Renters' Rights Act: changes for private tenants
The law has changed
Private tenants have new rights from 1 May 2026
Check your new rights
- Table: The main changes
- No more section 21 notices
- Section 8 eviction notices
- No more fixed term tenancies
- How you can end your tenancy
- Rent increase changes
- Changes to tenancy agreements
- Right to ask to keep a pet
- 1 month limit on rent in advance
- Stronger rights for tenants who get benefits or have children
- When you might still have an assured shorthold tenancy (AST)
Table: The main changes
These changes affect most private tenants.
Most private tenants now have an assured tenancy.
Before 1 May 2026, most private tenants had an assured shorthold tenancy (AST).
Your rights have not changed if you're a lodger who lives with your landlord.
| From 1 May 2026 | Before 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Your landlord needs a legal reason to evict you with a section 8 notice. | Your landlord could evict you for no reason with a section 21 notice. |
| You have a rolling 'periodic' tenancy which makes it easier to leave by giving notice. | Many renters had fixed term tenancies. It was often hard to leave a fixed term tenancy early. |
| You need to give 2 months' notice to end your assured tenancy, unless you and your landlord agree a shorter notice in writing. | You could often give 1 month's notice to end a periodic AST. |
| Your rent can only go up once a year. Any rent review clause in your agreement cannot be used. | Your landlord could suggest a rent increase at any time. |
| Your landlord must give at least 2 months' notice of a rent increase on a special form. You can challenge a rent increase at a tribunal. | Most tenants could not challenge a rent increase because they were worried about eviction. |
| You can ask to keep a pet. Your landlord can only say no if they have a good reason. | Your landlord could say no pets. They did not need a reason. |
| Your landlord can only take up to 1 month's rent before you move in. | There were no limits on rent in advance. |
No more section 21 notices
From 1 May 2026, your private landlord cannot give you a section 21 eviction notice.
This means most 'no fault' evictions have ended.
Break clauses
You might have a break clause in your tenancy agreement if you signed it before 1 May 2026. Your landlord cannot use the break clause now.
If you got a section 21 notice before 1 May 2026
Your landlord had until 31 July 2026 to ask a court to evict you.
If they missed this deadline:
your section 21 notice is not valid
you now have an assured tenancy
your landlord needs a reason to evict you
You could still be evicted if your landlord applied to court before 1 August 2026.
The court can only stop your eviction if there is a problem with the notice.
Section 8 eviction notices
Your landlord must give you a section 8 notice if they want you to leave.
They need a reason to evict you.
How much notice you get depends on the reason they want you to leave.
For example:
4 weeks if you owe rent
4 months if your landlord wants to sell
4 months if they want to move in themselves
Find out more in our section 8 notice guide.
Read more on section 8 eviction notices if:
If you got a section 8 notice before 1 May 2026
Your landlord had until 31 July 2026 to ask a court to evict you.
If they missed this deadline:
your section 8 notice is not valid
you now have an assured tenancy
your landlord must give you a new notice if they still have a reason to evict you
If you do not leave when the notice ends
Your landlord cannot make you leave straight away.
They can apply for a court order to evict you. There will always be a court hearing.
Sometimes the court can stop your eviction.
Find out more in our section 8 court hearings guide.
No more fixed term tenancies
From 1 May 2026, your landlord cannot use fixed term assured shorthold tenancies (AST).
If you signed a fixed term agreement before 1 May 2026, it is now an assured periodic tenancy.
This means it is a rolling tenancy with no set end date.
Most assured tenants have monthly tenancies.
You do not need to do anything for this change to happen.
You have better protection from eviction because your landlord needs a reason to evict you.
You could still have an assured shorthold tenancy if your landlord gave you a valid eviction notice before 1 May 2026. Your tenancy could still be fixed term.
How you can end your tenancy
You must usually give 2 months' notice if you want to leave.
You can give less than 2 months' notice if your landlord agrees to this in writing.
If you signed a fixed term agreement before 1 May 2026, you can ask if you can leave on the day the fixed term was due to end.
If your landlord says yes, get their agreement in writing. If they say no, you must give notice to end your tenancy.
More on how you can end your tenancy.
Rent increase changes
Your landlord can only increase your rent once a year.
They must give you at least 2 months' notice of a rent increase. They must use a special form.
Tenancy clauses that say the rent can go up in other ways cannot be used.
Challenge a rent increase
You can go to a tribunal if you think a rent increase is too much.
The tribunal:
can set a lower rent if they agree that the increase is too much
cannot put your rent up to more than your landlord wants
Our rent increase guide explains the changes.
Your landlord cannot evict you for challenging a rent increase.
Changes to tenancy agreements
Most private tenants now have an assured tenancy with stronger rights.
You have these new rights even if your tenancy agreement still says 'assured shorthold'. You do not need to do anything.
Landlords must give private tenants certain written information about their tenancy rights.
Read our guide to private tenancy agreements to find out:
your rights and what to check in your agreement
what information your landlord must give you in writing
Right to ask to keep a pet
You can ask to keep a pet in your rented home.
You need to:
write to your landlord to ask for permission
include a description of the pet you plan to have
Your landlord can only refuse if they have a good reason.
They normally have 4 weeks to reply in writing. They might ask for more information.
'No pets' clauses in tenancy agreements do not apply now. You can still ask your landlord to have a pet if your tenancy agreement says no pets.
Read our renting with pets guide.
1 month limit on rent in advance
Your landlord cannot ask for more than 1 month's rent in advance.
You do not have to pay rent in advance until you sign a tenancy agreement.
You can only be asked to pay the advertised rent.
Councils can fine landlords who ask for or accept more.
Stronger rights for tenants who get benefits or have children
Landlords and agents must not refuse to rent to you because either:
you claim benefits
you're a family with children
Councils can fine landlords and agents who break these rules.
When you might still have an assured shorthold tenancy (AST)
Your rights might not have changed on 1 May 2026 if your landlord gave you a valid eviction notice before this date.
This could be a:
Some housing association tenants still have ASTs.
Changes for housing association tenants are expected in Autumn 2027.
Last updated: 3 August 2026
