Round up of housing law and news: March 2026
Renters' Rights Act
The Renters' Rights Act will be implemented in phases from 1 May 2026.
Key reforms in phase 1 include the abolishment of section 21 notices, the end of assured shorthold tenancies and new grounds for possession.
Later phases will introduce a landlord database, a private rented sector landlord Ombudsman and improved housing condition standards.
Learn more about the Act
Read the latest articles on the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 at Shelter Legal.
Legislation
First-tier tribunal fees, requirements for written tenancy statements, and welfare benefits uprating.
New First-tier tribunal fees
The government has published the new fees payable for tribunal applications including a £47 fee for rent increase appeals. The updated fees apply from 1 May 2026 when the Renters' Rights Act comes into force.
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees (Amendment) Order 2026
New requirements for written tenancy statements
A new statutory instrument sets out what landlords and agents must include in written tenancy statements following the commencement of the Renters' Rights Act on 1 May 2026. The rules apply to new private assured tenants and most existing private tenants without written agreements.
Increased financial penalties for housing offences
From 1 May 2026 local authorities can impose higher maximum penalties for a range of housing related offences and breaching of banning orders.
The Financial Penalties (Housing Offences and Breach of Banning Orders) Regulations 2026
New rules for excepted student accommodation
Updated regulations have been published to ensure student housing exemptions align with the new tenancy structure introduced by the Renters' Rights Act from 1 May 2026.
The Student Accommodation (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2026
Welfare benefits uprating
From 6 April 2026, welfare benefit rates will increase with the new financial year.
Case law
Refugee asylum support, rent repayment orders, HMO licensing and access for gas safety inspections.
Judicial review prompts Home Office to extend move on support
A judicial review brought by newly recognised refugees succeeded, finding the Home Office practice of ending asylum support after 28 days unlawful.
Home Office caseworkers must now extend support for up to 56 days where there is a risk of street homelessness, with further extensions available under a broad discretion that must comply with Article 3 ECHR.
The Home Office will update its Section 95 guidance and discontinuation letters to explain this discretion, the criteria for extensions, and how refugees can request them. The Home Secretary accepted that earlier refusals issued to the claimants were unlawful.
R (Solomon & Others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026]
Joint tenants and rent repayment orders
A tribunal dismissed a rent repayment order claim made by several tenants of an unlicensed HMO.
Although the offence was proved, the tribunal held that it had no jurisdiction to make an order as all of the joint tenants were not included in the application. The missing tenants could not be added due to the 12 month limitation.
The claim was ruled invalid.
122 Widdenham Road, London N7 9SQ, LON/00AU/HMF/2025/0753 reported on Nearly Legal
Possession claim upheld despite disrepair
The County Court found that a landlord was entitled to possession for rent arrears after a valid section 13 rent increase, despite significant disrepair at the property. The tenant’s argument that the increase had been waived was rejected as insufficient to create any agreement or estoppel.
The court accepted parts of the tenant’s counterclaim and awarded £8,160.66 for leaks, defective windows, damp, boiler failure and other hazards. However, the arrears of £9,250 exceeded the damages. The judge held that an outright order was not justified, and the parties later agreed a suspended possession order.
No order for costs was made apart from legal aid assessment and the landlord paying the joint expert’s fee.
N'Guessan & Anor v Bewry [2026] EWCC 9 (09 February 2026)
Court permits forced entry for gas safety access
The County Court considered whether a landlord can obtain an injunction permitting forced entry to a tenant's home to carry out statutory checks.
The judge accepted that a tenant's contractual obligation to allow access could be enforced through CPR 70.2A, allowing another person to perform the required act where the tenant refused to comply.
The judge held that the court had jurisdiction and granted the order.
Taylor Clark Ltd v Mohamed reported on Nearly Legal
Intentional homelessness after eviction from a tenancy obtained by deception
The Court of Appeal considered whether an applicant who obtained a secure tenancy by deception and was subsequently evicted when this deception came to light was homeless intentionally.
