Issued by: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Historic reforms as part of the Renters' Rights Act will kick in from 1 May 2026, benefitting 11 million renters across England.

• Countdown begins for the biggest increase to tenants’ rights in a generation

• New protections will also end in-year rent rises, bidding wars and discrimination against families receiving benefits

• Clear timeline will support landlords and letting agents to prepare for these changes

Renting in England will be transformed with a raft of major changes coming into effect from 1 May 2026 for 11 million renters across the country.

Following the Renters’ Rights Act - now passed in law - the timeline for implementing these new legal protections has been published today, giving time for landlords and letting agents to deliver these changes for their tenants.

In just under six months, private renters will no longer face being served with a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice – a practice leaving thousands vulnerable to homelessness every year. Tenants will be able to appeal excessive above-market rent increases that try to force them out and landlords can no longer unreasonably refuse tenants’ requests to have a pet.

Meanwhile landlords will have stronger legally valid reasons to get their properties back when needed - whether that’s to move in, sell up or deal with rent arrears or anti-social behaviour – delivering a fairer system for both sides.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

“We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords. Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head - the law we’ve just passed delivers that.

“We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in – so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”

Other changes which come into effect on 1 May will go further to tackle discrimination and financial exploitation, creating a more stable, fairer system for renters. It will become illegal for landlords and letting agents to:

• increase rent prices more than once a year

• ask for more than one month’s rent payment in advance

• pit prospective tenants against one another through rental bidding wars

• discriminate against potential tenants, because they receive benefits or have children.

Alongside the implementation timeline setting out when the changes will take effect, the government has also released advance guidance to support landlords and letting agents.

Councils across England will be legally responsible for overseeing these new rights from 1 May 2026, backed by stronger enforcement powers. This includes tougher fines of up to £7,000 for breaches, rising up to £40,000 if they repeatedly or continue to breach the rules or commit a serious offence. Tenants or local authorities will also be able to seek rent repayment orders, forcing landlords to pay back rent for offences.

After the first phase of changes in May, the Renters’ Rights Act will come in two further stages, with phase 2 (starting late 2026) introducing:

• The Private Landlord Ombudsman – a free, independent service helping tenants resolve complaints not dealt with by their landlord without going to court.

• A Private Rented Sector Database – a new central online place where all landlords must register themselves and the properties they rent out. It will be rolled out in two stages and the need for landlords to sign up will be staggered by areas across England from late 2026.

More protections to improve conditions in private rented homes will come in phase 3, with public consultations informing their introduction.

This includes introducing a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time so tenants have safe, secure and warm housing. Extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector will also be consulted on soon, to protect all tenants from dangerous homes.

Alongside the Renters’ Rights Act, we will also see an improved Housing Health and Safety Rating System which will better assess health and safety risks in homes and making it more efficient and easier to understand – also supporting work to introduce the Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes.

And there are also planned new standards to ensure privately rented properties are warmer and cheaper to run. The government has consulted on plans to require all domestic privately rented properties in England and Wales to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) of EPC C or equivalent by 2030 unless a valid exemption is in place. Further details will be set out in the government’s response to the consultation.

Chief Executive of Generation Rent, Ben Twomey said:

“This new law is a vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords and should be celebrated.

“Our homes are the foundation of our lives, but for too long our broken renting system has left renters staring down the barrel of poverty and homelessness. For decades, Section 21 evictions have forced renters to live in fear of being turfed out of our homes, preventing us from raising valid concerns with our landlords. At last we know when this outdated and unfair law will be sent packing.

“This Renters’ Rights Act is the result of years of tireless campaigning from the renter movement, alongside the dedication and strength of ordinary renters. With change on the horizon, I hope that renters across England can rest a little easier tonight in recognition of what we have achieved together.”

Director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, which includes Shelter, Generation Rent, Citizens Advice and ACORN, Tom Darling said:

“Today’s announcement that the end of Section 21 evictions will come into force on 1st May is huge news for England’s 12 million renters. We have fought for this day for so long and to now have certainty about when the last ‘no-fault’ eviction will be is crucial for our members, who will be trying to ensure as many renters as possible are aware of their new rights.”

“In addition, it will be important that the government quickly implement the whole Renters’ Rights Act – including the Private Rented Sector Database and Awaab’s Law – so that renters can feel the full benefits of this once-in-a-generation upgrading of their rights as soon as possible.”

