"As the government does not intend to give details of what needs to be in tenancy agreements until early in 2026, there will be very little time to prepare paperwork, train staff and update systems"
- David Smith - Spector Constant & Williams
The government has confirmed that the Renters’ Rights Act will begin implementation on 1 May 2026, marking the first phase of what the ministry describes as the largest overhaul of the private rental sector in a generation.
From 1 May 2026, the private rented sector in England will see the following key reforms roll out:
- The abolition of “no‑fault” evictions under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, meaning landlords will no longer be able to issue a notice without giving a specific reason to regain possession of a property.
- All assured tenancies will convert to periodic tenancies by default, replacing most fixed‑term assured shorthold tenancies.
- Landlords and letting agents will be banned from increasing rents more than once a year and from accepting more than one month’s rent in advance.
- The introduction of new rules forbidding rental bidding wars and discrimination against tenants because they receive benefits or have children.
- Councils will be equipped with stronger enforcement powers, including fines up to £7,000 (rising to £40,000 for repeat or serious offenders) and the ability to seek rent‑repayment orders.
Implementation timeline and next stages
The government has published the implementation timeline, with 1 May 2026 designated as the “commencement date” for phase 1.
Phase 2 (from late 2026) will include:
- The launch of a Private Landlord Ombudsman, a free and independent complaints service for tenants.
- A Private Rented Sector Database where all landlords must register, and their properties will be listed.
Phase 3 will follow with further protections, such as the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and consultation on extending Awaab’s Law provisions to privately rented homes.
The Renters’ Rights Act covers England, and it is estimated that the reforms will affect approximately 11 million renters. Scotland ended no‑fault evictions in 2017, while Wales and Northern Ireland still allow them under rules similar to Section 21. In 2022, Wales extended the notice period for these evictions to six months.
Steve Reed, housing secretary, said: “We’re calling time on no-fault evictions and rogue landlords. Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head ‑ the law we’ve just passed delivers that.”
He added: “We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in ‑ so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”
Industry reaction
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said, “The announcement of a commencement date for these important reforms is welcome. However, a deadline alone is not enough."
“We have argued consistently that landlords and property businesses need at least six months from the publication of regulations to ensure the sector is properly prepared for the biggest changes it has faced for over 40 years."
“Unless the Government urgently publishes all the guidance documents and written material needed to update tenancy agreements to reflect the changes to come, the plan will prove less a roadmap and more a path to inevitable failure."
“Without this, landlords, tenants, agents, councils and the courts will be left without the information required to adapt, creating utter confusion at the very moment clarity is most needed."
“Ministers also need to explain how the county court will be ready to process legitimate possession cases far more swiftly than at present. As the cross-party Justice Committee has rightly warned, the court is simply dysfunctional. Vague assurances about digitisation, without an idea of what that means in practice, are simply not good enough.”
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, said: “Now that it has been confirmed that the tenancy reforms contained in the Renters’ Rights Act will commence from 1 May 2026, this will likely bring much relief to letting agents with their ongoing preparation for the switch over to periodic tenancies. We pressed the UK Government for enough lead time, and now the date is set, letting agents must prepare accordingly, review internal processes, and work with landlords and tenants."
David Smith, property litigation partner at London law firm Spector Constant & Williams, said, “This will put agents under an immense amount of pressure to get everything done ready for the start date. As the government does not intend to give details of what needs to be in tenancy agreements until early in 2026, there will be very little time to prepare paperwork, train staff and update systems.”
Ben Twomey, Generation Rent chief executive, said, “This new law is a vital step towards rebalancing power between renters and landlords and should be celebrated. Our homes are the foundation of our lives, but for too long, our broken rental system has left renters staring down the barrel of poverty and homelessness. At last, we know when this outdated and unfair law will be sent packing.”
Renters’ Reform Coalition director, Tom Darling, stated, “Today’s announcement that the end of Section 21 evictions will come into force on 1st May is huge news for England’s 12 million renters. We have fought for this day for so long, and to now have certainty about when the last ‘no‑fault’ eviction will be is crucial for our members.”
Kate Butler, Assistant Director (Real Estate) British Property Federation, said, “The Implementation Roadmap provides a welcome degree of much-needed clarity for the sector on these once-in-a-generation reforms to private renting, and we are pleased to see the Government heed our calls for at least a six-month period to prepare."
"We have long advocated stronger tenant protections and greater professionalisation for private rented homes. The Build to Rent sector, in particular, is already ahead of the curve on many of the Act’s reforms, demonstrating best practice in property management."
"However, significant uncertainties still remain that could impede the sector’s ability to operate effectively and deter investment into new homes. It is essential that the Government publish the details of the forthcoming secondary legislation well in advance of their implementation to give the sector time to prepare."
"We continue to highlight the critical need for digitisation and resourcing of the courts, a clear process for monitoring for 'overwhelm' of the Tribunal, and establishing a filtering body to manage vexatious section 13 rent increase appeals. Without this, the courts could clog up, creating uncertainty for tenants and driving away investment into building more homes.”
