The Renters' Rights Act reshapes the relationship between landlords and tenants in England. Most of the headline measures took effect on 1 May 2026, so this is no longer something to plan for - it is the rules you are letting under today. This guide is the hub: it covers what changed, the order to work through it, and links to the deeper guides on each obligation. Last reviewed: 30 May 2026.
Everything below is equally true whether you self-manage or instruct a letting agent. The Act sets the legal baseline; how you meet it is up to you. Always check the current gov.uk guidance on the Renters' Rights Act before acting on anything time-sensitive, because statutory detail can be updated.
What changed on 1 May 2026
Five shifts matter most to a private landlord. Each is summarised here and explained more fully in the linked guides.
Section 21 is abolished
You can no longer end a tenancy with a no-fault Section 21 notice. The only route to possession now runs through Section 8, on a defined legal ground (more on this below). This is the single biggest change in the Act and it applies to existing tenancies as well as new ones.
Tenancies are now periodic
Every assured shorthold tenancy (AST) converted automatically to an assured periodic tenancy. There are no more fixed terms in the old sense. Tenancies run on monthly periods, and a tenant can leave by giving two months' notice. You do not need to issue new paperwork for the conversion itself - it happened by operation of law.
Section 8 is the only possession route
Because Section 21 is gone, regaining possession means relying on one of the statutory grounds under Section 8, served on the prescribed notice form. The grounds split into mandatory (the court must grant possession if the ground is proven) and discretionary (the court decides whether it is reasonable). Two changes worth flagging: the rent-arrears ground threshold and notice period have been reset, and there is a new ground for landlords who genuinely need to sell, which cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy and carries a re-letting restriction. The detail is set out in our Section 8 grounds guide - read it before serving any notice, and confirm the current grounds and notice periods on gov.uk.
The Information Sheet 2026 replaces How to Rent
The old How to Rent guide has been withdrawn for tenancies governed by the new rules. It is replaced by the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, which you must serve on your tenants. There is a deadline to serve existing tenants, and a civil penalty for missing it. The exact PDF from gov.uk must be supplied - sending a link is not enough. Full detail and the deadline are in our Information Sheet 2026 guide; always pull the current version from gov.uk.
New rules on rent, bidding, pets and discrimination
Several day-to-day practices changed at once:
- Rental bidding wars are banned. You advertise at a stated rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it.
- Rent in advance is capped. You can ask for no more than one month's rent up front before the tenancy begins.
- Pet requests cannot be unreasonably refused. A tenant can ask to keep a pet and you must consider it on its merits.
- Discrimination is banned against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits.
Check the precise wording and any exceptions in the current gov.uk Renters' Rights Act collection.
What you must do now, in order
If you let property in England, work through this list. The early items are time-bound; the rest are the standing obligations that the Act sits on top of.
1. Serve the Information Sheet 2026 on existing tenants
This is the most pressing deadline. Download the current PDF from gov.uk and serve it on every existing tenant within the statutory window. Keep a dated record of when and how you served it. See the Information Sheet 2026 guide for the deadline and the penalty for missing it.
2. Update your eviction process to Section 8
Retire any Section 21 templates. If you ever need possession, you now use a Section 8 notice on a valid ground. Familiarise yourself with the grounds, the notice periods, and the evidence each requires before a situation arises - see the Section 8 grounds guide and gov.uk on possession notices.
3. Confirm your deposit is protected and the prescribed information is served
A tenancy deposit must be protected in one of the three government-backed schemes (DPS, mydeposits or TDS) within 30 days of receipt, and the prescribed information must be given to the tenant. Deposits are capped (broadly five weeks' rent, with a higher cap for higher-rent properties - check the current figure). Getting this wrong has always carried penalties; under the new regime it also blocks possession. The full process is in our deposit protection guide, backed by gov.uk tenancy deposit protection.
4. Check your safety certificates are current
- Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) - an annual check of all gas appliances and flues by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with the certificate given to the tenant. See gov.uk gas safety.
- EICR (electrical safety report) - the electrical installation must be inspected at least every five years under the electrical safety standards.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - a smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, kept in working order (gov.uk alarms guidance).
5. Confirm your EPC and plan for the C target
A property must currently meet at least an EPC E to be let, unless a valid exemption is registered. The minimum energy efficiency standard is set to rise to EPC C by 1 October 2030, with a cost cap per property - so factor improvements into your planning now rather than later. Read our EPC and MEES guide and the gov.uk MEES guidance for the current thresholds, dates and cost cap.
6. Keep your Right to Rent checks up to date
Before a tenancy starts you must check that every adult occupier has the right to rent in England, and repeat the check where someone's right is time-limited. See our Right to Rent guide and gov.uk Right to Rent.
