The Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026. This law represents the most significant overhaul of renters’ rights in decades. It provides 11 million renters with stronger rights and protections.
Before this act, landlords could evict tenants without a valid reason through Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions. The new law abolishes these evictions, ensuring that landlords must provide a legitimate cause to terminate a tenancy.
All tenancies in the private rented sector will now roll on from month to month or week to week. This change offers more flexibility for renters. Additionally, landlords can only raise rent once a year, and renters have the right to challenge unfair rent hikes.
Landlords must adhere to the advertised rent price, which eliminates bidding wars. They can only charge a maximum of one month’s rent upfront. Furthermore, it is now illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on benefits or having children.
Renters can also request to live with pets, and landlords must reasonably consider these requests. However, landlords retain the ability to evict tenants for specific reasons such as selling the property or dealing with rent arrears.
A new Private Rented Sector Database will register all landlords and rental properties in England. The government plans to implement a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes by 2035.
Fines for landlords who do not comply with the new rules can reach up to £40,000 for repeat offences. Chelsea Phillips, Acorn national chair, stated, “We won this. This wasn’t just handed to us from above.” Ben Twomey, chief executive at Generation Rent, added that this law is a vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords.
Phase 2 of the Renters’ Rights Act will begin in late 2026. This phase will introduce further improvements such as a Private Rented Sector Database and a free complaints service.
