assessments, and they can still decline unsuitable tenants for other genuine reasons. What they cannot do is operate a blanket policy refusing to consider anyone in receipt of benefits or any applicant with children.
Advertisements which say "no DSS" or "no children" are also prohibited. Tenants who believe they have been discriminated against can report the landlord or agent to the Ombudsman or take action through the county court.
The right to request a pet
The Act creates a right for tenants to request permission to keep a pet, and landlords cannot unreasonably refuse. What counts as "reasonable" refusal will be developed through guidance and case law, but factors are likely to include:
- The size and type of the pet
- The size and type of the property
- Any express prohibition in the head lease (for leasehold flats)
- The tenant's history with any previous pets
Landlords can require the tenant to take out specific pet damage insurance as a condition of consent. The Act does not give tenants an absolute right to a pet — it creates a procedural right to request and a limit on how the landlord can refuse.
What stays the same
Several important things do not change:
- Deposits are still capped at 5 weeks' rent and must still be protected in an approved scheme within 30 days (Housing Act 2004)
- Landlord repair responsibilities under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 are unchanged
- The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 remains in force alongside the new Decent Homes Standard
- Gas Safety Regulations 1998 obligations are unchanged
- Right to Rent checks under the Immigration Act 2014 continue
- HMO licensing rules under the Housing Act 2004 continue
- Section 8 grounds for possession continue, with modifications and additions
Commencement and transition
The Act was given Royal Assent in late 2025. Different provisions come into force at different dates through 2026, with some transitional provisions for existing tenancies.
In general:
- New tenancies signed after the commencement date fall under the new regime from day one
- Existing tenancies are converted to the new regime on a fixed statutory date, rather than when the current fixed term expires
- Section 21 notices served before the commencement date can still be pursued through the courts, subject to transitional rules
If you are in an existing tenancy, the safest assumption is that the new rules will apply to you at the statutory conversion date. Landlords in particular should not delay getting their paperwork and processes aligned with the new regime — waiting until the last minute is likely to cause issues with possession claims.
Where tenants can get help
If you are affected by any of the issues in this article, free specialist advice is available from:
- Shelter England — free housing advice line and online guidance at shelter.org.uk
- Citizens Advice — free face-to-face and telephone advice
- Your local council's housing team — for repair complaints, licensing issues, homelessness
- The PRS Ombudsman (once active) — for complaints about your landlord
- A solicitor specialising in housing law — the Law Society's "Find a Solicitor" tool
- Legal aid — if you qualify financially, legal aid is available for housing matters
Where landlords can get help
Private landlords adapting to the new regime should consider:
- The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) — member guidance and template documents
- Your letting agent, if you use one — agents should be updated on the new rules
- A housing solicitor — especially before serving the first few Section 8 notices under the new regime
- HMRC guidance — for any tax implications of the changes
What happens next
The Act is being rolled out through 2026 and the full picture will not be clear until the secondary regulations and the published decisions of the PRS Ombudsman start to build up. We will update this guide as the commencement dates are confirmed and as the Ombudsman's approach to key issues becomes clear.
If there is a specific aspect of the Act you want us to cover in more detail, email editorial@thetenantsvoice.co.uk and we will prioritise questions that several tenants or landlords are asking about.