The housing law changes in 2026 represent one of the most substantial reforms of the private rented sector in England for decades. The Renters’ Rights Act introduces a new tenancy regime, abolishes section 21 evictions and changes the rules governing rent increases, possession, pets, discrimination and landlord compliance.
The reforms affect individual landlords, property investors, portfolio owners and letting agents. Although the principal tenancy changes came into force on 1 May 2026, other measures are being introduced in phases. These include the new Private Rented Sector Database, a mandatory landlord ombudsman and further property condition standards.
This guide explains the 2026 implementation timetable, the changes already in force and the practical steps landlords and agents should take as the remaining provisions are rolled out. It applies principally to private residential tenancies in England, as different housing legislation applies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What is the Renters’ Rights Act?
The Renters’ Rights Act reforms the legal framework for renting homes privately in England. Its objectives include giving tenants greater security, improving housing standards and creating a more consistent system for resolving disputes. At the same time, the legislation revises and expands the grounds landlords may use when they have a legitimate reason to recover possession.
The Act affects both new and existing private tenancies. Landlords should not assume that agreements entered into before implementation remain governed by the previous system. The reforms apply across the sector, subject to limited exceptions and transitional rules.
The changes extend beyond tenancy agreements. They introduce new compliance, registration and redress requirements which will affect the way landlords and letting agents manage properties throughout the tenancy lifecycle.
Renters’ Rights Act implementation timeline
The Government has adopted a phased approach to implementation. This is intended to give landlords, agents, tenants, local authorities and the courts time to prepare for each part of the new regulatory framework.
Phase one: tenancy reforms from 1 May 2026
The first phase came into force on 1 May 2026 and introduced the principal tenancy reforms for the private rented sector. These include the abolition of section 21, the move to periodic assured tenancies, revised possession grounds, restrictions on rent increases and rental bidding, and new protections relating to pets and discrimination.
Landlords and agents should already be operating in accordance with these rules. Existing documents, notices, management procedures and staff guidance should have been reviewed before commencement. Where this has not happened, an urgent compliance review may be appropriate.
Phase two: the Private Rented Sector Database
The next phase involves the introduction of the Private Rented Sector Database. Its rollout is expected to begin from late 2026, with landlords being required to register themselves and their properties in accordance with the timetable set by the Government and relevant commencement regulations.
The database is intended to provide a central source of information about landlords, rented properties and legal obligations. It will also help tenants check key information and assist local authorities in identifying and taking action against non-compliant landlords.
Phase three: the landlord ombudsman
A mandatory Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman will follow as a further implementation phase. Private landlords within scope will be required to join the approved redress scheme, including landlords who use a managing agent. Appointing an agent will not remove the landlord’s own membership obligations.
The Government is expected to confirm the detailed commencement arrangements through secondary legislation and updated guidance. Landlords should monitor announcements rather than relying on the assumption that later measures will apply automatically on the same date as the tenancy reforms.
Future property standards
Further reforms will extend a legally enforceable Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and apply requirements based on Awaab’s Law. These measures are intended to strengthen the duties applying to hazards such as damp and mould and may impose clearer timescales for investigation and remedial work.
Implementation will depend on further regulations and guidance. Nevertheless, landlords should review property inspection, repair reporting and contractor management procedures now, particularly where properties have recurring problems with condensation, damp, ventilation or water ingress.
Section 21 evictions have been abolished
One of the most significant housing law changes in 2026 is the abolition of section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 for tenancies within the new regime. Landlords can no longer recover possession simply by serving a no-fault section 21 notice. Transitional provisions may continue to apply to notices served before commencement, subject to statutory deadlines.
Instead, a landlord must rely on an applicable possession ground under section 8 and establish that ground through the correct legal process. The notice must identify a valid statutory reason, comply with the required notice period and be followed by court proceedings if the tenant does not leave.
Any landlord considering possession should obtain advice before serving notice. Using an incorrect ground, relying on an outdated form or failing to comply with a precondition can delay proceedings and increase costs.
Changes to possession grounds
The Renters’ Rights Act revises the grounds available to landlords under section 8. Some grounds are mandatory, meaning the court must generally make a possession order if the statutory requirements are proved. Others are discretionary, allowing the court to consider whether it is reasonable to grant possession.
Grounds remain available for circumstances including serious rent arrears, persistent late payment, breach of tenancy, antisocial behaviour and damage to the property. The Act also provides routes for landlords who genuinely need the property back so they or a close family member can occupy it, or because they intend to sell it. The relevant statutory conditions must be strictly satisfied and supporting evidence may be required by the court.
