What is the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (RRA 2025) is the most significant piece of residential landlord legislation since the Housing Act 1988. It came fully into force on 1 May 2026, abolishing the Assured Shorthold Tenancy regime that has governed the English private rented sector for nearly four decades.
The Act was designed to shift the balance of power between landlords and tenants — giving renters greater security, clearer rights, and legal protections that simply did not exist before. For landlords, it means adapting to an entirely new legal framework.
The good news: the changes are manageable if you understand them. This guide covers every key change that affects private landlords in England, and the documents you need to comply.
Section 21 — Permanently Abolished
The headline change is the permanent abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions. From 1 May 2026, there is no mechanism by which a landlord can require a tenant to leave simply because the tenancy has ended or because the landlord does not wish to renew it.
To recover possession of a property, landlords must now rely entirely on Section 8 grounds — specific, legally defined reasons set out in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended). If you want your property back for any reason — whether the tenant has breached the agreement, you want to sell, or you want to move a family member in — there is a ground for that. But you must use the correct procedure and serve the correct notice.
Section 8 Eviction Notice Pack
All 17 current Section 8 grounds post-May 2026, with guidance notes, correct notice periods, and instructions for each ground. The most comprehensive Section 8 pack on the UK market, updated for RRA 2025.
Get the Section 8 Pack — £19.99 →Assured Periodic Tenancies Replace ASTs
The Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) — the standard tenancy agreement used since 1997 — has been replaced by the Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT). All tenancies created from 1 May 2026 must be APTs. Existing ASTs that were still running on 1 May 2026 automatically converted to APTs on that date.
What is the practical difference?
The most important difference is that APTs have no fixed term. There is no "end date" — the tenancy simply continues until the landlord or tenant ends it. Tenants can give two months' notice to leave at any time. Landlords can only end the tenancy by relying on a Section 8 ground.
Fixed-term tenancies still exist in law, but the standard "6 months then statutory periodic" model is gone. Most new tenancies will simply be periodic from the start.
Landlords must also provide a written statement of tenancy terms within 28 days of the tenancy beginning, under the Assured Tenancies (Prescribed Form of Written Statement) Regulations 2026. This is a new legal obligation — failure to comply can affect your ability to use certain Section 8 grounds.
Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement 2026
Fully compliant APT agreement incorporating the Written Statement Regulations 2026. All mandatory terms included. Updated for the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and every change in force from 1 May 2026.
Get the APT Agreement — £19.99 →Section 8 Grounds — What's Changed
With Section 21 gone, Section 8 is now the only route to possession. The Act made several important changes to the available grounds:
New grounds added
- Ground 1A (Sale of property) — landlord intends to sell the property. Notice period: 4 months.
- Ground 1B (Landlord or family member moving in) — landlord or close family member intends to occupy the property as their principal home. Notice period: 4 months. Cannot be used in the first 12 months of the tenancy.
- Ground 6A (Significant works) — landlord needs vacant possession to carry out substantial works that cannot be done with the tenant in occupation.
Existing grounds strengthened
The well-used rent arrears ground (Ground 8) now requires 3 months' arrears at the date of both notice and hearing, up from 2 months. The notice period for Ground 8 has increased to 4 weeks.
Critically, deposit protection failures now block most Section 8 mandatory grounds until the deposit is properly protected and the prescribed information served. If your deposit is not protected correctly, you will not be able to recover possession even if the tenant is in arrears.
Rent Increases — New Rules
Landlords can still increase rent, but the process has been formalised under the Act.
- Rent increases require a minimum 2 months' written notice using the statutory Form 4A (Section 13 notice)
- Rent can only be increased once every 12 months
- Tenants can challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) if they believe it is above the market rate
- Any contractual rent review clause that conflicts with these rules is unenforceable
Rent Increase Notice — Section 13 Form 4A
The correct statutory notice for increasing rent under RRA 2025. Includes guidance on notice periods, how to calculate the correct rent, and how to handle a tribunal challenge.
Get the Rent Increase Notice — £9.99 →Pet Requests — New Obligation
Section 16A of the Housing Act 1988 (inserted by RRA 2025) gives tenants the right to request permission to keep a pet. Landlords now have specific legal obligations when a pet request is made:
- You must respond to a written pet request within 28 days
- You may only refuse on reasonable grounds (for example, the property has a head lease that prohibits pets, or the property is genuinely unsuitable)
- "I just don't want pets" is not a reasonable ground for refusal
- You may require the tenant to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of consent
- Blanket "no pets" clauses in tenancy agreements are unenforceable
Unreasonably refusing a pet request or failing to respond within 28 days can expose landlords to Tribunal proceedings.
Anti-Discrimination Protections
The RRA 2025 makes it unlawful to refuse to let a property to someone, or to treat someone less favourably in a tenancy, on the grounds that they are in receipt of benefits or that they have children.
This is an entirely new category of civil penalty:
| Offence | Maximum Penalty |
|---|---|
| Discrimination against benefits recipients | £40,000 |
| Discrimination against tenants with children | £40,000 |
| Failure to respond to pet request | Tribunal award |
| Serving invalid Section 8 notice | Costs + delay |
| Deposit not protected within 30 days | 1–3× deposit amount |
PRS Landlord Database
The Act establishes a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Landlord Database, which will require all landlords in England to register. This is being phased in during 2026–2027. The exact rollout dates for different areas are still being confirmed by the government.
Registration will be mandatory. Operating as a landlord without registration will be an offence once the database is live in your area. Letting agents will also be required to verify that their landlord clients are registered before marketing a property.
DocPilot will update the Landlord Compliance Checklist as registration requirements become clearer.
Your Compliance Checklist — Right Now
Here is what every private landlord in England should do immediately:
- Audit your deposit protection — ensure all deposits are protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, and that the prescribed information has been served. An unprotected deposit blocks most Section 8 grounds.
- Update your tenancy agreement — if you are granting any new tenancy from 1 May 2026, use an APT agreement, not an AST.
- Remove no-pets clauses — replace with a compliant pet request process.
- Remove benefits or children restrictions from your lettings criteria and advertising.
- Review your rent review process — use Form 4A for all rent increases; do not rely on contractual review clauses.
- Prepare Section 8 documentation — understand which grounds apply to your situation before a problem arises.
Landlord Compliance Checklist 2026 ⭐
A comprehensive 2026 compliance checklist covering every obligation under the RRA 2025, ERA 2025, and existing housing law. Penalty figures, notice periods, and checklist items all updated for May 2026. The most complete landlord compliance document on the UK market.
Get the Compliance Checklist — £14.99 →Stay Current with DocPilot Pro
The RRA 2025 is the biggest change — but it will not be the last. Landlord law in England is evolving rapidly. The PRS database rollout continues through 2026–2027. Section 8 grounds are already being reviewed by legal practitioners. New court procedure rules for possession proceedings will follow.
DocPilot Pro for Landlords gives you access to all 14 property and landlord templates — always the latest version — for £19 per month, with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required. When the law changes, your documents update. No manual checking, no outdated templates.
This guide was written and verified in May 2026. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you are unsure about your obligations as a landlord, you should consult a qualified solicitor specialising in residential property law.