The government's website provides guidance for landlords on changes contained in the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
Key changes which will take effect on 1 May 2026 include:
- The abolition of assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs). All existing ASTs will become assured periodic tenancies and new tenancy agreements will be assured periodic tenancies;
- The abolition of 'no fault' evictions. Landlords will no longer be able to use Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict tenants and will need a legal reason to evict them;
- Landlords will be unable to ask for more than one month's rent in advance;
- Landlords must include a specific price on any written property advertisement. They will be unable to ask prospective tenants to bid above this amount, or accept any such bids;
- Landlords will need to follow the new legal process for increasing the rent and give at least two months' notice. The rent can only be increased once per year;
- It will be illegal for landlords to discriminate against prospective tenants because they are in receipt of benefits or because they have children;
- Landlords must consider and respond to a tenant's request to rent with a pet within a set timeframe, and will have to provide valid reasons if the request is refused.
The government has also published a guide to the Renters' Rights Act.