THE RENTERS’ RIGHTS ACT 2026: WHAT EVERY LONDON LANDLORD MUST KNOW
If you’re a London landlord, the date 1 May 2026 marks the single most significant shift in private renting law in over 30 years. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 now in full force has fundamentally restructured how tenancies work, how evictions are handled, and what your legal obligations are as a landlord.
At RSK Lettings, based in Ilford and serving landlords across Greater London, we’ve been preparing for these changes on behalf of our landlords so that not a single one of them has had to worry about compliance. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know.
Whether you own one flat in Stratford or a portfolio of properties across East London, read this carefully. Non-compliance carries serious financial penalties, and the rules apply to every private landlord in England.
What Is the Renters’ Rights Act 2026?
The Renters’ Rights Act (formally the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, receiving Royal Assent on 27 October 2025) is a landmark piece of legislation that came into effect on 1 May 2026. It applies to the private rented sector across England and introduces sweeping new protections for tenants while imposing significant new obligations on landlords.
The Act abolishes assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs), ends Section 21 “no fault” evictions, replaces fixed-term contracts with rolling periodic tenancies, and introduces a new framework for rent increases, pet requests, and anti-discrimination rules.
Key Changes Every London Landlord Must Understand
- Section 21 ‘No Fault’ Evictions Are Abolished
This is the headline change. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions are abolished. You can no longer use Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 to evict your tenants.
What this means in practice: you can no longer ask a tenant to leave simply because you want your property back. You must now have a legally valid reason known as a “ground for possession” to serve an eviction notice.
- Reformed Possession Grounds — What Landlords CAN Still Do
The good news is that the grounds for possession have been expanded to make it fairer for landlords in legitimate situations. Possession grounds will be extended to make it easier for landlords to evict tenants when they want to sell the property, move into the property, or move in members of their family. The changes will also make it easier to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour.
- Fixed-Term Tenancies Are Gone — Rolling Tenancies Are In
From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will be abolished and replaced with a single system of periodic assured tenancies. This reform applies to both new and existing tenancies, which will automatically convert on commencement of the Act.
There will be no more fixed term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs). If you have a fixed term AST, it will become a ‘periodic’ assured tenancy. This means it will not have a set end date — it will be a ‘rolling’ monthly or weekly tenancy.
Tenants can end a rolling tenancy by giving two months’ notice at any time. Landlords, however, must use a valid possession ground.
- New Rules on Rent Increases
Rents can only be increased once per year using a Section 13 notice. Rent increases must be at market rate and require 2 months’ notice.
Additionally, tenants will have 6 months from the start of their tenancy to ask a tribunal to review a rent increase if they don’t think it is in line with market rent levels in their area.
- No More Rental Bidding Wars
Landlords and agents are prohibited from encouraging or accepting offers higher than the advertised rent. You must advertise a fixed asking rent and stick to it.
- Maximum Upfront Rent — One Month Only
One month’s rent upfront, maximum landlords can’t ask for more. If you’ve previously required several months’ rent in advance, this is no longer permitted.
- Anti-Discrimination Rules — Children and Benefits
Discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits will be illegal. You won’t be able to do anything to make a tenant less likely to rent a property (or prevent them from renting it) because they have children or receive benefits. This includes withholding information about a property, preventing them from viewing it, and refusing to grant a tenancy.
- Tenants Can Now Request Pets
You must consider tenant requests to rent with a pet. You’ll have to consider and respond to your tenant’s request within a set timeframe and will have to provide valid reasons if you choose to refuse it.
Tenancy clauses that say you cannot have a pet will not apply after the law changes.
- The Mandatory Information Sheet — Deadline: 31 May 2026
This is a critical compliance requirement that many landlords are unaware of. Landlords in England must send their tenants a copy of the 2026 information sheet by the Renters’ Rights Act deadline of 31 May 2026. The sheet can be downloaded and either sent digitally, posted, or hand-delivered.
To comply with the rules, landlords must attach the leaflet as an unaltered PDF without alteration. Providing a link to the information sheet in an email or text message will not suffice.
Failure to give the Information Sheet in time can result in committing an offence which carries a maximum £7,000 penalty for a first offence.
