Renters' Rights Act 2026: What Landlords Need to Do Now
An England landlord checklist for the tenancy, information, rent, pet, discrimination, and possession rules in force from 1 May 2026.
By LetClear Editorial Team17 Jul 20266 min readSources reviewed 17 Jul 2026
England
The short answer
The first major phase of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Most private assured tenancies now run periodically, new Section 21 notices are no longer available, new and existing tenancies have updated information requirements, and landlords must follow new rules on rent increases, rent in advance, rental bidding, pets, and discrimination.
This checklist is for private landlords in England. It is not a complete statement of every duty, and it does not apply as written to Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
This is not a future reform checklist
The core tenancy changes described here are already in force. If your forms, tenancy process,
website, or possession templates still use the pre-May 2026 rules, review them now.
1. Identify which tenancy rules apply
Most existing assured and assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. New qualifying assured tenancies created after that date are periodic rather than fixed for six or twelve months.
Do not assume every residential arrangement is covered. Resident landlords, purpose-built student accommodation meeting the relevant conditions, very high-rent tenancies, long leases, social housing, and other arrangements can fall into different regimes. Record the tenancy type and any exemption basis before applying the standard private-landlord checklist.
2. Deal with the written-information requirement
For a qualifying new tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026, the landlord must provide prescribed written information before signing or otherwise agreeing the tenancy. It can be included in a written tenancy agreement or provided separately.
For many existing tenancies with written terms, landlords were required to give every named tenant the official Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. The official PDF had to be attached or supplied as a hard copy; sending only a link was not enough.
An existing wholly oral tenancy followed a different path: prescribed written tenancy information was required instead of the Information Sheet.
If the May deadline was missed, do not record the duty as completed on time. Give the correct material now, preserve the actual service date and method, and obtain advice on any enforcement or possession effect.
3. Replace old tenancy templates and adverts
Review the full customer journey, not only the tenancy agreement.
Remove fixed-term promises from qualifying assured tenancy templates
A date written into an old template does not override the statutory periodic structure.
Include the prescribed written information
Use the final government guidance rather than a draft circulated before commencement.
State one asking rent in adverts
Do not invite, encourage, or accept bids above the advertised rent.
Update rent-in-advance and pet workflows
Do not request rent before the tenancy is signed, and handle pet requests through the
current process.
4. Change how rent is increased
For assured periodic tenancies covered by the new rules, rent increases use the statutory Section 13 process and current Form 4A. GOV.UK states that the rent can normally be increased only once a year, not in the first year of a new tenancy, with at least two months' notice.
Do not rely on an old rent-review clause without checking the transitional guidance. Preserve the previous increase date, proposed amount, form, service date, and effective date.
5. Update possession preparation
Landlords cannot serve a new Section 21 notice after 1 May 2026. A landlord seeking possession must identify a current Section 8 ground and satisfy the facts, evidence, notice, and procedure associated with that ground.
Selling, moving in, arrears, breach, and antisocial behaviour are different routes. They do not share one universal notice period or evidence test. Some grounds involve protected periods, prior information, post-possession restrictions, or court discretion.
The tenancy reforms did not remove the need to manage safety, deposits, licensing, and evidence. Continue to record:
gas safety applicability, checks, records, and service;
electrical inspection applicability, reports, and remedial work;
EPC applicability and evidence;
smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm duties;
deposit receipt, protection, and required-information dates;
right-to-rent checks for adults where the England scheme applies;
HMO or selective-licensing facts and local-authority requirements; and
evidence of what was provided to each tenant and when.
Local licensing and property-specific safety duties can add requirements beyond a national checklist.
7. Check operational policies
The reform also changed everyday decisions that may not appear in a certificate tracker.
Rent in advance
The official guidance says a landlord must not ask for, encourage, or accept rent before the tenancy is signed. After signing, the amount that can be requested in advance is restricted. Check the current guidance before taking payment.
Pet requests
Tenants can ask to keep a pet. The landlord must consider the request and should give a reason if refusing. Keep the request, response, evidence, and decision rather than using a blanket clause.
Rental discrimination
Do not reject an applicant because they have children or receive benefits. Right-to-rent checks must also be conducted consistently for all relevant adults rather than based on nationality or appearance.
Rental bidding
Advertise a specific rent and do not encourage or accept an offer above it.
A practical portfolio review
For each England property, create one dated record answering:
What tenancy regime applies now?
Was the correct written information or Information Sheet provided?
Are the actual service date and method recorded?
Are deposit and safety records current and complete?
Do adverts, payment requests, pet decisions, and rent increases use the current process?
If possession is being considered, what current ground matches the real reason?
The purpose is not to produce a reassuring tick. It is to identify the first factual gap that needs action.
Common questions
Do I need to replace every tenancy agreement signed before May 2026?
GOV.UK says an existing written agreement did not generally need to be replaced solely because of the reform. The statutory changes apply, and the Information Sheet requirement applied to many existing written tenancies.
What if I sent tenants a link to the Information Sheet?
The official instructions required the PDF itself to be supplied electronically as an attachment or as a hard copy. A link alone was not valid delivery. Record what happened and provide the correct document now.
Can I create a new twelve-month assured tenancy?
Qualifying assured tenancies under the post-May framework are periodic. Do not use a fixed end date to recreate the former AST structure.
Does the Act apply across the UK?
The changes in this article apply to England. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have separate tenancy systems and terminology.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the latest official guidance and obtain professional advice for disputed, transitional, exempt, or possession cases.