What changed for landlords on 1 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Section 21 is gone, every tenancy is now periodic, and rent rises follow one procedure. Here is what a self-managing landlord actually has to do differently.
England. Checked against the law on 27 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.
The short version
From 1 May 2026, in England:
- Section 21 "no fault" notices no longer exist. You get the property back only on a ground in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, which the Act rewrote. Selling and moving in are grounds, with four months' notice and a twelve-month protected period at the start of a tenancy.
- Fixed terms are gone. Existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on that day, and every new tenancy is periodic from day one. The tenant can leave with two months' notice at any time.
- Rent rises once a year, by section 13 notice only. Two months' notice on the prescribed form. A clause in the agreement that says otherwise does not work.
- No bidding wars. You advertise a rent and may not accept more than that.
- No more than one month's rent in advance before the tenancy starts, and a deposit capped at five weeks' rent (unchanged from the Tenant Fees Act 2019).
- Pets must be considered. A tenant can ask for a pet in writing; you must reply in writing within a set time and may refuse only with a reasonable reason.
- No blanket bans on families with children or people receiving benefits. Advertising or refusing on that basis is unlawful.
- A written statement of terms before the tenancy starts (section 16D), and a landlord database entry (the Private Rented Sector Database) which phases in by region from 15 December 2026.
- A landlord ombudsman you must join, phased in after the database.
What this means day to day
Most of the work is the same: keep the certificates current, protect the deposit, answer repairs promptly, keep records. What changed is the paperwork around the start of a tenancy and the end of one, and the fact that "we'll just serve a section 21" is no longer a plan.
MyLandlordPA tracks the dates for you: the notice periods, the once-a-year rent window, the database deadline for your region, and the written statement before a tenant moves in. It will not serve a notice or decide a rent for you; those stay your call.
Where this comes from
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Royal Assent 27 October 2025) and its commencement regulations. The Government's guidance for landlords is on GOV.UK. This page is information, not legal advice; for a possession case or a dispute, speak to a solicitor or a landlord association.
Questions landlords ask
Can I still serve a section 21 notice in England?
No. Since 1 May 2026 section 21 has been abolished for all tenancies in England, including tenancies that started before that date. Possession is only available on a ground in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended.
Did my existing fixed-term tenancy end on 1 May 2026?
No, it continued, but as an assured periodic tenancy. The rent, the parties and the property stay the same; the fixed term and any break clause simply fell away.
How much notice does a tenant have to give me now?
Two months, in writing, ending at any point. There is no minimum stay the tenant has to complete.
More guides
The assured periodic tenancy explained
Every private tenancy in England is now an assured periodic tenancy. What that is, how it starts, how it ends, and what your agreement can and cannot say.
How to raise the rent (once a year, section 13)
In England you can raise the rent once every twelve months, by a section 13 notice on the prescribed form with two months' notice. Here is the procedure and what the tenant can do about it.
Deposits: the cap, the 30 days and the prescribed information
A tenancy deposit in England is capped at five weeks' rent, must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and the tenant must get the prescribed information. Miss any of that and you face a penalty of up to three times the deposit.
The certificates every let needs (gas, electrical, EPC, alarms)
A private let in England needs a gas safety record every year, an electrical report every five years, an EPC rated E or better, and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. What each one is, how often, and what happens if you let without it.
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The PA keeps every date in this guide for you and asks before anything that costs money.