Renters' Rights Act 101
The Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) is coming into force on 1 May 2026, landlords must take action now or risk getting fined for non-compliance. The RRA is not a minor tweak to existing rules, it’s the most significant reform to England’s rental rules in decades. From advertising a property to taking back possession, the RRA impacts virtually all aspects of how you let and manage your property. Here is a practical summary of the key changes.
The end of fixed-term tenancies and Section 21
From 1 May 2026, all Assured Shorthold Tenancies will automatically convert into Assured Periodic Tenancies — rolling month-to-month arrangements with no fixed end date. While landlords don’t need to issue new agreements, they need to understand what this means operationally.
More significantly, landlords will no longer be able to serve a Section 21 notice to terminate a tenancy, regardless of what the existing tenancy agreement states. Taking back possession requires a valid legal ground under Section 8, some grounds are mandatory grounds (e.g. landlord wants to sell the house), while others are discretionary (e.g. tenant is breaching terms of tenancy).
Rent increases: the old way no longer works
From 1 May 2026, Landlords wishing to increase rent must follow the Section 13 process. Under Section 13, rent can only be increased once per year and at least two months’ written notice must be provided.
Furthermore, a tenant may disputes the increase if they believes it is above market rate.
New tenant rights you need to know about
The RRA also introduces several new rights for tenants that directly affect how you manage your property:
• Tenants can end their tenancy at any time by providing two months’ written notice
• Rental discrimination against people receiving benefits or with children is banned
• Tenants gain a formal right to request permission to keep a pet (as a landlord, you must consider each request and not unreasonably refuse them).
Learn more about tenant pet requests - see our article on Property118.
Tools like Flow Legal help manage the end-end process by providing guidance, workflows and keeping an auditable records in case a tenant challenges a decision.
The mandated Information Sheet (due 31 May 2026)
One immediate and practical obligation that some landlords are not yet aware of is the requirement to send all named tenants the official Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026.
The sheet can be sent via post or email. However, landlords should ensure they share the entire sheet, as a link to the document is not valid. Failure to comply can result in a financial penalty of up to £7,000.
Enforcement is getting serious
This is not a regulatory framework that will be loosely applied. Local authorities now have the power to impose civil penalties of up to £7,000 for an initial breach, rising to £40,000 for repeated or ongoing breaches.
A new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is also being established, giving tenants a formal route to raise complaints outside of the courts. The landlords who will feel this most acutely are those who have not updated their processes, their agreements, or their record-keeping to reflect the new reality.
What to do now
If you have not already started preparing, the priority actions are:
• Get familiar with the new rules
• Send the Information Sheet to your tenants
• Review your documentation practices to ensure you have the evidence trail you will need if possession or deposit decisions are ever challenged
Need Help Getting Compliant?
Flow Legal Properties is your one-stop show for understanding and complying with Renters’ Rights Act 2025 - from handling pet requests correctly to keeping your documentation in order.