Articles

Renters’ Rights Act 2025: update on implementation

19 Nov 2025 | 2 minute read

Further to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 ("Act") receiving Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published the government's timeline for implementing the Act.

On 27 December 2025, a limited number of provisions in the Act will come into force, which include:

Chapter 2 of Part 1 - Sections 31 and 32 under this chapter specify the types of tenancies that cannot be assured tenancies.
Section 59 - This section removes Part 3 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 that sets out a private landlord's procedure for recovering possession of abandoned property let under an assured shorthold tenancy.
Section 110 - This section imposes duties on local housing authorities and county councils to report the exercise of their functions upon request by the Secretary of State.
Chapter 3 of Part 4 - This chapter sets out the investigatory powers granted to local housing authorities by the Act.

Further implementation of the Act will take place in 3 phases with secondary legislation adding detail to some of its provisions and aiding implementation.

Phase 1

From 1 May 2026, the following measures in the private rented sector ("PRS") will be introduced:

Assured periodic tenancies will be introduced for the majority of existing and new tenancies.
The grounds for possession will be reformed with possession grounds being extended in some cases.
Section 21 "no fault" evictions will be abolished.
Rent increases will be limited to once a year and landlords will be required to follow a revised rent increase procedure.
Rental bidding will be banned and landlords will not be able to request advance rent of more than one month's rent.
It will be illegal for landlords/agents to discriminate against renters with children or receiving benefits.
Landlords will be required to consider tenant's requests for pets in rented property and will have an initial period of 28 days to do so.
Local council will be required to report on enforcement activity and changes to civil penalties and rent repayment orders will be implemented.

The abolition of section 21 and tenancy reforms in this phase will not apply initially to the social rented sector.

Phase 2

From late 2026, we will see the introduction of the PRS Database and Landlord Ombudsman in two stages. In the first stage, the PRS Database will be rolled out from late 2026 and landlords will be required to sign up to the database and pay an annual fee, which will be confirmed closer to the launch of the database. In stage two, there will be a further roll out of the database and a mandatory Ombudsman scheme will be launched with landlords expected to register as members of the new service in 2028.

Phase 3

The third phase is to be settled following consultations and will include the new Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law being extended to the PRS.

Key dates	Points to note for landlords and tenants.
November 2025	The government has published various guides for landlords on the Act.
January 2026	Landlords will need to include certain information in written tenancy agreements provided to tenants for tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026. The government is expected to publish a draft tenancy agreement template in January 2026.
April 2026	The government will publish guidance for tenants in respect of the “Phase 1” reforms and launch a campaign so that tenants can understand their rights and responsibilities.
From 1 May 2026	Most existing assured shorthold tenancies will change to assured periodic tenancies. Most new tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026 will be assured periodic tenancies. Other measures in “Phase 1” of the government’s timeline will be implemented from 1 May 2026. Landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants using the section 21 process and will need to issue tenants with a section 8 notice using one or more grounds of possession. Landlords will need to follow the revised section 13 process to increase rent annually by filling out Form 4A and providing tenants with at least 2 months’ notice.
On or before 31 May 2026	Landlords with verbal existing tenancy agreements created before 1 May 2026 will need to provide a written summary of its main terms. Landlords with existing tenancies before 1 May 2026 will need to provide tenants with the government’s “Information Sheet” (will be published online in March 2026).
1 August 2026	If a landlord served a tenant with a section 8 notice before 1 May 2026, a landlord can use the notice to issue court proceedings within 12 months of the date of the notice or until 1 August 2026 (whichever date is sooner). If a landlord served a tenant with a section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, a landlord can use the notice to issue court proceedings within 6 months of the date of the notice or until 1 August 2026 (whichever date is sooner).
From late 2026	Landlords will be required to join the PRS Database.
2028	Landlords will be required join the PRS Landlord Ombudsman.