By Sarah Macklin 
From the abolition of no-fault evictions to new rules on rent increases and pet ownership, England’s private rented sector is undergoing its most significant reform in decades. Here is a clear-eyed look at what has changed, effective 1 May 2026.
England’s private rented sector is home to more than 11 million people. For much of the past decade, tenants, landlords, and housing professionals have navigated a system widely regarded as imbalanced, one in which renters could be asked to leave at short notice without explanation, where bidding wars over properties became routine, and where meaningful security of tenure was difficult to establish. That system has now formally changed.
The Renters’ Rights Act, approved by Parliament in October 2025 and coming into force on 1 May 2026, represents a landmark shift in how the private rental market in England operates. This post sets out the key provisions of the Act so that both tenants and landlords can understand what has changed and what is now expected of each side.
1. The end of no-fault evictions
Perhaps the most widely discussed element of the Act is the abolition of Section 21, the provision that previously allowed landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, commonly referred to as a “no-fault eviction.”
From 1 May 2026, this mechanism no longer exists in England. Landlords who want to end a tenancy must now have a legally recognised reason for doing so. Grounds for repossession remain available, for example, where a tenant has accumulated significant rent arrears, breached the terms of their tenancy, or where the landlord can demonstrate a genuine intention to sell the property or move into it themselves. But the route of eviction without explanation is closed.
For tenants, this provides a greater degree of security. For landlords, it means that any decision to end a tenancy will need to be evidenced and processed through the proper legal channels.
2. Fixed-term contracts replaced by rolling tenancies
The Act also removes fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies from the market. Going forward, all private tenancies will operate on a rolling basis, which means there is no set end date to a contract. Instead, tenancies continue until either the tenant gives notice or the landlord exercises a valid legal ground for possession.
Tenants who wish to end their tenancy are required to give two months’ notice. This rolling structure is intended to prevent a situation in which a tenant is locked into paying for a property that does not meet their needs, while also offering landlords predictability around notice periods.
3. Bidding wars are now prohibited
In recent years, demand for rental properties in many parts of England has led to informal “bidding wars,” in which prospective tenants were encouraged to offer above the advertised rent in order to secure a property. This practice is now prohibited.
Landlords and letting agents must advertise a set asking rent and are not permitted to invite or accept higher offers from competing applicants. The intent is to ensure that properties are allocated on the merits of the application rather than on the financial capacity to outbid others.
4. A right to request a pet
Tenants now have a formal right to request permission to keep a pet in their rented home. Landlords retain the right to refuse such a request, but only where they have a reasonable justification for doing so. Blanket “no pets” policies in tenancy agreements are not, on their own, sufficient grounds for refusal.
In practical terms, landlords concerned about potential damage caused by pets may take some comfort from the fact that they can require tenants to hold appropriate pet insurance as a condition of granting permission.
5. Discrimination against families and benefit claimants made illegal
The Act makes it unlawful for landlords or letting agents to refuse to rent to a prospective tenant solely on the grounds that they have children or that they receive housing benefit or other state benefits. Blanket exclusions of this kind, such as advertising a property as “no DSS” or “no children”, are no longer permitted.
Landlords are still able to conduct referencing checks and assess affordability on a case-by-case basis, but they cannot apply categorical exclusions based on these characteristics.
6. Rent increases limited to once a year
Under the Act, landlords are restricted to raising the rent no more than once in any twelve-month period. Additionally, tenants must be given at least two months’ written notice of any proposed increase before it takes effect.
It is worth noting that the Act does not cap the amount by which rent can be increased, as that remains subject to market rates and, where applicable, the existing First-tier Tribunal process for challenging above-market increases. What has changed is the frequency with which adjustments can be applied.
7. Limits on rent in advance
Landlords are now restricted from requiring prospective tenants to pay more than one month’s rent in advance before a tenancy begins. Previously, some landlords, particularly where a tenant lacked a strong rental history or had an income from benefits, would request several months’ rent upfront as a form of financial assurance. This practice is no longer lawful.
The change is designed to reduce financial barriers to accessing the rental market, particularly for those on lower incomes who may have struggled to raise large lump sums at the outset of a tenancy.
What this all means in practice
The Renters’ Rights Act is a significant and wide-ranging piece of legislation. For tenants, it offers considerably greater security of tenure and protection against arbitrary eviction, discrimination, and exploitative financial demands. For landlords, it requires a more structured and legally conscious approach to managing tenancies.
Crucially, it does not remove the ability to recover possession of a property where there are legitimate reasons for doing so.
Both parties are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the full detail of the Act. The Government has published a comprehensive guide at gov.uk, which sets out the legal position in full and should be the primary reference point for anyone with specific questions about their rights or obligations.
