The Renters’ Rights Act brings major reforms from May 2026, including eviction bans, open-ended tenancies, rent rules, deposit limits, and stronger tenant protections.
Dispute Resolution|24 November 2025
Insight
The Renters’ Rights Act is the most significant reform in England’s private rented sector in over 40 years. Since gaining Royal Assent, a detailed timeline has been released outlining when the different parts of the legislation will come into effect. This timeline gives landlords, tenants, and agents clarity and preparation time for the changes ahead.
The Act officially became law, marking the start of the countdown to implementation. From this point, the government commenced preparing secondary legislation and regulations essential for the Act’s provisions to take effect.
Local authorities receive enhanced investigatory and enforcement powers to crack down on rogue landlords. These include rights to inspect properties, demand documents, and access third-party data, alongside new reporting duties to the Secretary of State.
Landlords may serve a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice only up to this date. After 30 April 2026, no new Section 21 notices may be issued.
This is the pivotal “big bang” commencement date when the majority of the key reforms begin to apply:
For existing verbal tenancy agreements, landlords must produce and provide a written summary of the tenancy terms to tenants by this date. An information sheet which the Government will publish online in March 2026 will also need to be provided.
Any court possession proceedings based on Section 21 notices must be issued by this date. After 31 July 2026, landlords can no longer use Section 21 for eviction and must rely on the new legal grounds provided by the Act.
Private Landlord Ombudsman: Introduction of an independent body to handle tenant and landlord disputes.
Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database: Phased rollout of a mandatory landlord registration system across England to improve transparency and enforcement.
Final phase includes the full implementation of the Decent Homes Standard, setting minimum housing quality levels in the private rental sector.
The Renters’ Rights Act will fundamentally alter the renting landscape from May 2026, moving from fixed-term tenancies to more flexible periodic arrangements, while banning unfair eviction practices and introducing stronger tenant protections.
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