What is the Renters' Rights Act?

The Renters’ Rights Act is a piece of legislation designed to deliver “long overdue” reforms to the Private Rented Sector (PRS). Its primary goal is to give tenants more security to stay in their homes and more freedom to leave substandard properties. 

The Government believes this is necessary because: “While the majority of landlords provide a good service, the [PRS] currently provides the least affordable, poorest quality and most insecure housing of all tenures.”

The Act will: 

• Abolish Section 21 evictions - Landlords will no longer be able to serve “no-fault” eviction notices to regain possession of their properties. 

• Expand Section 8 possession grounds - The Government is adding and updating both mandatory and discretionary grounds due to the abolition of Section 21. 
  

• Abolish fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) - As a result of this, all tenancies will become rolling, periodic contracts.

• Limit rent increases - The shift to periodic tenancies means Section 13 notices will be the only way for landlords to raise the rent; these can only be served once per year.

• Ban rental bidding wars - Landlords and agents can’t accept offers above the advertised price. 

• Introduce a landlord ombudsman - This will help resolve disputes between landlords and tenants impartially. 

• Create a private rented sector database - Designed to compile information about landlords and properties and provide visibility on compliance. 

• Apply the Decent Homes Standard - All rental properties must meet minimum quality standards. 

• Prohibit discrimination - Landlords can’t refuse tenants on benefits or with children.

• Allow renting with pets - Landlords can't unreasonably refuse tenants with pets.
  
  What will happen to assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs)?

  The Renters’ Rights Act will convert all fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) to periodic tenancies overnight. Any fixed-term tenancies you sign now will be affected by this when the Act becomes effective. 

  In other words, a three-year tenancy signed in March 2026 would instantly become periodic if the Renters’ Rights Act became effective in April, replacing the fixed term. 

  Tenancy reform is one of the Government’s biggest priorities and they believe that this move will “empower tenants to challenge bad practice without fear of retaliatory eviction”