- New Private Rented Sector Database & Ombudsman
A register of all landlords and rental properties in England will be rolled out gradually by area from late 2026. The Private Landlord Ombudsman will also be launched to help renters sort complaints against landlords quickly and fairly without needing to go to court.
How Does This Affect London Landlords Specifically?
London’s rental market is one of the most active and competitive in the world and that means the Renters’ Rights Act has an outsized impact here. London landlords face:
- Higher tenant demand and longer tenancies meaning you need airtight possession grounds if you ever need to recover your property
- Premium rental values under scrutiny, with new rules preventing above-advertised rent offers
- Greater tenant awareness, as millions of renters are now being actively informed of their rights
- Increased compliance complexity, especially for portfolio landlords managing multiple properties across different boroughs
The legislation is enforceable at local council level, and London councils including those in Ilford, Stratford, Canary Wharf, and beyond now have stronger powers to investigate and penalise non-compliant landlords.
How RSK Lettings Protects London Landlords Under the New Rules
At RSK Lettings, we’ve been fully prepared for the Renters’ Rights Act changes since the Bill received Royal Assent in October 2025. Here’s exactly how we protect our landlords:
- Full compliance management — we handle all documentation, information sheet distribution, and tenancy conversions on your behalf
- Guaranteed rent, regardless of what happens — even under the new rolling tenancy regime, your monthly payment arrives on time, every time, whether the property is occupied or not
- No Section 21 worries — because we act as your tenant under a long-term guaranteed rent agreement, the complexities of eviction law are our problem, not yours
- Legal possession ground expertise — if recovery of your property is ever needed, our team handles the full process in line with the new possession grounds
- Updated tenancy documentation — all new tenancies we arrange are fully compliant with the mandatory written information requirements from 1 May 2026
- Zero commission, no hidden fees — we absorb all compliance costs so you don’t face unexpected charges
- Dedicated compliance team — our in-house team stays ahead of every regulatory change so you never have to
Q&A: Renters’ Rights Act 2026
Q: When did the Renters’ Rights Act come into force?
A: The main provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026. The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, but landlords had until 1 May 2026 to prepare. The existing law remained in place until 30 April 2026.
Q: Does the Renters’ Rights Act apply to my existing tenancies, or only new ones?
A: It applies to both. All existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically converted to assured periodic (rolling) tenancies on 1 May 2026. You did not need to sign new agreements the conversion happened by law. For new tenancies created on or after 1 May 2026, you must provide tenants with mandatory written information about the tenancy before it is signed.
Q: Can I still evict a tenant who isn’t paying rent?
A: Yes. Rent arrears remain a valid ground for possession. The Act does not prevent landlords from recovering their property when a tenant is in arrears it simply requires you to use the proper legal process via the courts and a specific possession ground. Section 21 (no-fault) evictions are gone, but Section 8 grounds for rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, and other valid reasons remain.
Q: Can I still sell my property if I need to?
A: Yes. Selling the property is a valid possession ground under the reformed legislation. However, you must follow the proper legal process, serve the correct notices, and give appropriate notice periods. You can no longer simply end a tenancy and put the property on the market without a formal court-approved process.
Q: What is the Information Sheet, and do I really have to send it?
A: Yes this is a legal obligation. The government has produced an official Information Sheet explaining the new rules to tenants. Every landlord with an existing tenancy that is fully or partially in writing must send this document to all named tenants by 31 May 2026. You must send the actual PDF (downloaded from GOV.UK) not a link to it. You can send it as an email attachment, by post, or deliver it by hand. Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to £7,000.
Q: What if my tenancy is a verbal agreement only?
A: If your tenancy is wholly oral (verbal only), you must NOT send the Information Sheet. Instead, you must provide your tenant with a written statement setting out the key terms of the tenancy by 31 May 2026. This only applies to entirely verbal arrangements, which are rare.
Q: Can I still set a fixed-term tenancy for a new tenant?
A: No. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies have been abolished. All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must be periodic (rolling) tenancies with no set end date. Tenants can leave by giving two months’ notice; landlords must use a valid possession ground to recover the property.
Q: How do I raise the rent under the new rules?
A: You can only raise rent once per year, and you must do so by serving a formal Section 13 notice with a minimum of two months’ notice. You cannot raise rent above market rate. If a tenant believes the proposed increase is above market rate, they have the right to challenge it at a First-tier Tribunal within 6 months of the tenancy start.
