Renters Rights Act 2025 – Implementation

Following on from previous communications about this, we now have an implementation date for the Renters Rights Act 2025 – 1st May 2026.

Existing tenancies will just automatically become ‘periodic’ and be governed by the new rules from the 1st May. Mange My Property take care of all the necessary changes and paperwork for our Landlords, minimising the burden on them.

A final summary of the main changes below:

No more section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions 

Landlords can still serve notice on a tenant if they wish to sell or if they need to move back into the property, as well as for rent arrears and anti social behaviour.  The notice will be a Section 8 Notice and will be 4 months, instead of the current 2 months.

No more fixed term tenancies

All existing and new tenancies will become periodic from the 1st May 2026.  There will still be a requirement to set out the terms of a tenancy in writing, when a tenant moves into a property, but there will be no guaranteed fixed period.  Tenants will be permitted to a minimum of 12 months before a landlord can serve a notice to sell or move back in.  A tenant will be permitted to leave a property by serving 2 months notice.

Rent increases will be only permitted once per year 

Most reputable landlords and agents abide by this anyway.  The only difference being that instead of a new contract at renewal, the rent increase will be implemented by a prescribed Section 13 Notice, which MMP will serve on the tenant(s). The Section 13 rent increase notice needs to be served with a minimum of 2 months before it takes effect.

Rental bidding and rent in advance

Landlords and letting agents will not be able to ask for, encourage, or accept an offer that is higher than the advertised rent. In all honesty, this only became an issue or ‘a thing’  post COVID, when the market had considerable pent up demand.  The practice has already subsided due the supply/demand balance being more balanced.  We have always advocated ‘best tenant’ over ‘best price’, as in the long term, the wear on the property will be less.  There will also be a new cap on rent in advance payments (this is more typical in the student market) limited at 1 month.   

No discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits

Landlords and letting agents will not be able to do anything to make a tenant less likely to rent a property (or prevent them from renting it) because they have children or receive benefits. This includes withholding information about a property (including its availability), stopping someone from viewing it, or refusing to grant a tenancy.  

Tenants have the right to requests to have a pet

Landlords will have an initial 28 days to consider their tenant’s request, and they will have to provide valid reasons if they refuse it – examples of this is a Headlease that specifically prohibits pets.

PRS database of all Landlords/Rental Properties and Ombudsman

This will be in phase 2 of the implementation. Late 2026/2027.  Information will need to be registered on a database about the Landlord/Property and Agents/Landlords will be required to sign up to a membership of the Ombudsman.