If you rent a home in England, the rules that govern your tenancy changed significantly on 1 May 2026. The Renters Rights Act 2025 is the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in decades. It affects how tenancies are structured, how landlords can end them, how rents can be raised, and even whether you can keep a pet. This guide explains the main changes in straightforward terms.
Fixed-term tenancies are gone
Until now, most private renters signed an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) for a fixed term, usually six or twelve months. Once that term ended, the landlord could effectively ask you to leave without giving a reason. That is no longer possible.
All new tenancies are now rolling periodic tenancies from the outset. In plain terms, your tenancy runs on a rolling basis, typically month to month, from day one. There is no fixed end date. Existing fixed-term ASTs that were already running converted to periodic tenancies when the Act came into force.
This gives renters more security. You are not racing against an arbitrary end date, and your landlord cannot simply wait for the term to expire and then ask you to leave.
Section 21 no-fault evictions have been abolished
The old Section 21 notice allowed landlords to end a tenancy without giving any reason. It is gone. Landlords must now use a Section 8 notice and rely on one of the statutory grounds for possession set out in the Act.
Common valid grounds include:
- Rent arrears: If you owe at least two months of rent, your landlord can apply to court. So yes, you can still be evicted for unpaid rent. Keeping up with payments remains important.
- Landlord wishes to sell: If your landlord genuinely wants to sell the property, they can serve notice, but they must give you four months notice and cannot re-let the property for at least twelve months afterwards. This is designed to stop the ground being misused.
- Landlord or close family member moving in: A similar four-month notice period applies, with restrictions on re-letting.
- Serious anti-social behaviour: This remains a ground for faster action if the behaviour is serious enough.
In each case, if you dispute the ground, you can challenge it in court. The burden is on the landlord to prove the ground applies.
Your right to give notice
Tenants now have a statutory right to end their tenancy by giving two months written notice at any time. You do not need the landlord's agreement. This applies from the start of the tenancy, so there is no minimum term you must stay for.
Rent increases: one per year, and you can challenge it
Your landlord can only raise your rent once in any twelve-month period. They must use the formal Section 13 process, which requires written notice of at least two months before the increase takes effect.
If you think the proposed increase is above the market rate for comparable properties in your area, you can refer it to a First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal will set a fair market rent, and the landlord cannot charge more than that. You cannot be evicted simply for challenging a rent increase.
Landlords are also banned from asking for more than one month's rent as an upfront payment before you move in. Large advance payments that were sometimes used to lock out tenants on lower incomes are no longer permitted.
The right to keep a pet
You now have the right to request permission to keep a pet in your home. Your landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds, and they must respond within 42 days. Where a pet is permitted, your landlord may require you to take out pet damage insurance, which is a reasonable protection for both sides.
The Decent Homes Standard is coming
The Act also paves the way for a Decent Homes Standard to be applied to the private rented sector, expected to be in place by 2035. This will set minimum requirements for the condition of rental properties, covering heating, damp, structural safety, and more. Local councils will have new enforcement powers. The detail is still being finalised, but landlords should be aware it is coming.
What this means in practice
For most tenants renting from a responsible landlord, day-to-day life will not feel dramatically different. What changes is your security. You cannot be asked to leave without a proper reason, your rent cannot be raised without notice and a right of challenge, and upfront costs are capped.
If you have a specific question about your tenancy, a notice you have received, or a rent increase you are not sure about, speak to our lettings team at Cooke and Co. We work with both landlords and tenants across the area and can point you in the right direction. For anything that may require legal advice, we will always say speak to a solicitor who specialises in housing law.
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