Chief Executive of Shelter, Sarah Elliott said:

“Today marks a pivotal step forward for England’s 11 million renters as the government unveils its roadmap for implementing the landmark Renters’ Rights Act. This is the result of years of determined campaigning by renters across the country who refused to accept the injustices of a broken private rental system.

“For too long, renters have lived under the constant threat of no-fault evictions. Families have been torn from their communities, with record numbers pushed into homelessness. Too many have been silenced about discrimination and unsafe conditions. Today we celebrate that their voices have finally been heard, and change is on the way.

“But renters must understand that their rights will not change today. The current system remains in place until the new rights come into force from May 1, 2026. Until then, we stand ready to support renters and help them understand the vital changes the Act will introduce.”

Chief Executive of Crisis, Matt Downie said:

“The passing of the Renters’ Rights Act was a historic moment. It ushers in a fairer future for millions of renters, with more secure tenancies and protections like longer notice periods to help prevent homelessness. We are pleased to see the government moving quickly and implementing many important protections in the next six months. Evictions from the private rented sector have long been one of the biggest causes of homelessness and this landmark legislation will play a vital role in helping get the country back on track to ending homelessness.”

Policy and Research Manager at Centrepoint, Ella Nuttall said:

”This path-breaking legislation will put renters and landlords on a fairer footing and ultimately lead to fewer people facing homelessness.

“For far too long, young people have faced a private rental system that is often stacked against them. The Renters’ Rights Act promises to tackle long-standing problems in the rental market and create a fairer, more secure system for all, including young tenants.

“Ending homelessness would not be possible without private rented sector reform, so this is an important first step, but ensuring there is enough funding geared towards supporting those currently in crisis and a clear strategy from the centre remain vital parts of the puzzle.”

Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad said:

“We are delighted that the Government has set an implementation date for the Renters’ Rights Act, so renters, landlords and homelessness organisations like St Mungo’s can plan and prepare for these long-awaited reforms.

“Homelessness is spiralling, with many people being pushed into homelessness due to the way the private rental sector is currently operating. But from next Spring, renters will gain vital new protections, including an end to unfair ‘no fault’ evictions, which we hope will prevent more people becoming homeless.

“The private rented sector is an important part of the housing system for people moving on from homelessness. At St Mungo’s, we see how difficult it can be for people to secure an affordable private tenancy, which is why we particularly welcome the Act’s move to end the practice of discriminating against tenants receiving benefits so everyone has a fairer chance to find a safe and decent home. We also warmly welcome the Act’s provisions on allowing pets, which we know can be really important to our clients.

“The Renters’ Rights Act is one important part of the picture, and we look forward to the publication of the Government’s Homelessness Strategy to provide the overarching framework, direction and focus for national and local government and charities like St Mungo’s.

“St Mungo’s stands ready to work with the Government and the wider sector to create a system that prevents homelessness at all costs, while continuing to provide support to those who need it.”

Further information

The Renters’ Rights Act Implementation Roadmap will be published on gov.uk on Friday 14 November 2025. Advance guidance for landlords and letting agents will also be published on gov.uk on Friday 14 November 2025.

To ensure landlords comply with their new duties, councils will get:

New investigatory powers to:

• get information from landlords, letting agents and banks or contractors.

• enter business premises and sometimes homes to check compliance.

• seize documents if they suspect wrongdoing.

Expanded powers to penalise offenders:

• with bigger fines for breaches, tougher consequences for repeat offenders and strengthened orders for landlords to pay back tenants (rent repayment orders).

Local housing authorities will receive a share of over £18 million additional funding this year to help them prepare for the changes, with advance guidance to be published on Friday 14 November 2025.

The justice system will also be supported with extra funding to ensure the courts and tribunals have the resource and capacity required to handle these new reforms. This includes developing a new online digital service to simplify the possession process for landlords and tenants.

The government will publish guidance for tenants before their new rights kick in on 1 May 2026.

The government will soon respond to a consultation on extending the Decent Homes Standard to privately rent homes, confirming more details on the standard and an implementation timeline.

Private landlord possession claims using the Section 21 process that are going through the courts on the commencement date will proceed as normal.

After 1 May 2026, the courts will still be able to process Section 21 possessions that are ongoing, for example:

• if a private landlord served their tenant with a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, any court possession proceedings must be made in line with the usual rules and no later than 31 July 2026, when using the Section 21 court process.

• after this date (31 July 2026), the landlord will not be able to use the Section 21 process and must use the new grounds for possession.

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