Renters' Rights Act 2025

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent and came into force in stages during 2025. The headline changes took effect as follows:

• Abolition of Section 21: From the Act's commencement date, landlords in England can no longer serve a Section 21 'no-fault' notice to end a tenancy. Tenants can only be required to leave if the landlord can prove a ground under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988.
• Periodic tenancies by default: All new tenancies granted on or after the commencement date are assured periodic tenancies. There are no more fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies. Existing fixed-term ASTs continue until the fixed term ends, at which point they automatically convert to the new regime.
• Landlord Database: Landlords are required to register themselves and their properties on the new Private Rented Sector Database before advertising or letting a property. Failure to register carries financial penalties.
• Private Rented Sector Ombudsman: A new mandatory ombudsman scheme came into operation, giving tenants a free route to resolve disputes with landlords without going to court.
• Decent Homes Standard: The government extended the Decent Homes Standard — previously applicable only to social housing — to the private rented sector, with local authorities given new powers to enforce it.
• Rent in advance cap: Landlords are now prohibited from requiring more than one month's rent in advance before a tenancy begins. Holding deposits remain capped at one week's rent under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Transitional provisions apply for tenancies that existed before the Act's commencement. Check the government's implementation guidance at GOV.UK for the precise dates that apply to your tenancy.

With Section 21 abolished, all lawful evictions must be brought under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. The Act 2025 amended and strengthened the Schedule 2 grounds, adding new landlord-use grounds and tightening notice requirements.

New and amended mandatory grounds include:

• Ground 1A (Sale): The landlord intends to sell the property. A minimum notice period of four months applies, and the landlord cannot re-let the property for a defined period after using this ground.
• Ground 1B (Moving in): The landlord or a close family member intends to move into the property as their only or principal home. Four months' notice required.
• Ground 8 (Serious rent arrears): Retained but with changes — the tenant must be in at least three months' arrears at both the date of notice and the hearing.
• Repeated rent arrears (discretionary): The court can order possession where a tenant has repeatedly fallen into arrears, even if not in arrears at the hearing date, if it is reasonable to do so.

Notice periods: The minimum notice period for most grounds is now four months (previously two months for many grounds). For the most serious grounds — including substantial rent arrears and antisocial behaviour — shorter notice periods of two to four weeks may apply.

Critically, a court must be satisfied that the ground is made out AND that it is reasonable to make a possession order (for discretionary grounds). For mandatory grounds, the court must make the order if the ground is proved. Landlords must also show they have complied with all pre-letting obligations (such as providing a valid Energy Performance Certificate, gas safety certificate, and the 'How to Rent' guide) — failure to comply means the notice is invalid.

Beyond the abolition of Section 21, the Act introduces several other significant protections for tenants:

Pets

Landlords can no longer unreasonably refuse permission to keep a pet. A tenant who wants to keep a pet must make a written request, and the landlord must respond within 28 days. If the landlord refuses, they must have a reasonable justification (for example, a lease covenant in a leasehold property). Landlords can require tenants to obtain pet damage insurance.

Discrimination in letting

The Act strengthens the ban on landlords refusing to let to tenants in receipt of benefits or with children. It is now unlawful for a landlord or letting agent to advertise a property as unavailable to benefits claimants (the so-called 'No DSS' practices) or to refuse to consider a prospective tenant on these grounds.

Rent increases

Under the new periodic tenancy regime, a landlord can only increase the rent once per year using a prescribed notice procedure (Section 13 notice). The tenant has the right to refer any rent increase to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) if they consider it above market rate. The Tribunal can only set the rent at the market rate — it cannot set a rent below market value.

Landlord Database

Tenants can check whether their landlord is registered on the Private Rented Sector Database. Landlords who fail to register face fines. Registration also requires landlords to confirm they are complying with their legal obligations — creating a formal accountability mechanism.

Decent Homes Standard

For the first time, private sector properties must meet the Decent Homes Standard, which requires properties to be free from Category 1 hazards (serious risks to health and safety), in reasonable repair, and have reasonably modern facilities. Local authorities have new proactive enforcement powers, including civil penalties of up to £30,000 for the most serious breaches.

If you already have a tenancy that existed before the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force, the transition works as follows:

Fixed-term tenancies

Existing fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies continue to run to the end of their fixed term under the old rules. Once the fixed term expires, the tenancy automatically converts to the new periodic tenancy regime — it does not need to be renewed, and it will continue as a rolling monthly (or weekly, depending on rent periods) tenancy. Your landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice after the conversion date.

Existing periodic tenancies

If your tenancy was already a statutory periodic tenancy before the Act came into force, it converts to the new regime on the commencement date of the relevant provisions. Your landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice after this point.

Deposits and paperwork

Existing deposit protections, prescribed information requirements, and 'How to Rent' obligations are unaffected by the transition. You retain all rights you had before the Act in relation to your deposit.

Rent in advance

The one-month cap on rent in advance applies to new tenancies. If you paid several months' rent in advance on an existing tenancy, you are not entitled to a refund — but when your tenancy converts, any future renewal cannot demand advance payment exceeding one month.

If you are unsure whether your existing tenancy has been converted, contact Shelter or Citizens Advice who can review your tenancy documents and advise on your current position under the new regime.