The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. It is the biggest reform of short-term residential lettings in England in a generation. None of the substantive provisions are yet in force. The Act sets the framework and many of the working parts will arrive by secondary legislation. Ministers have said they will publish the implementation plan as soon as possible. Given potential short compliance windows once commencement dates are set, landlords, agents and investors should prepare now.
The end of the section 21 regime and the new tenancy landscape
The Act abolishes assured shorthold tenancies and with them the entire section 21 Notice and accelerated possession procedure. All short-term private lettings will become periodic assured tenancies, APTs. Therefore, fixed terms will go. A landlord will only be able to recover possession by proving one or more of the expanded section 8 grounds. Tenants can end an APT at any time by giving notice, usually at least two months, expiring at the end of a rent period. Existing ASTs will convert to APTs on the commencement date.
Grounds for possession, mandatory and discretionary
The section 8 regime is widened and tightened. There are more grounds, some with pre-conditions and time limits. Some remain mandatory in principle, others discretionary, but judges will continue to weigh reasonableness and interests of justice. Records of rent, breaches, complaints and management action will matter. Court capacity and timelines will be a live issue, so landlords should expect to evidence grounds thoroughly.
Rent increases and reviews
Save for limited exceptions, rent can be increased only under a revised section 13 process, normally once per year on two months’ notice, starting at a new rent period. Tenants can challenge at the First Tier Tribunal. Contractual reviews for APTs will not be enforceable in the private sector. The tribunal will not be able to set a rent above the landlord’s proposal. The government has taken reserve powers to allow backdating by regulation if the tribunal is overwhelmed and has signalled an alternative determination route may be created.
Deposits
Deposit caps remain at five weeks where the annual rent is below £50,000 and six weeks’ rent where it is £50,000 or more. Deposit protection duties will continue for converted ASTs and will apply to new APTs. If a landlord fails to protect the tenant’s deposit and provide the required information, they won’t be able to obtain a possession order, except where the tenant has engaged in serious criminal or anti-social behaviour. This mirrors the current section 21 restrictions. However, if the deposit is protected late, the landlord can still seek possession, though they may still face financial penalties of up to three times the deposit amount.
Market conduct, pets and equal access
Adverts must carry a single asking rent. Inviting, encouraging or accepting bids above that figure will be unlawful. Blanket discrimination against families with children or tenants on benefits will be unlawful, with narrow carve outs, for example to avoid overcrowding or to comply with an existing insurance policy. Tenants gain a statutory right to keep a pet with the landlord’s consent, which must not be unreasonably withheld; the request has to be in writing and include a description of the pet
. The landlord must reply within 28 days, subject to limited extensions and superior landlord consent issues.
Standards, registration and redress
Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard will be extended to the private sector by later regulations. A compulsory PRS database will require registration of both landlord and property. Active entries will be needed to market, to let, and in most cases to obtain possession. A new landlord ombudsman will deliver swift, binding outcomes, including orders to apologise, carry out works and pay compensation. Membership will be compulsory.
Information duties, penalties and offences
Before an APT is entered into, landlords will have to give a written statement of terms and prescribed information. For existing written tenancies, there will be a duty to give tenants a prescribed information notice about the changes within one month of commencement. Civil penalties rise, with higher tiers for repeated or serious breaches. New criminal offences will cover misuse of grounds, breach of reletting restrictions after own use or sale grounds, false statements to the PRS database and persistent failure to join the ombudsman. Financial penalties can reach up to £40,000.00 for serious, persistent or repeated breaches.
Timing and transition
Government has promised sufficient notice and a smooth transition. No dates are fixed. It is realistic to expect the core tenancy regime to begin during 2026, with other features such as the PRS database, ombudsman and private sector Awaab’s Law following. Section 21 and section 8 steps taken before commencement will remain valid if strict deadlines are met. Otherwise, there will be a single changeover date on which existing ASTs convert to APTs.
Practical action plan now
- As it relates to properties owned, Landlord’s should identify ASTs, student lets, PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation) and corporate lets.
- Audit deposit protection, safety and compliance files.
- Consider redrafting offer, tenancy and management templates for APTs, including the new information statement and any advance notice grounds.
- Remove bidding, remove blanket DSS or no children policies, review insurance and mortgage terms.
- Draft a Pet’s Policy (however a policy may be of limited assistance given the limited grounds for refusal);
- Plan for ground 4A student cycles and warning notices.
- Train teams on evidence standards for section 8 grounds and on ombudsman readiness.
Instructions and enquiries
Jonathan acts for landlords, agents, developers and for tenants, across a broad range of possession and property matters. For enquiries or to discuss instructions, please contact the clerks on 01227 786331 or clerks@becket-chambers.co.uk .
****Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. It is provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
