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Apr 02, 2026
In May 2026, the Renters Rights Act will become law in England. It has been described as the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years.
The Renters Rights Act will affect around 11 million people. But what changes will the Act actually make? And how might they impact you?
In this article we take a quick look at seven changes that will happen under the Renters Rights Act:
The Renters Rights Act will change the basis on which properties are rented as from May 1st. Instead of the usual fixed 12 or 24-month contract, properties will be rented on a rolling basis. This means that tenants can remain as long as they want to, and if they want to leave they can give two months notice, rather than having to wait until the end of their contract.
Scotland has had this type of rental agreement since 2017, but in Wales and Northern Ireland fixed-term contracts will still exist.
The Renters Rights Act will bring an end to the majority of Section 21 no-fault eviction notices. A landlord will not be able to sell or move into a property in the first 12 months after a tenancy begins. After 12 months, they will be able to do this, but need to give tenants 4 months’ notice of their intention to do so.
Even if your tenancy agreement has a break clause, your landlord will not be able to use this to end your tenancy.
The only circumstances in which you as a tenant can be evicted are if you damage the property, commit antisocial behaviour, or owe three months’ rent arrears.
Your landlord will only be able to put your rent up once a year and must give you at least 2 months’ notice of a rent increase. Rent can only be increased to what is considered the market rate, and if a tenant believes the increase is too much, they can challenge the landlord at a first-tier tribunal – a type of civil court.
A landlord will no longer be able to accept rent higher than the advertised rate. It will become illegal for them to ask tenants to pay more than the advertised price or to accept higher offers made. This should put an end to the current practice of bidding wars on rental properties.
There is currently a protected deposit scheme in England under which tenants pay the landlord a sum of money for them to hold in case of potential damage. This will continue, with the maximum amount a landlord can ask for being 5-6 weeks’ rent.
Most landlords also request advance rent to secure a tenancy. The Renters Rights Act limits this amount to one month’s rent, or 28 days rent if your rental period is less than one month.
Bans on tenants on benefits such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit and/or with children will be categorised as discrimination under the Renters Rights Act. So there will be no more “No DSS” clauses in rental adverts.
The Act aims to ensure that everyone is treated fairly when looking for a place to live. However, landlords will still be able to do affordability checks and general references before selecting a tenant.
The Renters Rights Act gives tenants the right to request to have a pet in the home. Any clauses in your current contract that say pets are not allowed will no longer apply after the law changes..
The process for requesting a pet will be to write to your landlord to ask for permission, providing details of the intended pet. The landlord will then have 28 days to reply in writing. If their reply requests more information about the pet they will have 7 days from when you send that information to give you their decision.
Be aware that the landlord cannot “unreasonably” refuse. Possible grounds for refusal include the property being too small, health risks such as allergies for other tenants, or restrictions applying to the property as a whole (for example in a head lease that applies to the whole building).
The final measure of the Renters Rights Act that we will look at is more of an evolving situation. England has a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) which is a government-set quality standard for social housing. The DHS will be extended to the private rental sector in the near future, probably late 2026-2027.
The DHS requires homes to meet four criteria:
A new DHS is being prepared, to which all rented homes must conform by 2035. It will include the requirement to meet Awaab’s Law to address damp and mould issues within set timescales.
We hope that this article has helped to explain more about the Renters Rights Act, and the changes that might impact you. This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, you should consult a qualified professional or organisations such as Citizens Advice or Shelter.
For more hints and tips on family finances and everyday living, check back here soon with us at Loans 2 Go.
This blog/article provides general information only and does not constitute financial advice.
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