Q: Can I still refuse to rent to tenants with pets?
A: You can no longer have a blanket “no pets” policy. You must consider every tenant pet request within a set timeframe and provide written reasons if you refuse. Unreasonable refusal is not permitted. Any existing clause in a tenancy agreement banning pets became unenforceable from 1 May 2026.
Q: Can I still refuse tenants who receive housing benefits or have children?
A: No. It is now illegal to refuse a tenancy or take any action that makes renting less likely because a tenant receives benefits or has children. This includes advertising “no DSS” or “no children.” Breaches can result in enforcement action by local councils.
Q: Can I still ask for several months’ rent in advance?
A: No. The maximum upfront rent you can request is one month. Asking for more is no longer permitted under the Act.
Q: What happens if I want to move back into my own property?
A: This is now a valid possession ground but you must follow the correct legal process. You can serve notice on the basis that you (or a close family member) intend to occupy the property, but you must use the proper Section 8 process and provide the legally required notice period.
Q: What is the new Private Rented Sector Database?
A: The government is rolling out a new national database of all private landlords and rental properties in England. This register will allow tenants (and councils) to check that landlords are properly registered. The rollout is being done gradually by area from late 2026. Landlord registration will become mandatory.
Q: What is the new Private Landlord Ombudsman?
A: The Private Landlord Ombudsman is a new independent body set up to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants without going to court. All private landlords will be required to join the Ombudsman scheme. It provides an accessible, faster route to resolving complaints.
Q: What fines can I face for non-compliance?
A: The penalties for non-compliance are significant:
- Failing to issue the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026: up to £7,000
- Illegal eviction or harassment: unlimited fines and potential criminal prosecution
- Anti-discrimination breaches: enforcement action by local councils
- Failing to register with the Landlord Database (when required): financial penalties
Local councils in London have been given stronger enforcement powers specifically to act on these breaches.
Q: I have a letting agent managing my property are they responsible for compliance?
A: Partially. If a letting agent manages your property, they are also obliged to send the Information Sheet to tenants even if you have already sent it. However, ultimate legal responsibility rests with you as the landlord. Using a professional, compliant letting agent like RSK Lettings significantly reduces your risk.
Q: Does the Renters’ Rights Act apply to HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation)?
A: The Act primarily governs assured and assured shorthold tenancies. If your HMO tenants have individual assured tenancies (rather than licences), the new rules will apply. If they are licensees, different rules may apply. We recommend contacting RSK Lettings or a specialist solicitor for advice on your specific HMO arrangements.
Q: How does a Guaranteed Rent scheme like RSK Lettings’ help landlords under the new Act?
A: With RSK Lettings’ Guaranteed Rent scheme, we lease your property from you under a long-term agreement. That means:
- We become responsible for tenant management, compliance, and legal obligations in relation to the occupiers
- Your rent is paid monthly guaranteed whether the property is occupied or vacant, and regardless of any tenancy law changes
- You never have to worry about Section 8 grounds, court processes, or the Information Sheet deadline we handle all of it
- There is zero commission and no administrative fees
- You simply receive your payment, every month, without the stress
Summary: What London Landlords Must Do Right Now
- Send the Information Sheet to all named tenants by 31 May 2026 (as an unaltered PDF attachment not a link)
- Accept that all your ASTs have automatically converted to periodic tenancies no new agreements needed, but no fixed terms from now on
- Stop using Section 21 it no longer exists
- Review your rent increase process Section 13 notices, once a year, two months’ notice only
- Update your advertising no blanket bans on benefits claimants, children, or pets
- Prepare for the Landlord Database registration when it rolls out in your area in late 2026
- Join the Private Landlord Ombudsman scheme this will become compulsory
- Consider professional property management to stay compliant without the stress
Need Help Navigating the Renters’ Rights Act as a London Landlord?
The Renters’ Rights Act 2026 has permanently changed what it means to be a private landlord in London. The rules are now more complex, the penalties are higher, and the responsibility on your shoulders is greater than ever before.
RSK Lettings exists to take that responsibility off your shoulders entirely.
We offer London landlords a fully managed Guaranteed Rent service with zero commission, complete legal compliance, and monthly payments that never stop even when tenants do. Our team is already operating fully under the new rules, so you don’t have to learn them yourself.