Your Rights as a Tenant in England After the Renters' Rights Act 2025

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to tenant rights in England in over 30 years. From 1 May 2026, the rules on eviction, rent increases, tenancy types, and landlord obligations are fundamentally different. Here is what every tenant needs to know.

Section 21 Is Abolished

From 1 May 2026, Section 21 "no-fault" eviction is abolished. Landlords can no longer evict you without giving a reason. Serving a Section 21 notice after 30 April 2026 is a breach punishable by a civil penalty of up to £7,000. If you received a Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, it is only valid if the landlord starts court proceedings by 31 July 2026 — after that date, all outstanding Section 21 notices become void.

All Evictions Must Use Section 8

Every eviction must now use Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, which requires the landlord to prove a specific legal ground. New grounds include Ground 1A (landlord selling the property, with 4 months' notice and a 12-month protection period) and Ground 4A (student HMO accommodation). The mandatory rent arrears threshold (Ground 8) has increased from 2 months to 3 months, with 4 months' notice required. Importantly, late Universal Credit payments are excluded from the arrears calculation.

All Tenancies Are Now Periodic

From 1 May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies automatically convert to assured periodic tenancies. No new fixed-term tenancies can be created. All tenancies are rolling with no end date. Tenants can leave with 2 months' notice at any time. Fixed-term clauses in existing agreements become void.

Deposit Protection

Deposit protection requirements remain: your landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme (DPS, TDS, or mydeposits) within 30 days. The key change: since Section 21 is abolished, an unprotected deposit now blocks the landlord from serving any Section 8 notice (except for Grounds 7A and 14 — serious anti-social behaviour). Late protection is curable, but you can claim up to 3x compensation for the period the deposit was unprotected.

Rent Increases

All contractual rent review clauses are void from 1 May 2026. Rent can only be increased via the statutory Section 13 process (Form 4A), limited to once every 12 months with at least 2 months' notice. The tribunal can no longer set a rent higher than the landlord proposed. Increases cannot be backdated. Bidding wars are banned (up to £7,000 fine), and landlords cannot demand more than 1 month's rent in advance.

Repairs and Living Conditions

Your landlord's repair obligations under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 remain unchanged. Retaliatory eviction protection now operates within the Section 8 framework. The Decent Homes Standard and Awaab's Law (strict timescales for hazard repairs) will be extended to the private rented sector at a later date.

What to Do if You Face Problems

If your landlord is not meeting their obligations, put your complaint in writing and keep records. If you receive an eviction notice, check whether it is valid — many landlords get the new rules wrong. Free advice is available from Citizens Advice, Shelter, and local law centres. Use tools like Case Buddy to understand your options and check your rights. If you are on a low income, you may qualify for legal aid for housing possession cases.

Tenants in England have never had stronger legal protections. The key is knowing what they are and being prepared to enforce them.