England updates
Renters' Rights Act 2025
Important changes from 1 May 2026 for landlords and tenants in England.
The Renters’ Rights Act introduces significant changes to the private rented sector, giving tenants greater security while introducing new responsibilities for landlords.
End of Fixed-Term Tenancies – Assured tenancies will operate as rolling periodic tenancies, rather than having a fixed end date.
Section 21 Abolished – Landlords can no longer use Section 21 “no-fault” notices and will need to rely on an appropriate legal ground for possession.
New Possession Rules – Landlords can still seek possession for valid reasons, including rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, selling the property, or where the landlord or certain family members intend to move into the property, subject to the applicable requirements.
Rent Increases – Rent can generally be increased once per year using the Section 13 process. Landlords must provide at least 2 months’ written notice using Form 4A, and the proposed rent must not exceed the open-market rent.
Tenant Notice Periods – Tenants can end their tenancy by providing their landlord with at least 2 months’ written notice, subject to the applicable timing requirements.
Right to Request a Pet – Tenants have the right to request permission to keep a pet. A landlord cannot unreasonably refuse and must consider requests individually.
Selling or Moving Back In – Certain possession grounds allow landlords to recover their property if they intend to sell it or if the landlord or a qualifying family member intends to move in. These particular grounds cannot be used to require a tenant to leave during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Please Note: These changes apply automatically to relevant private rented tenancies, even where the existing tenancy agreement has not been updated. This information is provided as a general summary and does not constitute legal advice.
