Renters’ Rights Act: May 2026 Start Date Confirmed – What Happens Next?

The Government has confirmed that the first set of changes under the Renters’ Rights Act will come into force on 1st May 2026. The countdown is now officially on.

What changes on 1 May?

Not all parts of the Act will begin immediately. The first phase includes:

Key reforms taking effect 1 May:

Abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions
End of fixed-term tenancies, with most agreements becoming periodic by default
Limits on rent in advance

Landlords will also be prohibited from:

Increasing rent more than once per year
Encouraging rent bidding wars and accepting over asking price offers
Discriminating against applicants with children or those receiving benefits
Refusing, without reasonable grounds, a tenant’s request to keep a pet

Penalties:
Breaches will attract fines ranging from £7,000 to £40,000, enforced by local authorities.

What must landlords do?

If you currently have tenants, you must give them a Government-approved information leaflet explaining the new rules within one month of the commencement date. This has not yet been published.

Importantly, you do not need to issue new tenancy agreements for existing tenants.

For any new tenancy starting from 1 May, you must use an Assured Periodic Tenancy agreement.

Section 21 Repossessions

Section 21 will be removed and replaced with a grounds-based system.

Until 1 May 2026, you may still serve a Section 21 notice, but:

You must apply to the court on or before 31 July 2026, otherwise the notice becomes invalid.

If you need to use Section 21, you should act quickly.

Rent Increases

The process for increasing rent and for tenant’s to challenge a rent increase will change from 1st May.

Your Preparation Checklist

You can start preparing by:

Reviewing your property portfolio
Inspecting properties and resolving potential hazards
Updating processes for referencing, advertising, and complaint handling
Consider increasing the rent or serving notice now, before the law changes.
If you don’t already have a managing agent, you may want to consider it – they can help make sure you stay compliant.

What else is coming?

The rest of the Act will be rolled out in phases:

Phase Two – Expected late 2026

Private Landlord Ombudsman to resolve disputes without court involvement
Private Rented Sector Database, requiring all landlords and properties to be registered (introduced in stages throughout late 2026)

Phase Three – Timeline unknown (consultations required)

A new Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector
Updated Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
Awaab’s Law extended to the PRS, introducing strict deadlines for addressing hazards such as damp and mould

While these reforms primarily apply to England, some elements will also extend to Wales.