"Given the rental market is supposed to be made fairer by these reforms, it isn't fair that tenants have been at the receiving end of all the upheaval since the 1 May hard deadline was announced."
- Matt Hutchinson - SpareRoom
Almost a third of tenants in England who have remained in the same rental property since the Renters' Rights Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 have had their rent increased, according to new research by flatshare site SpareRoom.
The survey, carried out in the week commencing 13 April, gathered responses from nearly 4,500 tenants in England. It found that 30% of those who had stayed in the same home since the Act became law had seen a rent rise, with the figure slightly lower in London at 28%. Across all tenants in England, 11% have been evicted or received notice of eviction since October.
The findings arrive ahead of a significant milestone: from 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act will abolish Section 21 'no fault' evictions and fixed-term tenancies. The legislation will also restrict rent increases to once per year via a Section 13 notice, with any rises capped at market rates.
Why landlords are raising rents
Among tenants who reported a rent increase, 39% were told it was because their landlord's costs had risen, while 24% received no explanation at all. A further 18% were told the increase was linked to a tenancy renewal, 11% were given rising mortgage rates as the reason, and 9% were told the Renters' Rights Act or wider changes in the rental sector were behind the decision. In London, 26% of tenants were told the rise was due to tenancy renewal, compared with 18% nationally.
Evictions ahead of the deadline
Of the 11% of England's tenants who have received an eviction notice or been evicted since October, the most common reason cited was the landlord selling the property, given by 43% of those affected, with the London figure identical. A further 14% nationally were told the landlord wanted to move into the property, rising to 17% in the capital. Around 23% received no reason at all, and 9% were told the Renters' Rights Act or sector changes were a factor.
Supply holding up, for now
"Given the rental market is supposed to be made fairer by these reforms, it isn't fair that tenants have been at the receiving end of all the upheaval since the 1 May hard deadline was announced," said Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom.
"On the upside, what we may find is landlords who treat their rentals as a passive income may decide enough is enough, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Being a landlord requires work and good landlords know that. But there will also be good landlords who've decided compliance isn't worth the hassle, and it will be a great shame to lose them."
"It would be an exaggeration to say supply in the flatshare market has been immune to the Renters' Rights Act, but it's been surprisingly resilient when you consider the response from landlords, many of whom said they planned to quit the market or reduce their portfolios. There's still the risk of a delayed reaction after 1 May. Not all landlords will be as prepared as they should be, and they may be a flight risk."
He added, "However, there are some signs that flatshare supply may now be under threat. Although supply has grown for the past three consecutive years, supply growth in the year to January 2026 slowed considerably."
"The Renters' Rights Act will give tenants much greater security. The end of Section 21 'no fault' evictions and fixed-term tenancies, and stopping landlords from asking for several months' rent in advance, are truly game-changing for tenants."
"What it's unlikely to do, in the short term at least, is significantly reduce rents – but it is a huge step forward in correcting the power imbalance."
