The Renters Rights Act - What do tenants need to know?

Last updated: 14/04/2026
4 min read

A tenant reviewing Renters' Rights legislation

The Renters’ Rights Act is a new set of rules which will impact the rental sector and may change your rights as a tenant.

It is designed to create a more balanced rental market and give tenants more protection and control.

When will the rules change?

The new rules won’t be enforced all at once. Large pieces of housing legislation are usually introduced in stages so that councils, landlords, agents and tenants have time to prepare.

Phase one of the Renters’ Rights Act is on May 1st, 2026, meaning the laws set out in the first phase apply from then.

Future phases will follow, adding more rule changes over time.

Who will it apply to?

Most of the rules set out in the Renters’ Rights Act only apply in England, not the rest of the UK. If you’re renting in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, the rules will differ, so it’s important to check official government guidance for your country.

There are also exemptions to some of the rules, including for:

Certain types of university-owned or purpose-built student accommodation
Some live-in landlords, if you rent a room in the property they live in
Certain forms of social housing
Cases where a Section 21 or Section 8 notice are given prior to May 1st, and are in progress.

How will it affect tenants?

Tenancy types

Prior to the Act, the standard tenancy type in the UK is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), usually with a fixed term of six or twelve months.

As of May 1st, every new and existing tenancy will become an Assured Periodic Tenancy (APT).

The main difference is that an APT is a rolling tenancy, meaning that there is no set end date or fixed term. A tenant can leave their tenancy at any point by giving the landlord two months’ notice.

The purpose of this is to give tenants more flexibility and control over where they live and when they move.

No-fault evictions

The Renters’ Rights Act also puts an end to Section 21 evictions, meaning landlords can’t end a tenancy without a valid reason or a court/possession order.

Landlords will now only be able to end the tenancy by using a Section 8 notice, meaning they must have a valid reason such as selling or moving into the property, breaches of the tenancy agreement, or serious rent arears.

Rent rises

Rent rises will now be much more regulated. Under the new rules, landlords can only raise the rent once every 12 months and must go through the official process to do so.

Tenants should be given at least two months’ notice of a rent increase, and it must be in line with the local market rate.

Rent in advance

Landlords will not be able to demand more than one month’s rent in advance of a new tenant moving into the property.

Pets

Blanket bans on pets will no longer be allowed. Tenants have the right to ask to keep a pet in their rented home, and a landlord can only refuse if they have a good reason to do so.

What do tenants need to do?

As a tenant, there isn’t too much you need to do other than be aware of your new rights and how the Act affects your tenancy.

As the Act aims to strengthen tenants’ rights, most actions fall to the letting agent or landlord.

Here’s what you should do:

Make sure you know and understand your rights.
Read your Information Sheet which landlords must provide to tenants before May 31st, 2026.
Prepare for your contract to change.
Understand notice periods both tenants and landlords must give.

To learn more about the Renters’ Rights Act, you can visit the Government website, or speak to your letting agent or landlord.

*All references to legislation within this article were correct as of the date of publication. This article is not intended to be, nor should it be used as or relied on as legal advice.