Woodhead & Co.,
32 Market Street,
Wellingborough,
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32 Market Street,
Wellingborough,
NN8 1AT
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is now law, having received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. It represents the most extensive reform of England’s private rented sector in more than three decades. The Act brings an end to fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies, reshapes possession routes, introduces new controls around rent increases and advertising practices, strengthens enforcement powers for local authorities, and raises compliance expectations across the sector. Its aim is to simplify the tenancy system, improve security for tenants and ensure clearer standards across all rented homes.
The Renters’ Rights Act will come into force in phases, and not all changes take effect at once. The Government has published an official implementation roadmap confirming the rollout structure. Below is a clear summary of the confirmed dates and the reforms attached to each, based solely on verified information available as of November 2025.
The first activated measures will strengthen local authority investigatory and enforcement capabilities. Councils will gain enhanced powers to inspect properties, request documentation from landlords and agents, and access relevant third-party information to support enforcement. The Government has indicated these powers will begin before the main tenancy reforms, with the confirmed date to be set through secondary legislation.
This is the key date when the main structural reforms take effect. Section 21 “no-fault” evictions will be abolished, and the assured shorthold tenancy model will end. From this point forward, the vast majority of existing and new private rented sector tenancies will become assured periodic tenancies with no fixed end date.
On the same date, rent increases will be limited to once every twelve months and will need to be carried out via the formal Section 13 process. Tenants must receive appropriate notice and will be able to challenge increases they consider above market value.
Reforms taking effect from this date will also include the ban on rental bidding, meaning landlords and agents must advertise a clear asking rent and cannot invite or accept higher offers. The standard practice of taking multiple months of rent upfront will also change, as the Act introduces a cap on rent in advance through the new tenancy framework.
Additionally, landlords and agents must comply with new rules prohibiting discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those receiving benefits. Tenants will also gain a statutory right to request a pet. The Government has confirmed that landlords will be required to consider such requests and respond within a reasonable time, with further details to be set out in regulations.
In the second phase of implementation, the Government will introduce the national Private Rented Sector Database. Landlords will be legally required to register themselves and each property they let, provide key safety and compliance information, keep records up to date and pay an annual registration fee.
At the same time, work will begin on implementing the mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman. This scheme will offer tenants access to binding redress without needing to go to court and will require landlords to follow more transparent and standardised complaint-handling procedures.
A further phase of reform will extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and introduce defined time-limited duties for addressing serious hazards such as mould, damp, dangerous electrics and fire safety issues. These measures are confirmed intentions of the Act, but the Government has not yet set an implementation date. The detail will be finalised once consultation and secondary legislation are completed. Landlords should begin reviewing property condition, inspection processes and repair records in anticipation.
With Section 21 being abolished on 1 May 2026, landlords will no longer be able to end a tenancy without reason. Instead, possession will rely entirely on the updated Section 8 grounds, which include landlord-occupation, selling the property, redevelopment, persistent arrears and anti-social behaviour. This makes robust evidence, accurate documentation and consistent record-keeping critical for lawful possession.
At the same time, the fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy model will be replaced. From the implementation date, existing and new tenancies will move onto open-ended periodic arrangements automatically, without the need to issue replacement contracts.
The changes to Section 8 are designed to modernise and clarify the possession route. Grounds for landlord occupation, sale, redevelopment, serious arrears and anti-social behaviour have been updated and, in some cases, strengthened. Landlords will need to demonstrate clear evidence for any ground relied upon, including rent ledgers, inspection logs, communication records and contractor reports.
From 1 May 2026, rent increases can only occur once in any twelve-month period and must be issued through a Section 13 notice. Tenants will have a right to challenge increases they believe exceed market rent. This change will require landlords to maintain accurate market comparables and carefully plan rent reviews.
The ban on rental bidding prohibits landlords and agents from encouraging or accepting offers above the advertised rent. The asking rent must be clear, and tenants cannot be invited to compete for a property by offering more.
In addition, the new tenancy framework will place limits on rent in advance as standard practice, preventing the routine requirement for six or twelve months’ rent upfront.
From May 2026, landlords and agents must not discriminate against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits. The Act also creates a statutory right for tenants to request a pet. Landlords must consider such requests and provide a response within a reasonable period, with further procedural detail to follow in secondary legislation. Tenancy agreements and internal lettings processes will need updating to reflect these changes.
Enhanced local authority powers mark the beginning of a stricter enforcement landscape. The PRS Database, expected to begin rollout in late 2026, will require landlords to register themselves and their properties and maintain up-to-date compliance records.
The mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman will offer an independent route for tenants to seek redress and will require landlords to meet clear standards for handling complaints. These measures significantly increase transparency and raise expectations around professional practice.
A future phase of reform will apply the Decent Homes Standard to private rented homes for the first time. This will create formal expectations around property condition and introduce deadlines for addressing serious hazards. With dates yet to be confirmed, landlords should proactively review maintenance practices, inspection frequency and repair documentation.
The Renters’ Rights Act brings a major shift in how tenancies must be managed. If you would like help understanding how these reforms affect your portfolio, or support preparing your documents, systems or compliance processes ahead of the deadlines, we are here to help.
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📧 lianne@woodheadandco.co.uk
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act/guide-to-the-renters-rights-act
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renters-rights-act-2025-implementation-roadmap
https://www.nrla.org.uk/resources/renters-rights
https://www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com/en/insights/quick-reads/102luu7-renters-rights-act-2025-what-is-the-governments-roadmap-for-implementation
https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/guides/renters-rights-act-2025-guide-private-landlords-england
https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/renters-rights-act-implementation-roadmap-now-published
Disclaimer
This guide is based on the confirmed information published by the UK Government, NRLA, Propertymark and other authoritative sources as of November 2025. Some elements of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will require further secondary legislation, and the Government may update timelines or operational requirements as implementation progresses. This document is intended as a general overview only and should not be treated as legal advice.
Landlords, tenants and agents should seek professional guidance to understand how the reforms apply to their specific circumstances.
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