7. Check licensing for your area
A house in multiple occupation (broadly five or more occupiers forming two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence. Many councils also run selective or additional licensing covering ordinary single lets. Licensing is set locally, so your council's housing team is the authoritative source for your address - see our landlord licensing guide for how the schemes work.
8. Register with the ICO and review your privacy notice
If you store tenant data digitally - which almost every landlord does - you generally need to pay the annual data protection fee to the Information Commissioner's Office and give tenants a privacy notice explaining how you handle their information.
A quick reference table
| Obligation | What it means now | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | Section 21 abolished. Section 8 on a valid ground is the only route. | gov.uk evicting tenants |
| Tenancy type | All ASTs are now assured periodic tenancies; tenant gives two months' notice to leave. | gov.uk RRA collection |
| Information Sheet 2026 | Replaces How to Rent; serve the gov.uk PDF on existing tenants by the deadline. | gov.uk RRA collection |
| Deposit | Protected within 30 days, prescribed information served, deposit capped. | gov.uk deposit protection |
| Rent and bidding | Bidding wars banned; rent in advance capped at one month. | gov.uk RRA collection |
| EPC | Minimum E now; C target by 1 October 2030 with a cost cap. | gov.uk MEES |
Where the deeper guides go
This page is the overview. Each obligation has its own guide with the procedural detail and the exact figures:
- Section 8 grounds explained - the possession route now that Section 21 is gone
- The Information Sheet 2026 - what to serve, when, and the penalty for missing it
- Deposit protection - schemes, the 30-day rule, and prescribed information
- EPC and MEES - the current standard and the road to C by 2030
- Right to Rent checks - how to check and when to re-check
- Landlord licensing - HMO, selective and additional schemes
Listing your property under the new rules
Once your compliance is in order, you can advertise. On Domovita you can list your rental yourself, or bring in a local agent if you would rather someone else handled it - the choice is yours, and the listing process is the same either way. When you list your rental, you will be prompted for the details the law expects to see in an advert, including the EPC rating, the rent (with no hidden fees), the deposit and your pet policy. If you would like a structured check before you go live, the guides above walk through each requirement in turn.
If anything here is unclear, or your council's local rules differ, the relevant government page and your local authority's housing team are the authoritative sources. Where a figure, date or threshold matters to a decision, confirm it against the current gov.uk guidance before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Renters' Rights Act actually in force yet?
Yes. The main provisions took effect on 1 May 2026. Section 21 is abolished, assured shorthold tenancies have converted to periodic tenancies, and the new Information Sheet 2026 has replaced the How to Rent guide. This is the law you are letting under now, not a future plan. Check the current gov.uk Renters' Rights Act collection for any later updates to the detail.
Can I still use a Section 21 no-fault eviction?
No. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026, so the no-fault route is gone for tenancies under the new rules. To regain possession you now rely on a Section 8 notice served on a valid statutory ground, and the court decides on that basis. Read our Section 8 grounds guide and confirm the current grounds and notice periods on gov.uk before serving any notice.
What is the Information Sheet 2026 and do I have to serve it?
It is the document that replaced the old How to Rent guide. You must serve the exact gov.uk PDF on your tenants, including existing tenants by the statutory deadline, and a link does not count. Missing the deadline carries a civil penalty. Download the current version from gov.uk and keep a dated record of service. Our Information Sheet 2026 guide covers the deadline and penalty in full.
Do periodic tenancies mean I have less control over my property?
The fixed term in its old form is gone, and tenants can leave on two months' notice. You keep control through your standing obligations and the Section 8 grounds, which include a route for landlords who genuinely need to sell. That ground cannot be used in the first 12 months and carries a re-letting restriction, so plan around it. See our Section 8 grounds guide and gov.uk for the current detail.
Can I still ask tenants to pay several months' rent up front?
No. Rent in advance is now capped, and you can ask for no more than one month's rent before the tenancy begins. Rental bidding wars are also banned, so you advertise at a set rent and cannot invite or accept higher offers. Check the precise wording and any exceptions in the current gov.uk Renters' Rights Act collection before setting your terms.
I let one property. Do these rules really apply to me?
Yes. The Renters' Rights Act applies to private landlords regardless of portfolio size, so a single let is covered in the same way as a large portfolio. The safety, deposit, licensing and data protection duties that sit alongside the Act apply too. If anything is unclear for your situation, your local council's housing team and the relevant gov.uk pages are the authoritative sources.
General information, not legal advice. This guide explains the rules in plain English and is kept under review, but the law changes and every situation is different. Always check the current position on the official gov.uk pages linked above, and take professional advice - a solicitor, or your local council for licensing questions - before relying on it for a specific decision.