Renters’ Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces significant changes to renting in England. The reforms are being phased in from 1 May 2026 onward. The aim is to make private renting fairer, safer, and more secure.
What is changing?
Key changes include:
- no more 'no‑fault' evictions (Section 21)
- Landlords in the private rented sector must now rely on specific legal grounds to regain possession of a property.
- all private tenancies become periodic
- Fixed‑term assured shorthold tenancies are replaced with rolling tenancies, giving renters more flexibility.
- limits on rent increases
- Rents can normally only be increased once per year using the statutory process, and tenants can challenge unfair increases.
- bans on rental discrimination
- It is illegal to refuse tenants because they have children or receive benefits.
- restrictions on rent in advance and rental bidding
- Landlords cannot ask for excessive rent upfront or force bidding wars above the advertised price.
- requests to keep pets
- Tenants have a new right to request permission to keep a pet. Landlords must consider requests and may only refuse on reasonable grounds, and can require appropriate pet insurance where permitted.
More changes will follow in later phases, including a national landlord database and ombudsman scheme.
Local authorities have been given greater enforcement powers since December 2025, and legal action, including issuing Penalty Notices and prosecuting offences, will be in force to support the new legislation.
What does this mean for landlords and tenants?
Visit gov.uk for full details and the latest information.