If you rent your home

The Renters’ Rights Act introduces changes affecting tenancy agreements, eviction processes, enforcement and rent increases.

You can find a full overview of the changes here.

You can also see a full list of your rights and responsibilities here.

Your landlord cannot give you a Section 21 notice from 1st May 2026. Instead, private landlords will need a legal reason to evict you and use a Section 8 notice to do so.

For example, if: you owe more than 3 months’ rent, your landlord is selling the property or your landlord wants to move back in.

What to do if I’ve been issued a Section 21 notice before the 1^st May.

What to do if I’ve been issues a Section 21 notice after the 1^st May.

Full guidance on evictions in the private rented sector can be found here.

Your landlord will only be able to put your rent up once a year. You will get at least 2 months’ notice of a rent increase, and your Landlord must provide you with a specific notice called a Section 13 notice. Tenancy clauses that say the rent can go up in other ways will no longer apply. You will be able to go to a tribunal if you think a rent increase is too much.

The tribunal:

Can set a lower rent if they agree that the increase is too much

Will not be able to put your rent up to more than your landlord wants

Will not be able to backdate the rent increase.

You can view guidance on the changes to rent increases here.

You can find more guidance on tribunal processes here.

Yes, from 1st May, properties must be advertised at a clear rent price.

Landlords cannot ask for or accept bids above the advertised rent.

You can see full guidance on rental bidding here.

A landlord or letting agent must not accept, ask for or encourage you to pay rent before you both sign the tenancy agreement. This is called asking for ‘rent in advance’.

You can make a complaint if a landlord or letting agent asks you to pay rent in advance.

Once the tenancy has been signed the tenant can voluntarily pay more rent upfront should they choose to do so.

When you can be asked to pay more rent

The landlord or letting agent can ask you for more than one month or 28 days rent in advance if:

• the tenancy was agreed by the local council because you were legally homeless
• the property will be let as either social or supported housing

You can view full guidance on rent in advance and deposits here.

There will be no more ‘fixed-term’ assured shorthold tenancies.

Instead, you will have a periodic assured tenancy, which has no fixed end date. They will start on a periodic (month to month or rolling) basis and continue on a rolling basis until either a tenant gives 2 months’ notice to vacate or a landlord obtains a legal eviction.

All assured shorthold tenancies will be automatically changed over to the new type and you should receive an information sheet from your landlord or letting agent by 31 May 2026 outlining these changes.

You can see full guidance on how to end your tenancy here.

You will have to give 2 months’ notice if you want to end your tenancy. Your landlord could agree to a shorter notice, if you request one. Your landlord can only end your tenancy by going to court.

They will need a valid and legal reason to evict you and issue you a formal Section 8 notice.

You can see full guidance on how to end your tenancy here.

You will be able to ask to keep a pet in your rented home.

You will need to:

Write to your landlord to ask for permission include a description of the pet you plan to have

Your landlord can only refuse if they have a good reason.

They will normally have 4 weeks to reply in writing.

They might ask for more information about the pet.

They will have another week to write to you with their decision from when you send that information.

Tenancy clauses which say you cannot have a pet under any circumstances will not apply after the law changes.

You can find more guidance on how to ask for a pet here.

The changes to tenancies and evictions under the Renters’ Rights Act affect students differently from other types of renters – exactly how depends on the type of accommodation you live in.

Some student housing is fully exempt, some is partially exempt (with the landlord able to evict tenants at the end of the academic year) and some students will experience all the new protections (there will still be other eviction grounds that the landlord may be able to use in some circumstances).

The rules depend on who owns or manages your accommodation and who you live with.

You can view full guidance on the changes for students here.

If you are a tenant in England, landlords must not do anything to make you less likely to rent a property (or stop you from renting it) because you have children or get benefits. This is called ‘rental discrimination’.

This includes anyone acting on the landlord’s behalf, like letting agents, referencing services, friends or family members.

Any part of a tenancy agreement, mortgage or superior lease that could be used to discriminate is not valid and cannot be enforced.

You can see full guidance including what is considered discrimination here.

Follow these steps if you have a problem with your landlord:

Complain to your landlord – they should have a complaints policy that you can follow.

Make a complaint to a ‘designated person’ (your MP, a local councillor or a tenant panel) if you cannot resolve the problem with your landlord.

OR

Seek support from your local information and advice team, e.g Citizens Advice, Shelter, Housing Matters.

Contact your council or local authority if you and your landlord still cannot resolve the problem.