The Renters' Rights Act 2025: what changes for tenants

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to private renting law in England in a generation. Below: what the Act does, what it does not do, who is affected, and what to expect in practice.

The short answer

The Act abolishes "no-fault" Section 21 evictions, strengthens protection against retaliatory eviction, paves the way for a Decent Homes Standard in private renting, and creates a mandatory ombudsman scheme for private landlords. It mainly covers private tenants. Council and housing association tenants keep their separate protections, largely untouched by this Act.

When does it take effect?

The Act became law on 27 October 2025, and its provisions arrive in stages. The biggest one, abolishing Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, came into force on 1 May 2026.

From that date, new and existing assured tenancies moved onto the new system together, and no landlord can serve a valid Section 21 notice. The remaining provisions arrive over the following months: check current government guidance for the latest.

The end of Section 21 (no-fault eviction)

Before the Act, a private landlord could evict you with two months' notice and no reason, using a Section 21 notice, once any fixed term ended. That is now abolished.

A landlord can still end your tenancy, but must serve a Section 8 notice and cite a possession ground from Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988. The main new grounds:

• The landlord genuinely wants to sell the property
• The landlord or a close family member wants to move in
• The tenant has not paid rent, with different grounds by arrears level
• The tenant has caused nuisance or antisocial behaviour

A landlord who uses the "sell" or "move in" ground, then re-lets within three months, faces a fine of up to £7,000.

Stronger protection against retaliatory eviction

Make a genuine complaint about repairs or conditions, and a Section 8 notice served soon after becomes much harder to use. The Act tightens the old Deregulation Act 2015 protections and adds new defences for tenants evicted for complaining.

The Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector

The Act creates the power to extend the Decent Homes Standard, so far social housing only, to private rented homes. The standard is not yet in force for private renters: the government is still confirming the timetable and the detailed regulations. Once it applies, a home must be:

• Free of Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• In a reasonable state of repair
• With reasonably modern facilities and services
• With efficient heating and effective insulation

Councils will be able to inspect private rented homes and fine landlords who fall short. Meanwhile they already police private rentals through the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and existing repair duties are unchanged.

The new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

The Act requires every private landlord to join the new Private Rented Sector Ombudsman (PRSO) scheme, which is being rolled out in stages: check current guidance for its status. Once your landlord is in scope, a complaint you cannot resolve directly, including about repairs, can go to the PRSO, which can award compensation and order action.

The PRSO sits alongside, not instead of, a disrepair claim. The Ombudsman route is free, but it decides on what is "fair and reasonable" rather than strict legal entitlement. A court claim can bring larger compensation.

A national property register

The Act also creates a national register of private landlords and their properties, arriving on the same staged timetable. It will make it far easier to find out who your landlord actually is, a real problem where landlords hide behind intermediary companies.

Does this affect council and housing association tenants?

Largely, no. Council and housing association tenants keep their separate protections: secure and assured tenancies, the Housing Ombudsman Service, and Awaab's Law. The Renters' Rights Act does not change these. If you rent from a social landlord, earlier legislation governs your rights.

Does this affect my disrepair claim?

The Act removes none of your disrepair rights. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 stay in force for private tenants. The Decent Homes Standard and the PRSO will add routes beside the existing ones.

If your landlord has failed to fix serious disrepair, the Act strengthens your grounds to complain and adds routes to force action. But for compensation covering the time you have already lived with poor conditions, a disrepair claim is still the right route.

What to do if your landlord is not meeting their repair duties

Report the problem in writing. If the repair does not happen in fair time, you can complain to the council's environmental health team, use the PRSO once it covers your landlord, or bring a disrepair claim. The routes can run together.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

Private tenant or social tenant, if your repairs have been ignored, call us on 0800 030 4669.

No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Renters' Rights Act 2025 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (GOV.UK)

Related articles

• Can I claim against a private landlord?
• Private rented sector ombudsman explained
• What is Section 11?
• What is the Decent Homes Standard?