The biggest change in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 happened on a single day. On 1 May 2026 Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Act came into force for private assured tenancies in England (regulation 2 of SI 2026/421). Social housing follows on its own timetable. This guide covers what changed for existing tenancies, what new lets need, and which deadlines have already passed.
In force as of 25 October 2026 Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/421)
Quarterday is a set of date tools and checklists, not legal advice.
What happened to existing tenancies
GOV.UK’s overview for landlords puts it in one line: “All existing assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) will change to assured periodic tenancies and new tenancies will be assured periodic tenancies.” In practice:
- Fixed terms ended. Section 4A of the Housing Act 1988 (inserted by section 1 of the Act) makes assured tenancies periodic, with a rent period not exceeding a month. A tenancy halfway through a 12-month fixed term on 30 April 2026 became periodic on 1 May.
- Assured shorthold tenancies were abolished (section 2). The label “AST” no longer applies to private lets.
- Longer rent periods became monthly. Schedule 6, paragraph 2 deals with existing tenancies whose rent periods were longer than a month, such as quarterly or annual rent. Form 4A now asks for a tenancy period of a month or less.
- Rent review clauses stopped working. Section 13(4A) means rent can only rise through Form 4A, an agreement following it, or a tribunal decision. See section 13 rent increases.
Tenancies that were already assured but not shorthold before 1 May 2026 (“legacy assured tenancies”) also continue as assured periodic tenancies, with one difference for landlords: ground 1A (selling the property) is not available against them (SI 2026/421, regulation 5).
Section 21 and old notices: the transition is over
| Notice served before 1 May 2026 | Last date to use it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Section 21 | Claim made by the earlier of 6 months from the notice or 31 July 2026 | RRA Schedule 6, paras 3–4 |
| Section 8 (old Form 3) | Claim made by the earlier of the 12 months in the notice or 31 July 2026 | RRA Schedule 6, paras 16–17 |
| Either, with a claim already issued | Valid until those proceedings end | Schedule 6, paras 3 and 16 |
GOV.UK’s guidance on pre-May notices says: “If you gave your tenant a section 21 or section 8 notice before 1 May 2026, it is now too late to use it to apply to court”. If you still need possession, start again with Form 3A on a section 8 ground. The section 8 notice calculator gives the notice period for each ground, and our Form 3A guide covers the grounds in detail.
The Information Sheet (deadline 31 May 2026)
For existing tenancies that are wholly or partly in writing, Schedule 6 paragraph 7 required landlords to give each tenant the prescribed information within one month of 1 May 2026, so by 31 May 2026. SI 2026/324 prescribes “The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026”. From the GOV.UK page:
- “You must give this Information Sheet by 31 May 2026, or you could be fined up to £7,000.”
- Every named tenant needs a copy. Where an agent manages the tenancy, the agent must give it too.
- “You must not email or text a link to the PDF to the tenant, as this will not be valid.” Attach the PDF itself or hand over a paper copy.
- It is not needed for lodgers.
- Where a valid section 21 or section 8 notice was served before 1 May 2026, the sheet is due within one month after the notice stops being valid or proceedings end.
For tenancies agreed entirely by word of mouth, GOV.UK says “you must give your tenant written information about the key terms of their tenancy agreement”, also by 31 May 2026.
If you have not done this, do it today and keep evidence. The tracker flags converted tenancies where you have not recorded the sheet as given.
New tenancies: the written statement of terms
For tenancies starting on or after 1 May 2026, section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 (inserted by section 12 of the Act) requires a written statement that “must be given before the tenancy is entered into”. The Schedule to SI 2026/324 lists what it must contain, including:
- the parties’ names and an address for serving notices;
- the property and the start date;
- the rent, when it is due, and how a rent increase must be proposed;
- bills included in the rent and the deposit amount;
- the tenant’s notice period and how possession works;
- your safety and repair duties;
- the tenant’s rights on disability adaptations;
- how to ask for consent to keep a pet.
The penalty for breaching section 16D is up to £7,000 (section 16I(6)). Use a template that follows the Schedule rather than an old AST agreement with the fixed term crossed out. The old “How to Rent” guide was withdrawn on 1 May 2026 and is now only relevant to section 21 cases from before that date.
Rules that change how you let
Rent in advance
“You cannot ask for, encourage or accept a payment of rent before you and your tenant have signed the tenancy agreement” (GOV.UK). After signing, terms requiring rent in advance are of no effect, except “initial rent” covering the period from signing to the first rent period (Housing Act 1988 s.4B). With rent periods of a month or less, a month up front is the practical ceiling, though the Act does not state it as a figure.
Rental bidding
Your advert and offer must state a specific rent. You must not invite or encourage offers above it, or accept one, even if the applicant volunteers more (section 56). Councils can impose penalties up to £7,000.
Children and benefits
You and your agent must not refuse enquiries, viewings or tenancies because someone has children or receives benefits, or apply a rule that makes it harder for them (sections 33 and 34). You can still assess affordability from income (section 41). Penalties go up to £7,000.
Deposits
Deposit protection rules now cover all assured tenancies, not just shortholds. You still have 30 days to protect the deposit and serve the prescribed information, and the caps are unchanged: five weeks’ rent where annual rent is under £50,000.
Your post-changeover checklist
| Task | Status for most landlords |
|---|---|
| Information Sheet to every tenant of an existing written tenancy | Was due 31 May 2026 |
| Written statement before each new tenancy | Ongoing, every new let |
| Remove rent review clauses from your process | Use Form 4A, once per 52 weeks |
| Retire section 21 templates | Old notices lapsed by 31 July 2026 |
| Check pet requests get a written reply within 28 days | Ongoing; see pet requests |
| Prepare for the landlord database | Opens by region from 15 December 2026 (planned); see PRS database |
For everything recurring, from gas checks to the database, see the compliance checklist for 2026/27.