The Renters’ Rights Act: what landlords must do now (2026 guide)

What changed on 1 May 2026

The Act replaced the assured shorthold tenancy system entirely. All existing tenancies converted automatically to periodic assured tenancies — no action, no signature, no new agreement needed. Fixed terms are gone: tenants now roll month to month and can leave with two months’ notice at any point.

For landlords, the headline change is the abolition of Section 21. You can no longer end a tenancy without giving a reason. Possession now runs entirely through Section 8 grounds — some mandatory (the court must grant possession), some discretionary.

• •All tenancies are now periodic assured tenancies — fixed terms no longer exist
• •Section 21 is abolished; possession requires a Section 8 ground
• •New mandatory grounds: selling the property or moving in yourself (4-month notice, 12-month protected period at the start of a tenancy)
• •Rent increases only via the statutory process, once per year
• •Tenants gained the right to request pets, which you cannot unreasonably refuse

The statutory information sheet — the deadline you may have missed

The Act requires every landlord to serve the government’s official “statutory information sheet” on their tenants — a plain-English summary of the new rights and duties. For tenancies that existed on 1 May 2026, the deadline to serve it was 31 May 2026.

Missing it is not fatal, but it is a breach carrying a civil penalty of up to £7,000, and — critically — you cannot rely on some possession grounds while your paperwork duties are outstanding. If you have not served the sheet yet, serving it late with proof of service is far better than not serving it at all. New tenants must receive it before the tenancy starts.

Rent increases under the new process

Rent review clauses in old agreements are dead. The only way to raise rent is the statutory notice (Form 4 under Section 13), once per year, with at least two months’ notice. The tenant can challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal before it takes effect, and the tribunal can only confirm or lower it — never raise it above what you proposed.

Practical consequence: a valid, correctly-dated Section 13 notice with proof of service is now a core piece of landlord paperwork. An invalid notice means the old rent stands.

Pets, discrimination and the new conduct rules

Tenants can now formally request a pet, and consent cannot be unreasonably withheld — refusals need a written, reasonable justification within 28 days. You may require pet insurance as a condition.

It is also now illegal to have blanket bans against tenants with children or those receiving benefits — “No DSS” advertising and screening is a breach with civil penalties.

Penalties at a glance

Councils received sharper teeth alongside the new duties. The penalty ladder for most paperwork and conduct breaches:

• •First or minor breaches — civil penalties up to £7,000
• •Serious, repeat or continuing breaches — civil penalties up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution
• •Wrongly using possession grounds (e.g. claiming to sell, then re-letting) — penalties up to £40,000 plus a rent repayment order
• •Rent repayment orders — tenants can claim back up to 12 months of rent for qualifying offences

Your catch-up checklist

If you self-manage, work through this list this week:

• •Serve the statutory information sheet on every tenant (late is better than never) and keep proof of service
• •Check your tenancy paperwork still makes sense post-conversion — old fixed-term and rent-review clauses are void
• •Diarise the once-a-year Section 13 window for each property
• •Write down your pet-request process so a 28-day clock never runs out on you
• •Review any advertising for “No DSS / no children” wording and remove it
• •Keep evidence of everything — the new regime is enforced on paperwork trails

How LetClerk handles this for you

This is exactly the admin LetClerk exists to absorb. We serve the statutory information sheet with recorded proof of service, prepare Section 13 rent-increase notices, run the pet-request workflow against its statutory clock, and keep the evidence trail councils ask for — all reviewed by a human before anything is sent.

If you missed the 31 May deadline, our £99 Full Compliance Audit maps everything outstanding on your property and we fix the gaps with you on a call.

Common questions

Do I need to issue new tenancy agreements because of the Renters’ Rights Act?

No. Existing tenancies converted to periodic assured tenancies automatically on 1 May 2026. Your old agreement stands except where the Act overrides it (fixed terms, rent review clauses, Section 21). Issuing a fresh agreement is optional tidiness, not a legal duty.

I never served the statutory information sheet. Is it too late?

The deadline for existing tenancies was 31 May 2026, so you are in breach — but serving it late with proof of service stops the clock on a continuing breach and puts you in a far better position with the council and any possession claim. Do it now rather than waiting.

Can I still evict a tenant to sell my property?

Yes — selling is a mandatory possession ground, but with rules: four months’ notice, not usable in the first twelve months of a tenancy, and you cannot re-let for twelve months after using it. Misusing the ground carries penalties up to £40,000.

How often can I raise the rent now?

Once every twelve months, using the statutory Section 13 notice with at least two months’ notice. The tenant can refer the increase to the First-tier Tribunal, which can hold or reduce it but not increase it.

Does the Act apply in Scotland or Wales?

No — it covers England. Scotland and Wales run separate tenancy regimes with their own rules.