Renters' Rights Act — what changes from 1 May 2026

Described as the biggest overhaul of renting in England for more than 30 years, the Renters' Rights Act was formally approved in late October and the government has confirmed most measures will take effect from 1 May 2026. Officials say the reforms will affect more than 11 million people and are intended to give tenants greater security and clearer routes to challenge unfair treatment.

Key changes at a glance

• Periodic (rolling) tenancies: Most properties will be let on a periodic basis rather than fixed 12- or 24-month contracts, allowing tenants to stay on indefinitely unless they or the landlord give notice.
• Tenant notice to leave: Tenants can give two months' notice if they want to end a tenancy, rather than being tied into long fixed terms.
• Sale or owner move-in rules: Landlords cannot sell or move into a property during the first 12 months of a tenancy. After that, they must give four months' notice for those reasons.
• Grounds for eviction remain for serious issues: Landlords may still seek possession for substantial property damage, antisocial behaviour, or significant rent arrears. The arrears threshold for starting an eviction rises to three months' unpaid rent (up from two).

Rent, deposits and bidding

• Rent increases: Landlords must give two months' notice for rent rises and may only increase rent to the market rate. Tenants can challenge excessive increases at a first-tier tribunal.
• Bidding wars banned: New tenants cannot be asked to pay more than the advertised price.
• Deposits and advance rent: Existing government-approved deposit protection schemes remain unchanged. Maximum deposit caps stay at five weeks' rent for annual rents under £50,000 and six weeks where annual rent is £50,000 or more. Landlords will usually be limited to requesting one month's rent in advance (or 28 days where rental periods are under one month).

Protections, pets and discrimination

• It will be illegal for landlords or letting agents to refuse prospective tenants solely because they receive benefits or have children, though affordability and reference checks remain allowed.
• Landlords must consider pet requests and cannot refuse them unreasonably; they may require pet insurance to cover possible damage.

Student housing and HMOs

Specific rules apply to certain student accommodation: tenants in purpose-built student accommodation provided by universities or specialist providers can be given two weeks' notice to leave. For private landlords letting houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) to students under agreements made up to six months before tenancy start, landlords may evict to re-let for new student tenancies, but must give four months' notice and all named residents must be students.

Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law

At a later, unspecified stage the government will introduce a Decent Homes Standard and implement measures commonly called Awaab's Law — named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died after prolonged exposure to mould in 2020. These reforms will set timeframes for repairing hazardous conditions and strengthen enforcement on property standards.

Context and reactions

In the year to June 2025, more than 11,000 households in England were repossessed by bailiffs following Section 21 no-fault evictions. Private rents rose by an estimated 5.5% to an average of £1,354 per month in the year to September 2025 (ONS provisional estimate).

Tenant groups including Shelter, Generation Rent and Citizens Advice praised the measures as a "generational upgrade" for renters. Homelessness charities welcomed the step towards safer homes.

The National Residential Landlords Association said it will work with government to implement the rules fairly but warned that landlords will need to screen tenants more carefully and that the courts may be placed under pressure by new challenges over evictions and rent increases.

What tenants and landlords should do now

• Tenants: check your current tenancy terms and note the 1 May 2026 start date for most new protections. Keep records of complaints about disrepair and seek advice if you expect a rent increase or dispute.
• Landlords: review tenancy agreements and your processes for referencing, rent reviews and property maintenance. Plan how you will respond to requests for pets and prepare for the new notice periods.

These changes apply to England only; Scotland has used periodic tenancies since 2017, while Wales and Northern Ireland still allow fixed-term contracts. Stakeholders should watch for secondary legislation and guidance setting out detailed procedures and the timetable for the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law.