What does the Renters’ Rights Act mean for landlords?.

At a glance

• The main Renters' Rights Act tenancy reforms came into force in England on 1st May 2026.
• Fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) covered by the reforms have now moved to a rolling assured periodic tenancy system.
• Section 21 has ended, but landlords can still regain possession when a legal ground applies (using expanded Section 8 grounds).
• There are new rules around rent increases, advance rent, rental bidding, pets and tenant selection.
• The landlord registration service will start rolling out regionally from 15th December 2026.
• Further reforms, including a Landlord Ombudsman, the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law, are also still to come.

If you’re a landlord, you’ll no doubt know that the major changes to the private rental sector that were discussed for years are now very much live.

Originally introduced as the Renters' Rights Bill, and building on proposals previously set out in the Renters (Reform) Bill, the legislation received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and became law as the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

The first phase of the reforms came into effect on 1st May 2026, marking the biggest shake-up to the private rented sector in decades. Measures including the abolition of Section 21 evictions, the end of fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs), and new rules on rent increases, pets and tenant rights are now in force across England, with more regulations gradually being implemented over the next few years.

So, what’s in the Act, what does it mean for the Buy to Let market in 2026 and beyond, and how should landlords prepare for the remaining changes? Let’s break it down.

What’s in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025?

The Act includes many new policies designed to give the 11 million private renters in England more protection against rising rents and substandard conditions.

Here are some of the key measures:

The abolition of Section 21 evictions

This regulation ends ‘no-fault’ evictions, where a private landlord can serve notice on a tenant without needing a reason. If a landlord has a good reason to regain possession of their property, they will need to use a Section 8 notice instead.

Section 8 notices require landlords to prove that the tenant has breached at least one of the mandatory grounds for eviction, and it can be costly if mistakes are made when filling out the required form (Tenancy form 3). However, the new Act also introduces additional grounds for a landlord to evict and revises several existing reasons so they’re easier to understand.

Want to know more? Check out our guide to the end of Section 21 evictions in ‘Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Can landlords still evict tenants?’

When did it come into effect: 1st May 2026

An end to fixed term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs)

All tenancies will become periodic, rolling terms instead of fixed terms, including existing ones. This means that tenants will only need to provide two months’ notice to end their tenancy.

For example, renters that find themselves in sub-standard housing won’t be locked into annual or multi-year contracts that will be costly to leave. In this case, the rule change will put the emphasis back on landlords to make sure their property is well-maintained, and any repairs are completed in a timely manner.

When did it come into force: 1st May 2026

A limit on the amount of rent increases

Landlords will only be able to increase the rent on a property once a year. Additionally, the increase cannot exceed the market rate that the property would achieve if it was newly advertised for let.

Find even more information in our ‘Renters’ Rights Act 2025: How often can landlords increase rents?’ guide

When did it come into effect: 1st May 2026

A limit on rent paid in advance

Landlords can only ask tenants for one months’ rent in advance once a tenancy agreement has been signed. This will help to stop landlords asking for large amounts of rent upfront to secure the property, as the practice can stretch a tenant’s finances or prevent them from accessing a place to live.

When did it come into effect: 1st May 2026

A ban on rental bidding wars

Landlords and letting agents must advertise a property with a clear asking rent and cannot invite, encourage or accept offers above that advertised amount.

The change is designed to create a fairer rental market by preventing prospective tenants from being pushed into bidding against each other to secure a home.

When did it come into effect: 1st May 2026

Fairer access for tenants on benefits or with children

Landlords can no longer automatically refuse prospective tenants simply because they receive benefits or have children. Affordability checks, referencing and other standard application assessments can still be carried out, but blanket bans on these groups are no longer permitted.

The aim is to help more renters access suitable housing based on their circumstances and ability to afford the property, rather than their household status.

When did it come into effect: 1st May 2026

The creation of a landlord ombudsman and database

Tenants will be able to use a new, free service to register complaints they have against their landlord. The new ombudsman, which all private landlords must join by law, will be able to force landlords to provide information, take remedial action, and pay compensation.

Additionally, all private sector landlords of assured and regulated tenancies will be legally required to register themselves and their properties on a national database. For landlords, the database will allow them to access relevant guidance and ensure that they are easily notified of any changes to regulations they need to know about.