Restrictions apply to the use of certain grounds. For example, landlords cannot use the moving-in or sale grounds during the protected initial period of a tenancy. Minimum notice periods and restrictions on reletting or remarketing may also apply after possession has been obtained.
Landlords should preserve evidence supporting the selected ground. This may include rent statements, correspondence, inspection records, photographs, witness evidence, complaints and documents showing a genuine intention to sell or occupy the property.
Assured tenancies are now periodic
The previous system of assured shorthold tenancies with fixed terms has been replaced for tenancies within scope by a system of periodic assured tenancies. Tenancies continue until the tenant gives notice or the landlord obtains possession using an applicable statutory ground.
This change gives tenants greater flexibility and removes the assumption that possession will automatically be available when a contractual fixed term ends. A landlord cannot require a tenant to leave merely because an old tenancy agreement refers to an expiry date.
Landlords should update their tenancy documentation to reflect the new regime. Agreements should not contain misleading terms suggesting that the landlord can end the tenancy without following the statutory possession process.
New rules for rent increases
Rent increases for tenancies within the new regime must follow the statutory procedure. In general, landlords may increase the rent once in any 12-month period and must give the required notice using the prescribed process.
Tenants may challenge the proposed rent before the First-tier Tribunal, which will generally determine the market rent for the property rather than simply accepting the figure requested by either party.
Informal rent review clauses or contractual arrangements should not be treated as substitutes for the statutory procedure. Before proposing an increase, landlords should obtain reliable local market evidence and ensure the notice is accurate and served at the correct time.
Rental bidding is prohibited
Landlords and letting agents must advertise a specific asking rent and must not invite, encourage or accept offers above that amount. This is intended to prevent prospective tenants from being placed under pressure to bid against one another.
Advertising templates, online listings, application forms and staff scripts should all reflect the prohibition. Agents should also ensure that automated systems do not encourage applicants to enter a rental offer above the advertised figure.
The restriction does not prevent a landlord from choosing between applicants using lawful and objective criteria. However, selection processes must comply with the Act and wider equality and consumer protection requirements.
Requests to keep pets
Tenants have a statutory right to request permission to keep a pet. A landlord must consider the request and cannot unreasonably refuse it. What amounts to a reasonable refusal will depend on the circumstances of the property and any legitimate restrictions affecting it.
A blanket policy refusing every pet request is unlikely to be appropriate. Landlords should assess requests individually, respond within the applicable period and record the reasons for any refusal.
Owners of leasehold properties should check the terms of the superior lease before responding. If the lease prohibits animals or requires the freeholder’s consent, specialist property law advice may be needed.
Protection against rental discrimination
The Act restricts landlords and agents from discriminating against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits. Advertisements and letting practices should not contain blanket statements such as “no children” or “no benefits”.
Landlords can still assess whether an applicant can afford the rent, provided the assessment is fair and applied consistently. Referencing, guarantor and affordability requirements must not be used as an indirect means of imposing a prohibited blanket exclusion.
Mortgage conditions and insurance terms should also be reviewed. A landlord should not assume that a contractual condition automatically justifies a discriminatory letting policy, particularly where the condition may be capable of amendment.
How the landlord database will work
The Private Rented Sector Database is expected to require landlords to provide prescribed information about themselves and each property they let. The precise information, fees, renewal arrangements and registration timetable will be set out through regulations and Government guidance.
Registration is expected to become an important part of lawful property management. A landlord who fails to register when required may face enforcement action and could encounter restrictions when seeking possession.
Landlords should begin assembling accurate records for each property, including ownership details, contact information, safety certificates, energy performance documentation, licensing information and the identity of any managing agent.
Portfolio landlords should consider creating a central compliance register. This can help identify expiring certificates, inconsistent ownership details and properties subject to selective, additional or mandatory licensing.
What the landlord ombudsman will do
The landlord ombudsman will provide tenants with an independent route for resolving complaints without having to issue court proceedings. It is expected to consider issues such as poor communication, failures to carry out repairs and other shortcomings in the landlord’s service.
The current framework anticipates that the ombudsman will have powers to require remedies including apologies, corrective action and compensation in accordance with scheme rules.
Landlords should not wait for mandatory membership before introducing a written complaints procedure. Complaints should be acknowledged promptly, investigated objectively and supported by a clear record of communications, inspections and decisions.
