Commencement dates for key legal changes introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes in force
In force now
Renters' Rights Act provisions in force now.
New investigatory powers for local authorities
New local authority powers to enter business premises and seize documents as part of an investigation into whether a private landlord has breached rented housing legislation.
Date of change: 27 December 2025
Find out more about the new local authority investigatory powers on Shelter Legal.
Read MHCLG's investigatory powers guidance for the Renters' Rights Act on Gov.uk.
Start date set
Renters' Rights Act provisions due to come into force on a fixed commencement date.
No new section 21 notices
A landlord will be prevented from serving a section 21 notice to end a private tenancy, and the amount of time a landlord has to act on an existing notice changes.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
The end of section 21 is covered in What to expect from the Renters' Rights Act in News and Updates.
Read more about the existing rules for section 21 notices on Shelter Legal.
All private tenancies become periodic assured
All assured shorthold tenancies become fully assured, and fixed term tenancies automatically become monthly periodic.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more information about changes to tenancies.
Read more about the rules for assured and assured shorthold tenancies on Shelter Legal.
Changes to tenant's notice to quit
A tenant will be able to end a private assured tenancy by serving two months' notice, increased from one months' notice.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
Find out more about the existing rules for a tenant's notice to quit on Shelter Legal.
New rules for increasing rent
A landlord must use the process in section 13 Housing Act 1988 to raise the rent in a private tenancy and cannot rely on a rent review clause or contract variation.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more information about rent increases.
Read more about the existing statutory rules for rent increases on Shelter Legal.
New grounds for possession of tenancies
New grounds allow landlords to issue a possession claim on a range of new grounds, including if they want to sell or move back in.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more about the new possession grounds.
Find out What the Renters' Rights Act means for possession claims in News and Updates.
Read more about the existing grounds for possession in assured tenancies on Shelter Legal.
Change to mandatory rent arrears ground 8
The amount of rent arrears that must be outstanding for the court to make a possession order on ground 8 increase from 8 weeks to 13 weeks, and benefit delays can be raised in a defence.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more about the change to ground 8.
The new ground 8 is discussed in A guide to The Renters' Rights Act for debt advisers in News and Updates.
Read more about the existing rules for ground 8 possession on Shelter Legal.
Ban on rent in advance
A private landlord or letting agent must not demand payment of more than one months' rent in advance, or accept a tenant's offer to pay rent in advance.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more about the prohibition of rent in advance.
Ban on rental bidding
A private landlord or letting agent must list a property to let at a fixed rent, and must not accept or encourage any higher bids.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more about the prohibition of rental bidding.
Ban on rental discrimination
A landlord or letting agent must not discriminate against people who may claim benefits or have children when letting private rented accommodation.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
Read more about discrimination in the private rented sector on Shelter Legal.
MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act has more about discrimination reforms.
Changes to the definition of homelessness
A change to the definition of threatened with homelessness resulting from the abolition of section 21 notices, to mean a tenant is threatened with homelessness if a section 8 notice will expire in the next 56 days.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
Find out more about the existing law on definition of homelessness on Shelter Legal.
Changes to private rented sector offers in homeless applications
A change to the requirements for a local authority making an offer of private rented sector accommodation to a homeless applicant resulting from the abolition of fixed term tenancies.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
Read more about the existing rules for private rented sector offers on Shelter Legal.
New rules on pets
A private tenant has the right to ask for permission to keep a pet and their landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.
Date of change: 1 May 2026
Read more about the new rules for Renting with pets in News and Updates.
Find out more about the rules on keeping a pet in MHCLG's guide to the Renters' Rights Act on Gov.uk.
Awaiting start date
Renters' Rights Act provisions with no fixed commencement date.
Public sector abolition of assured shorthold tenancies
Abolition of section 21 and assured shorthold tenancies in the public sector will be introduced alongside new grounds for possession.
This requires new regulations to be laid.
Private landlord Ombudsman
A new Ombudsman will be created to deal with complaints about private landlords.
This requires new regulations to be laid.
Private landlord database
Landlords will be required to sign up to a private landlord database.
This requires new regulations to be laid.
Private rented sector disrepair
Changes will be made to how private landlords must deal with disrepair, including extending Awaab's law and the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector.
This requires new regulations to be laid.
Updates from the Renters' Rights Act 2025
10 key changes
Grounds for possession
Renting with pets
Visit Shelter's News and Updates for the latest developments on the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
The government's implementation roadmap is available on Gov.uk.