The court rejected the applicant's argument that the property was never reasonable for her to occupy where the tenancy could only have been obtained by deception in the first place. The court held that the accommodation was available and reasonable to occupy at the time it was lost. The court allowed the local authority's appeal.
News and guidance
Renters' Rights Act guidance, annual Grenfell Inquiry report and end to asylum accommodation move-on pilot.
Renters' Rights Act guidance
The government has produced guidance for local authorities on the Renters Rights Act. It includes guidance on rent repayment orders, civil penalties, rental discrimination, and rent in advance.
Gov.uk: Guidance on the Renters Rights Act
Renter's Rights' Act information sheet
The government has published the Renters' Rights Act information sheet. For most private tenancies, where the tenancy has a written agreement on 1 May 2026, the landlord must give the tenant the information sheet within one month of the tenancy becoming an assured periodic tenancy.
Gov.uk: Landlords now to fulfil new legal duty for Renters’ Rights Act
Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme
The government has set funding allocations for the Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme for the next three years. The Greater London Authority will receive £1.625 million a year, while 27 councils will each get £125,000 annually to test new approaches to long term rough sleeping.
The programme forms part of a wider £50 million package aimed at strengthening frontline services and supporting the target to halve long‑term rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.
Gov.uk: Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme
New Supported Housing Advisory Panel
The government has set up a new Supported Housing Advisory Panel to support implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The panel will advise on national standards, licensing and local strategies for supported housing.
The 12 member panel includes representatives from social housing providers, councils, charities and people with lived experience. The government says it will provide expert insight to help ensure the reforms improve the quality of supported housing.
Gov.uk: Supported Housing Advisory Panel
Annual update on Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations
The government has released its latest annual report on progress implementing the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations. The update also covers work linked to Phase 1 recommendations on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs).
The report groups progress under the Inquiry’s key themes: the construction industry, fire and rescue services, response and recovery, and actions relating to vulnerable people. It outlines steps taken across each area to improve building safety, strengthen emergency response and support those most at risk.
Gov.uk: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Annual Report
End of asylum accommodation move‑on pilot
The government has confirmed that the asylum accommodation move‑on pilot has ended and that, from 9 March 2026, people granted leave to remain will receive a 42‑day move‑on period. Individuals will continue to get at least 28 days’ notice from the point their asylum support is due to stop, with possible extensions considered only in limited, case‑by‑case circumstances.
Homeless.org.uk: New 42-day asylum move-on period confirmed
Crisis and Resilience Fund housing payments to replace discretionary housing payments from 1 April 2026
The government passed regulations to prepare for the implementation of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) housing payments, which will replace DHPs from April.
From April 2026, housing payments will be part of the broader crisis and resilience fund local authorities can use to support low income households and provide resilience services.
Authorities can continue to use old DHP application routes to help with a smooth transition.
Legislation.gov.uk: The Discretionary Financial Assistance and Discretionary Housing Payments (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026
Data and trends
Warm homes social housing fund, increase in private rents and slowing house price growth.
Warm Homes Social Housing Fund
According to the March 2026 statistics, 900 energy efficiency measures have been installed under the scheme in 500 social housing households in England so far. Key findings include:
45% of installations were solar PV measures
34% were insulation measures
17% were low-carbon heating measures
Gov.uk: Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund statistics
UK private rents rise 3.5% while house price growth slows
The latest ONS Private rent and house prices bulletin reports continued rental inflation alongside slow house price growth. Key findings include:
average UK monthly private rents increased by 3.5%, to £1,374, in the 12 months to February 2026
average rents increased to £1,430 (3.6%) in England
annual rent inflation was highest in the North East (7.6%) and lowest in London (1.7%)
the average house price for England was £290,000 in January 2026, up 1.1% (£3,000) from a year earlier.
Updates from the Renters' Rights Act 2025
Tenancy reform Q&A
10 key changes
The monthly round up of legislation, cases, news and data from Housing Matters