Renters' Rights Act 2025: what's in force, what isn't, and when

The Renters' Rights Act became law in 2025. It makes some of the biggest changes to renting law in England for a generation. Its main tenancy reforms took effect on 1 May 2026. But the Act does not all switch on at once. Some parts are still being phased in, and some still need further rules before they apply. Here is what is in force, what is not, and what it means for you now.

What the Act does

The headline change is the abolition of Section 21 "no-fault" evictions, in force since 1 May 2026. Under the old system, a landlord in England could serve a Section 21 notice to end a tenancy with no reason given. Renters had little protection once the notice period ran out. That route is now gone. Landlords can only evict using a specific ground under Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as updated by the new Act.

The Act also replaced fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic ones, from the same date. No more six-month or one-year fixed terms that end by themselves. Tenancies now roll from period to period. Tenants can still give notice to leave, but no one faces automatic eviction just because a fixed term ran out.

Rental bidding wars

The Act bans rental bidding wars: landlords and letting agents inviting or accepting offers above the advertised asking rent. The ban targets a practice that grew common in some areas, where homes drew several applicants willing to pay over the listed price.

Awaab's Law comes to the private sector

Awaab's Law applies to social housing, with its first phase in force since 27 October 2025. It sets strict timescales for investigating and fixing serious damp, mould and other dangerous conditions. The Renters' Rights Act carries the power to extend equivalent rules to the private rented sector. That extension has no confirmed timetable yet. Until it lands, private tenants lean on Section 11 and the Fitness for Human Habitation Act.

Pets

Under the Act, landlords must consider requests to keep pets, and blanket bans without reason are not allowed. Landlords can require pet damage insurance as a condition, and can still refuse on reasonable grounds. It is no automatic right to any pet. It is a right to a fair hearing for your request.

Decent Homes Standard: not yet in force

The Act gives the government the power to apply the Decent Homes Standard to private rented homes. That power has not been switched on. The Standard does not yet legally bind private landlords. A separate article on this site covers what the Standard means, and what tenants can do meanwhile.

A note on commencement dates

No single date switches on every part of the Act. The main tenancy reforms took effect on 1 May 2026. Other parts, the landlord database and PRS Ombudsman among them, come in stages, and some need further rules first. Treat any source giving one precise date for every change with caution. We will update this article as announcements land.

Social tenants: what changes for you

A social tenant, renting from a council or housing association, never sat under Section 21 in the same way. Your landlord already needed a specific ground to evict. The headline change therefore matters less to you directly. What does matter: Awaab's Law already binds your landlord, with strict timescales for dangerous conditions like damp and mould, and its later phases keep adding hazards.

What to do if you have already received a Section 21 notice

Received a Section 21 notice? Check the served date first. Only notices served before 1 May 2026 can carry any force, and courts are still working through those older cases. A notice served after that date has no legal effect. Unsure where yours stands? Never just wait: the position is time-sensitive.

For an older notice, check whether the landlord followed the correct process before serving it. Common challenges:

• The deposit was never protected, or the prescribed information never served
• The home was an unlicensed HMO, or needed a selective licence that was missing
• A repair report or complaint came shortly before the notice
• The notice form itself carries errors

Even a technically valid old notice forces nobody out on its stated date. The landlord must go to court for a possession order, and you hold the right to attend and put your case.

Need help?

Received a notice, or unsure of your rights under the Act? Call us on 0800 030 4669. We can help you work out where you stand.

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