Tenants will also be able to view information on prospective landlords before and during tenancies, protecting them from unscrupulous or criminal landlords.

The registration service will cost £65 per property per year. The cost will be pro-rated during the rollout so that landlords that need to register in the earlier phases don’t end up paying more overall. Landlords that fail to register risk a penalty of up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 for serious or repeat breaches.

When will it come into effect: The landlord registration service will roll out regionally from 15th December 2026 with the West Midlands (subject to parliamentary approval).

Check below to see when registration in your area is due to start and end.

Decent Home Standard and Awaab’s Law

The Decent Homes Standard looks to elevate the condition of housing across the private rental industry by setting out the minimum standards properties must meet. For example, homes must be hazard free (including mould and damp), in a reasonable state of repair and modernity, and must be warm and energy efficient.

Originally brought in to social housing reform after the avoidable death of two year old Awaab Ishak due to prolonged exposure to mould, the Renters’ Rights Act will also extend Awaab’s Law to all privately rented properties. Under the law, landlords will have a specified amount of time to investigate and repair any hazardous or dangerous conditions in their property, such as mould or damp.

When did it come into effect:

• Awaab’s Law: To be confirmed
• Decent Homes Standard: 2035 – 2037 (proposed)

What should landlords do now?

With Phase 1 of the reforms in force, now is a good time for landlords to review both their day-to-day processes and longer-term property plans.

While many of the biggest changes, such as the abolition of Section 21 and the move to periodic tenancies, have already taken effect, further reforms including landlord registration, the Landlord Ombudsman and the Decent Homes Standard are still to come.

To stay ahead of the changes, landlords should consider:

• Reviewing tenancy agreements, template documents and letting processes to ensure they reflect the post-May 2026 rules.
• Familiarising themselves with the updated Section 8 possession grounds and notice requirements.
• Reviewing rent review procedures to ensure any increases comply with the new statutory process.
• Keeping accurate records of tenancy agreements, rental payments, inspections and maintenance work.
• Looking ahead to future compliance requirements, including landlord registration and forthcoming property standards.

The reforms may also be a good opportunity to take stock of your wider property strategy. If you're considering refinancing, releasing equity or reviewing the performance of your portfolio, read our guide on how to review your Buy to Let portfolio before refinancing.

How will the changes affect the Buy to Let market?

Some industry commentators have been quick to suggest that the new regulations will force landlords to leave the profession, creating even fewer affordable properties for renters.

But, at Together, we’ve seen that landlords have adapted to numerous challenges over the past few years, including changes to EPCs and taxation. So, whilst some landlords are selling up, many landlords realise that letting out a property is still a valuable and secure long-term investment.

In fact, the move to a more professional, accountable and service-driven model could benefit landlords looking to expand in the following ways:

• More Buy to Let properties on the market – Portfolio landlords could see the opportunity to snap up more rental-ready properties in their area as some smaller individual and accidental landlords look to exit the market.


• A reputational increase for the profession – The small number of dishonest and low-effort landlords will see their opportunities and profits decrease, and their obligations rise, potentially driving them out of the industry. This should lead to fewer rental horror stories, such as mouldy properties or exorbitant rent increases, that can negatively affect how the profession is perceived by the public.


• Fewer voids – Landlords who provide good-quality properties to rent at reasonable market rates will be more in demand. This could potentially lead to longer tenancies and shorter void times where the property is empty.

What support do landlords need from lenders?

Proving affordability is often a major sticking point for mortgage applications, and Buy to Let applications are no exception. Without the strength of an AST agreement, which effectively guarantees rent over a specified period, landlords may start to find it even harder to accurately forecast their income.

But it doesn’t need to lead to more rejections. Lenders will need to look at reshaping how they calculate interest cover ratio (ICR) if they want to support their private rental sector customers.

At Together, we already apply a common-sense approach to affordability, looking at an applicant’s full income. This can include top slicing, where we can use the applicant’s personal income alongside rental income to show that they can cover the mortgage repayments.

Additionally, landlords can access some of the built up equity in their personal or portfolio properties to fund a new purchase or finance improvements with a second charge loan.

Are you finding it harder to get approved for finance? Speak with our team to find out if we can help you achieve your Buy to Let property ambitions.