Letting agents may already belong to an existing redress scheme, but this will not necessarily satisfy the landlord’s separate obligation to join the new ombudsman. Landlords should clarify how complaints will be handled where management responsibilities have been delegated to an agent.
Enforcement and penalties
Local authorities have enhanced powers to investigate and enforce breaches of the new rules. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the conduct, enforcement may include civil financial penalties, prosecution or other regulatory action.
The Act also expands the circumstances in which tenants may seek rent repayment orders. For serious or repeated non-compliance, the potential financial consequences can be substantial and may extend beyond the immediate value of the tenancy dispute.
Certain breaches may affect a landlord's ability to obtain possession, manage licences or demonstrate that they are a fit and proper person. Agents may face separate liability where they have participated in or facilitated unlawful conduct.
What landlords and letting agents should do now
Landlords, investors and agents should treat the reforms as a continuing compliance programme rather than a one-off change to tenancy agreements. A practical review should include the following actions:
- Check that current tenancy agreements and notices reflect the periodic tenancy regime.
- Remove references to section 21 and outdated fixed-term possession procedures.
- Review rent increase processes and diarise the relevant annual dates.
- Check that property advertisements state a clear rent and do not encourage rental bidding.
- Introduce a written process for considering pet requests.
- Remove blanket restrictions relating to children or benefit recipients.
- Review possession procedures and the evidence needed for each section 8 ground.
- Audit gas safety, electrical safety, energy performance, deposit and licensing records.
- Prepare the information likely to be required for the Private Rented Sector Database.
- Introduce or update a written complaints procedure in preparation for the ombudsman.
- Review repair reporting, inspection and escalation processes ahead of future property standards.
- Train employees and contractors who communicate with tenants or prospective tenants.
Considerations for property investors
Investors should account for the new regime when assessing purchases, refinancing portfolios or planning disposals. The abolition of section 21 means that vacant possession cannot be assumed simply because a fixed period has ended.
Before buying a tenanted property, investors should examine the tenancy history, rent record, deposit documentation, safety compliance and any unresolved repair or conduct issues. They should also establish whether there is a valid route to possession if vacant possession forms part of their strategy.
Where a property is leasehold, the superior lease should be checked for restrictions affecting subletting, pets and use. Our conveyancing team can assist with the legal aspects of buying or selling residential property, while specialist advice may be required on existing tenancies and possession risk.
Considerations for letting agents
Letting agents should review their terms of business with landlords and confirm who is responsible for each compliance task. Instructions from a landlord will not necessarily protect an agent who carries out an unlawful act, publishes a prohibited advertisement or serves a defective notice.
Property management software, standard letters and automated workflows should be checked carefully. Older templates may still refer to assured shorthold tenancies, section 21 notices, fixed-term renewals or contractual rent increases that are no longer appropriate.
Agents should also retain evidence of the advice provided to landlords, particularly where a landlord decides not to follow a compliance recommendation. Responsibility for database registration and ombudsman complaints should be expressly addressed in management agreements.
Future housing law changes
The 2026 reforms are part of a wider programme rather than the final stage of private rented sector regulation. Secondary legislation and official guidance will provide further detail about database registration, ombudsman membership, property standards and enforcement.
Additional changes may affect the information landlords must provide, the time allowed to address hazards and the records needed to demonstrate compliance. Local authority licensing requirements will also continue to operate alongside the national reforms.
Landlords should monitor Government announcements and seek advice based on the rules in force at the relevant time. Possession, registration and enforcement requirements can change through commencement regulations, and relying on outdated guidance may result in invalid action.
How Stephensons can help
Stephensons advises landlords, property investors and letting agents on the legal and practical implications of the Renters’ Rights Act. We can assist with tenancy documentation, possession proceedings, rent arrears, property disputes, compliance reviews and the management of difficult tenant issues.
Early advice can help identify procedural problems before a notice is served or enforcement action begins. Our specialist team can also provide tailored landlord advice for individual properties and larger portfolios.
Book a consultation
If you need advice about the housing law changes in 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act rollout or possession of a rented property, contact Stephensons to book a consultation. Call 0161 696 6170 or contact Stephensons online.
This guide reflects the position in England at the date of publication and is intended as general information only. The application of the Renters’ Rights Act will depend on the facts of each tenancy, applicable transitional provisions and any further regulations or guidance.
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