Research from Inventory Base reveals a widespread lack of preparedness among UK landlords ahead of the first phase of reforms under the Renters' Rights Act, due to come into force on 1 May 2026.
The company surveyed private landlords in the UK to gauge awareness and preparedness levels for the significant policy changes incoming with the legislation.
While awareness of headline changes is relatively high, many landlords remain unclear on the operational impact. Only one in five landlords (20%) describe themselves as highly confident in understanding how the Act will affect their business. Nearly a quarter say they are not confident at all.
Many landlords are entering one of the biggest regulatory shifts in decades without having taken meaningful steps to adapt their tenancy processes, documentation or possession planning.
Aware but not acting
The Renters' Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in late 2025, represents a major overhaul of private rented sector law in England.
The first phase of reforms comes into force on 1 May 2026. These changes will abolish section 21 no-fault evictions and replace fixed-term tenancies with open-ended assured periodic tenancies. They will reform rent increase processes by limiting increases to once every 12 months, capping the amount of rent landlords can request in advance, and requiring landlords to consider tenant requests to keep pets reasonably.
Designed to increase security for renters while maintaining fair landlord rights, the reforms mark a significant shift in legal and operational practice for landlords and managing agents. The survey indicates that preparation across the sector remains uneven and, in many areas, minimal.
Awareness and confidence
The survey confirms that the private rented sector remains dominated by small-scale landlords, with 63% owning a single rental property and a further 30% owning between two and four. Management responsibilities are evenly split: 48% self-manage and 52% use letting agents.
Although awareness of the RRA is relatively high, understanding is uneven. More than a quarter of landlords (28%) say they are either unaware of or unclear about the Act and the changes it will introduce.
Fixed-term tenancies ending
Awareness that fixed-term tenancies will be replaced with open-ended periodic tenancies stands at 84%. Yet nearly seven in ten (69%) have no plans to make changes. Only 11% have already acted, with limited progress reported across contract structured notice periods and break clauses. Just 14% plan to act before 1 May 2026.
Concerns remain split. Over a third (37%) fear increased difficulty regaining possession, 15% cite reduced income certainty and 12% expect higher tenant turnover, while 36% report no concerns.
In terms of preparation, 40% have updated or plan to update contracts to periodic tenancies, 24% have revised notice periods, 22% have removed fixed terms, and 13% have updated or removed break clauses. This indicates uneven progress across the sector.
Section 21 abolition: high awareness, low readiness
The most recognised reform is the abolition of Section 21, with 92% of landlords aware of the change. However, only 12% feel prepared to rely on the new possession grounds, while 43% say they are poorly prepared or not prepared at all.
Crucially, 75% of landlords have made no preparations whatsoever. Only a small minority have reviewed the new rules in detail, updated documentation or sought legal guidance.
Key concerns include selling the property (32%), rent arrears thresholds (28%) and court delays or enforcement issues (28%). Despite this, preparation activity remains minimal. Just 75% of landlords have made no preparations, with only a small minority having reviewed possession grounds in detail, sought legal advice, updated documentation or revised internal procedures.
Advanced rent changes
Restrictions on rent in advance are among the least understood elements of the Act. Just 51% of landlords are aware of the new rules, and 76% have no plans to change how much rent they request upfront. Only 11% have already made changes, and 14% plan to do so.
Changes to rent increase rules are also impacting behaviour, with 45% of landlords saying they are adjusting their approach to comply with the annual increase requirement.
Pet policy changes: widespread concern, little preparation
The requirement not to unreasonably refuse tenant requests to keep pets is widely known, with 92% awareness. However, only 13% of landlords have updated their pet policies, 16% plan to do so, and 71% have made no operational changes at all.
Concerns remain focused on property damage, hygiene and allergies, noise or nuisance and insurance limitations. Just 14% report no concerns.
Practical adjustments are rare. Only 6% plan to carry out more frequent inspections and inventories, 5% have updated tenancy agreements to allow pets by default, 9% have introduced a formal pet request process, and 4% have reviewed insurance arrangements. Overall, 76% have made no changes in this area.
"Most landlords know the Renters' Rights Act is coming, but far fewer have grasped what it means in practice," said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Inventory Base. "This is not a cosmetic change; it rewrites how possession works, how rent is handled, how tenancies are structured, and what landlords will need to evidence if something goes wrong."
"The margin for error is shrinking fast, and those who wait until spring 2026 will find themselves dealing with delays, disputes, and income risk that could have been avoided with basic preparation now."
"Agents and industry suppliers will be pivotal, not as messengers, but as the ones putting proper systems, documentation and defensible processes in place before the new rules bite."
