The Renters' Rights Act 2025: what changed for letting agents and what comes next

Renters' Rights Act timeline: what is in force and what is coming

The Act became law on 27 October 2025 and is coming into force in phases. The PRS Database opens one region at a time, and landlords have three months to register once their region opens. The government has said future legislation will require registration before a property is marketed, with registration numbers on adverts.

The key dates:

• 27 December 2025: new council investigatory powers came into force
• 1 May 2026: phase 1 began, including the end of section 21, assured periodic tenancies and the rules below
• 31 May 2026: deadline to give existing tenants the Information Sheet
• 31 July 2026: latest date to start court proceedings on a section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026
• 15 December 2026: the PRS Database, called 'Register your rental property', opens in the West Midlands, then region by region
• 14 November 2027: every landlord actively letting property must be registered
• 2028: landlords expected to have to join the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman
• 2035: the new Decent Homes Standard applies to privately rented homes
• Awaab's Law repair deadlines for private renting: date to follow consultation

Assured periodic tenancies and the end of section 21

On 1 May 2026 existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies automatically, and every new private assured tenancy is one. Agreements can no longer have an end date: a fixed term written in does not apply and can lead to a fine. Rent periods can be no longer than a month.

The tenancy runs until the tenant gives notice, both sides agree to end it, or the landlord recovers possession. Tenants give notice in writing, and a landlord cannot require more than two months.

Section 21 'no fault' notices can no longer be served. A notice served before 1 May 2026 could generally only start court proceedings within six months of service or by 31 July 2026, whichever came first. After that it lapsed, so possession now needs a section 8 notice.

Section 8 grounds and notice periods for the main grounds

A landlord now needs a legal ground for possession. Notice is given on Form 3A, the section 8 notice for private tenancies, naming each ground and giving at least its notice period. The landlord usually has up to 12 months from serving it to apply to court.

After a ground 1 or 1A notice, the property generally cannot be let, or marketed to let, including by agents, until 12 months after the earliest date the notice gives for court proceedings.

Except on grounds 7A and 14, the court will usually only order possession if any deposit was protected with the prescribed information given, or has been returned.

The main grounds and their minimum notice periods:

• Ground 1, landlord or close family moving in: 4 months, and the notice cannot expire in the first 12 months of the tenancy
• Ground 1A, selling the property: 4 months, with the same 12-month protection
• Ground 8, serious arrears: 4 weeks; at least 3 months' rent (13 weeks' if paid weekly or fortnightly) unpaid at notice and at the hearing
• Grounds 10 and 11, any or persistent arrears: 4 weeks, at the court's discretion
• Grounds 12 and 13, breach of tenancy or deterioration of the property: 2 weeks
• Grounds 7A and 14, serious criminal or antisocial behaviour: proceedings can start once notice is served

How rent increases work now

Rent can rise only once a year, and not in the first year of a tenancy. The landlord must serve Form 4A under section 13 at least two months before the new rent starts, even if the tenant has agreed the increase. Rent review clauses no longer take effect, and the year counts from the last increase, even one before 1 May 2026.

A tenant who thinks the rent is above the open market rent can apply to the First-tier Tribunal, which cannot set a higher rent than proposed, and the tenant does not pay the increase until it decides. The government said on 9 September 2026 that HMRC's Valuation Office will take over these decisions in future.

Letting a property: bidding, rent in advance, children, benefits and pets

Every written advert or offer, including online listings, emails and messages, must state one rent, not a range. Landlords and agents must not invite, encourage or accept offers above it, for example by mentioning other offers.

No rent can be taken before the tenancy agreement is signed. Between signing and move-in, the most that can usually be taken is one month's rent, or 28 days' rent if rent is not paid monthly.

It is unlawful to stop someone enquiring, viewing or renting, or to use a practice that puts them off, because they have children or receive benefits. Affordability checks are still allowed.

Tenants can ask in writing to keep a pet. The landlord must reply in writing within 28 days and cannot refuse unreasonably. If they ask for more information, they have until the later of the original 28 days or 7 days after receiving it.

The Information Sheet, written terms and penalties

Written agreements from before 1 May 2026 did not need rewriting, but every named tenant had to receive the government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026, on paper or as an attached PDF, not a link. An agent contracted to ensure compliance shares that duty. If a section 21 or section 8 notice served before 1 May 2026 later lapses, or proceedings end without possession, the sheet is due within one month.

Tenancies created from 1 May 2026 need written information about the key terms before the tenancy is agreed, and it can sit inside the tenancy agreement. Older tenancies agreed only verbally needed it by 31 May 2026.

Councils can fine landlords, and agents acting for them, up to £7,000 for a first breach of most of these rules. Continuing or repeated breaches of the new tenancy duties, and knowingly or recklessly misusing a possession ground, can be criminal offences, with a civil penalty of up to £40,000 as the alternative to prosecution. The maximum rent repayment order has doubled.

A Renters' Rights Act checklist for letting agents

Check your processes against the rules now in force:

• Remove end dates and rent review clauses from agreement templates
• Give written terms before every new tenancy is agreed
• Advertise one fixed rent and keep a copy of each advert
• Take no rent before signing, and no more than a month or 28 days' rent before move-in
• Check referencing and adverts for anything that screens out families or benefit claimants
• Log pet requests and reply in writing within 28 days
• Diary one Form 4A increase a year per tenancy, served two months ahead
• Keep deposit and prescribed information records ready for any possession claim
• Use Form 3A with the right ground and notice period, and pause marketing after ground 1 or 1A
• Tell landlords when their region opens for PRS Database registration

How Propily helps with the new rules

Propily keeps tenancies, properties and tenants on the same records as your enquiries and sales. Deposits are recorded against the 30-day protection deadline, and Section 8 notices are prepared with the grounds you choose and served through the tenant portal or by email.

Gas safety, EICR, EPC and other certificates are tracked with reminders before they expire, rent and arrears are worked out from the tenancy and your bank feed, and every change is logged with who made it.